Proximity Plumbing is a local, eastern suburbs based business. We live, breathe and love the east and our customers!  Something we’re honest about is our $0 Call Out Fee Promise.

Now, we know there is a lot of fear regarding calling out a tradesperson (especially a plumber) thanks to the negative stigma around our trade. No one wants to be ripped off (us included) so we strive to be as open and transparent about our fee and quoting system as possible.

We back our high level of service so much that we offer every customer a no-obligation $0 Call Out Fee Promise.

So What Does A $0 Call Out Fee Promise Mean?

‘$0 call-out fee’ means that we DO NOT charge you to arrive at your door, between business hours (8 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday). Before we start any work to help you with your plumbing issue, an upfront FIXED price will be discussed. This is so that you don’t have any ‘bill shock’ at the end of your service and there are NO hidden costs.

Providing great service, quality workmanship, and expert advice to our customers is the top priority for our team at Proximity Plumbing. Once we are onsite, we will provide a quote for your plumbing, gas fitting, hot water, or blocked drain services. Whatever it is we’re there to assist with. Often there is more than one way to tackle any issue, so we even go to the effort of providing more than one option for each service so YOU DECIDE what you’d like to do.

What is a Call Out Fee?

A call out fee is a cost that you as a consumer incur for requesting the presence of a tradesperson at your home. For most companies, the call out fee is a set amount. And traditionally, it’s a fee ON TOP of any labour, repair and time costs.
For most companies, the call out fee covers the cost of having a tradesperson attend your home (travel time, administrative time, time to generate a quote) PLUS it covers the tradesperson’s expertise in inspecting and diagnosing the issue.

Why Do Call-Out Fees Vary So Much?

The call out fees vary so much from business to business because there is no standard, set rate for call out. It’s completely at the discretion of each different business. Some businesses, like Proximity Plumbing, have a $0 call out fee. Some companies charge a different call out fee based on the time of day, day of the week and location of your home.

The Three Golden Rules of Call Out Fees.

When you’re searching for a tradesperson to attend your property, keep in mind these “Three Golden Rules”:

1. A truly professional, licenced plumber will give you a general break down of their costs but will not guarantee a price for your service UNTIL they have attended your property and diagnosed the issue.
2. The old saying “If it’s too good to be true, then it probably is” sums it up – do your research!
3. The sweet spot for costs involved with tradespeople is somewhere in between the ‘too little’ and ‘too much’.

Please, take time (even in an emergency) to do your research and find a truly local, professional plumber (who is licenced) and has plenty of community reviews. 

Does “No Call Out Fee” Mean A More Expensive Service?

Not necessarily. It depends on the fees and quoting system of each individual company. For the reasons why Proximity Plumbing offers a $0 Call Out Fee, see below.

Why Does Proximity Plumbing Offer A $0 Call Out Fee?

This is a great question and one that’s simple to answer – we are based in the eastern suburbs which in reality only takes about 30 mins max to get from Watson’s bay to Malabar (which would be the absolute extreme case scenario).

Why would we charge a call out for the travel time? Usually, we drive from Bellevue Hill to Bondi (our most common area we work in). So we don’t feel it’s necessary to charge a travel fee. Plus, with a growing team of 7 tradesmen on the road, we always have a plumber near you, ready to help.

In a nutshell, we want to earn your business. Here’s a little snapshot:

Company A: Proximity Plumbing

Established in and for the eastern suburb’s community. Truly local. A fleet of vans is available in and around the eastern suburbs 24/7. A guarantee to be onsite within the eastern suburbs. We offer a $0 Call Out Fee. Whilst some competitors will ask for a call out fee, only to ‘waive’ the fee in front of a customer in the hope of the customer committing to the job.

Does that seem ethical or fair? I think it pressures the customer into saying yes when in reality they may not need to.

At Proximity Plumbing, we want you to feel comfortable and more importantly, we want to EARN your business. Emily, Proximity Plumbing Co-owner makes a strong point “With our call out, there is no strings attached and no obligation. After our team inspects and quotes your job, if you don’t wish to proceed we will walk away with nothing further requested or expected”.

Company B: Sydney Plumbing Services.

Not local and targeting all of Sydney (which there is nothing wrong with). Although as they are driving all over Sydney advertising themselves as a local plumber, you can imagine how long it takes to get to each job and furthermore how many unpaid hours they spend on the road.

Lastly, they are likely spending a lot of money on marketing to reach you through AdWords, SEO or print marketing. To recoup these costs they will charge a call-out fee to cover the costs associated with the job and hope that they can ultimately get approval for the works immediately with the promise to waive the fee if you proceed.

1. How Much Is The Call-Out Fee And Is There A Minimum Charge For Time?

Your first and most important question! Be upfront and ask the tradesperson to clearly articulate their fee schedule before you ask anything else.

2. What Does Your Call-Out Fee Cover?

Some call out fees ONLY cover the cost for the tradesperson to arrive at your home, and nothing else. So ask the question about just what’s included so you know what to expect.

3. Can I Please Get It In Writing?

Always request for your call out fee quote to be sent in writing to avoid any confusion.

4. Ask about the other expected fees. 

Does the tradesperson charge per hour, or per job. Does your tradesperson have a fee schedule they’ll provide you with? Now is the time to ask all the questions!

