Cost to Plumb a New House in Australia

Plumbing is an essential step in building a house – unless you’re planning on living off the grid with a well! It’ll be much easier to sell your home if you do opt for a plumbing system, so we think you’ll agree that they’re well worth the money. But how much will a complete plumbing system set you back?

Plumbing costs depend on a lot of key factors, including how big your home is, how many bathrooms and appliances you’re building, and the quality of the parts you choose. Today we’re going to be covering all things plumbing costs, so keep reading to learn more!

What are the key factors impacting a new home’s plumbing costs?

Type of plumbing systems

The type of plumbing system you choose will affect its quality and usability, which will impact how much the supplier is charging. It might be tempting to choose a smaller or cheaper plumbing system, But you need to remember these often come with high maintenance costs and repair expenses in the long run. We highly recommend opting for high-quality systems instead. Ask your plumber what the best materials and plumbing systems are for your specific needs and budget, as they will be able to guide you to find the best option without breaking the bank. 

Installation difficulties

No, the complexity of your plumbing job is one of the biggest factors that affects how much you end up paying. For example, if your home already has a basic plumbing structure within it, the cost of plumbing the house will be much less than if you’re starting from scratch. Plumbers tend to charge higher rates for jobs that require specialised skills or equipment, so make sure you shop around hiring someone. The scope of work will also increase how long the job takes, so you’ll naturally have to pay more for longer labour requirements. 

Location of your home

Where your home is located can also impact how much it’s going to cost to plumb it. In areas where the cost of living is higher, such as major cities, you’ll often find plumbers charging more to cover their higher expenses. On the other hand, geographical locations with accessibility issues, including those where it’s difficult to order plumbing fixtures, can also come with higher plumbing costs. Higher rates because of location often can’t be helped, but you can sometimes land a good deal by shopping around and comparing quotes. 

Typical cost to plumb a new house in Australia

The cost to plumb your new home depends on what you want to get out of the overall job. The total cost of plumbing a new house typically ranges from $20,000-$40,000 in Australia, but some houses in major cities may even cost as much as $1,000,000. 

If your plumber works on an hourly rate, they usually charge around $80-$120 per hour. However, more complex jobs might come with higher costs. 

Here are some of the tasks you might need and their average asking prices: 

• New pipework installation: $2,000 to $15,000
• Installing appliances in the bathroom, kitchen, or laundry room: $600 to $2,000 per appliance
• Hot water service installation: $2,000 to $5,000
• Bathroom installations: $2,000 to $30,000
• Septic tank installation: $2,000 plus extra expenses such as pumps, filters and anaerobic digesters 

Rough-in plumbing costs

Rough-in plumbing simply means the initial stage of plumbing a home, where the plumbing infrastructure is installed within the walls before they are finished. This is often a necessity when building a new home as it means you can get the bare bones of your plumbing system installed without having to disrupt any of the finishes. A professional plumber will install things like utility connections, underground piping, drain lines, vent stacks, and anything else needed to provide your home with running water and drainage. 

As you may expect, rough-in plumbing is an incredibly big job that needs a professional rather than a DIYer. The price of this job will all depend on the size of your home, how many appliances you’re planning on installing, and how much piping you need. 

New plumbing installation cost

Once the rough-in plumbing has been completed, your plumber can now move on to installing your new plumbing system. Otherwise known as finish plumbing, this refers to installing any new fixture in your house after the initial infrastructure has been laid. The price of this will depend on your plumber and their rates, but typically you can expect to pay between $600 and $2,000 per appliance. 

How much can you expect to pay for each appliance?

Again this will all depend on your plumber and how easy they believe the job is going to be, along with what specific appliances you want installing. Here are a few of the most common and their average prices: 

• Toilets, sinks, and baths: $150 to $550
• Faucets, taps, and shower heads: $80 to $250 per tap
• Hot water heaters: $1,000 to $20,000 depending on your chosen system 
• Septic tanks: $2,000 to $15,000 
• Smart leak detectors: $200 to $500
• Greywater recycling systems: $3,000 to $10,000
• Water filtration systems: $1,000 to $4,000

Inspection costs

When plumbing a new home, it’s wise to know all there is to know about inspections. While they’re not always necessary, it can be a good idea to get your plumbing system routinely looked at to make sure it’s up to standard and functioning efficiently. The price of your inspection will depend on a number of factors, but in general, here’s what you need to know: 

• Compliance inspections: When building a new home, compliance inspections are required for building approvals. These typically cost between $200 and $500, and you need to pay for multiple depending on your planning permission contract. While inconvenient, these inspections make sure all Work meets your local regulations and standards to prevent you from getting a fine in the future.
• Pre-purchase inspections: These are essential for homebuyers, so if you’re planning on selling your new home, you could get the ball rolling and plan one of these for your prospective buyers. Pre-purchase inspections usually cost between $300 and $600, and they will look at all visible plumbing and report any potential issues. 

How to choose the right plumber for the job?

There are so many benefits to using a reputable plumber, including getting the quality you deserve. Building a new home is no easy feat, so being left with anything less than perfect can feel like a slap in the face when you’ve paid for premium services. A poor job can also cost you more money in the long run due to inefficiencies and even the possibility of breakdowns. Not only will these damage your systems over time, but they can also damage the walls, flooring, and structural integrity of your home.

So, it’s incredibly important that you find the best plumber for your job. Here are a few ways you can do this:

• Check qualifications: Why it might seem awkward to ask for qualifications upfront, it’s super important that you make sure any plumbers you’re considering have the correct qualifications and are all licensed to deal with the appliances you need plumbing. Not having the correct qualifications is a huge red flag, and this can save you quite a lot of time when vetting plumbers as you can simply cross them straight off your list. 
• Ask about their reputation: While you’re asking for their qualifications, you may as well ask to see any relevant reviews from previous employers. If they’re happy to show you reviews, then read them and make sure their previous work holds up to the standards you’re expecting. If they don’t have any reviews to show you or get a little reserved about the idea, this may be an indication that they are not trusted enough for you to choose. If they have social media pages, you can also check these to find previous customer testimonials. 
• Make sure they’re ready for the task at hand: The term ‘ plumber’ is super widespread, so one plumber might not have experience or any idea how to complete the work you need. For example, most plumbers can install an appliance, but fewer can complete rough-in tasks. Make sure you give all of your potential plumbers a list of the jobs you need to complete and ask them if they have experience in this area, as hiring someone without checking their experience is often a recipe for disaster. 

Our tips for managing the costs of your new house’s plumbing

You can manage the cost of your new home’s plumbing by: 

• Buying water efficient fixtures: While they’re more expensive upfront, rest assured that the maintenance cost will be much cheaper in the long run
• Working with your plumber to get the best deal: No one knows plumbing systems better than a plumber, so work with them to find the best option that sticks to your budget
• Plan ahead: While it might be tempting to go all out, not every house needs three bathrooms with endless faucets and appliances, so make a plan depending on your budget and stick to it
• Take the time to shop around: Instead of buying everything as quickly as you can, if your timeline allows for it, shop around and see if you can get some great deals when plumbers or suppliers are running promotional discounts

Buildi is here to help you throughout your building journey. Book your free consultation now.