How To Avoid Call Out Fee Confusion.

Do your own research and ask your tradie what is included with the call out fee.
Better yet, ask what’s included in a $0 call-out fee. Finally, make sure that there are NO hidden fees or inclusions. You can ask them flat out – what are the hidden charges?
At Proximity Plumbing, we make an effort to keep it simple and un-complicate the quoting and call out fee system. With every call out we ensure to provide a complimentary quote and site inspection.

The Proximity Plumbing Way Of Working.

If You Were To Ask Us About Our Process At Proximity Plumbing, We’d Say Something Like This:

When you call our team, we will assess your plumbing issue or emergency over the phone, as you talk with a real person! We will give you tips on how to turn off the water/clean-up/contain the damage until we arrive (if it’s an emergency) or schedule the next available plumber to your location.

Thanks to our service scheduling software, our plumbers know exactly where they’re going and will arrive at your home on time (in one of our snazzy Proximity Plumbing vans). They will be in uniform and introduce themselves to you; telling you who they are and where they’re from courteously.

Our plumbers will always remove work boots or cover them to protect your home’s floors. Our plumbers will assess the plumbing issue, provide you with information, and a breakdown of the cost involved before they get started. You’ll have the chance to ask any questions.

The work will be completed with minimal impact to your home and with as much care as possible. The workspace will be clean and neat when we leave, and you’ll even have a lovely home candle to say Thank You for choosing us and to help make the home smell lovely once we leave.

Now that’s a simple break down of our process and when you hire a professional plumber they should have a process very similar to ours. If they can’t articulate that over the phone maybe it’s best to keep searching until you find one who can (or call us).

Look For Real Recommendations.

You may have a go-to list of tradies that have been recommended by a friend or family member. These lists are golden! By having a recommendation it’s reassurance that the Sydney emergency plumber will do a good job, charge fairly, respect your home, and carry out the plumbing job correctly.

If you don’t have an emergency plumber on your list, you can quickly look at the Google reviews of the plumber you’re thinking of hiring for your emergency job. Looking at what others in your community have posted about the company or person could save you a headache or three.

It’s OK to Keep Searching.

If you get a funny vibe when speaking to your tradie or plumber on the phone and they seem vague and not willing to answer your questions, maybe keep looking!

Here are 9 qualities of an amazing, local plumber to help you find the best tradie for the job!  Ideally, your plumber should be:

1. Licensed and certified

First things first, an amazing local plumber needs to have the correct license and certification to be a practising plumber. This shows they know what they’re doing, they’ve put in the steps to be an expert plumber and have passed certification to call themselves a plumber.

2. Experienced

“Well i’ve never seen that before” .. not words you want to hear from a plumber looking at your drains! Real, on the road experience is key when choosing a plumber for your job. You want a plumber, or crew who are experienced in your plumbing issue. Whether it’s a blocked drain, hot water system that needs replacing, gutter clearing or pipe relining, you want to know your plumber has years of practical experience.

3. Punctual and presentable

Being an amazing local plumber means you are never too far away. At Proximity Plumbing we have a 30 minute on site guarantee for eastern suburbs jobs because we are an eastern suburbs based team. We live and breathe the eastern suburbs so we are cruising the back streets all day (you’ve probably seen one of our vans)!

You want to know that the plumber you choose arrives on time, when they’ve agreed to arrive so that you’re not waiting around watching the kitchen fill with more water… and that they’re presentable, clean and considerate of you.

4. Tool ready

When you have an immediate plumbing issue, you want an immediate fix. A lot of time, that means parts being replaced and repaired on the spot. So you want a plumber who arrives fully kitted out for any type of part with a host of (cool) tools ready to go. At Proximity Plumbing our vans are completely kitted out for any plumbing emergency and if there is something we don’t have on hand, our warehouse in the eastern suburbs is not far away.

5. Mechanically minded

This carries on from Tip #4. If there is a larger plumbing issue that needs to be resolved with the use of mechanical tools, you want a plumber who is experienced in the operation of those tools. In general plumbers need to know the mechanics of an entire plumbing system, so the ability to think mechanically is also important.

6. Passionate, problem solver

A passionate plumber is someone who loves their trade and is dedicated to get the best outcome for you and your plumbing system. That kind of plumber will put in the hard yards for you and won’t let you down.

7. Great communicator

A great plumber needs to be able to communicate clearly and effectively whilst listening to the issue you’re facing. A great plumber also needs to communicate in language you understand, using simple explanations (not trade jargon) so to not confuse you. A great plumber needs to communicate the quote, the options, the estimation of the final amount you’re looking to pay really well.

8.Respectful and responsible

You’re letting a plumber, or a team of local plumbers into your home to work on your asset you want to know they’re respectful and responsible around you and your belongings.

9. A local, with local knowledge

A great local plumber knows your suburb and surrounding suburbs like the back of their hand. They know the common issues plagued by certain suburbs, the reasons for them, and how to fix them. Being a local expert plumber means they see the same issues day in and day out and have a library of resources to draw from when it comes time to fixing your issue.

We hope that helps explain our offer to every customer of a no-obligation $0 Call Out Fee Promise. To talk to our professional team today, please call us on: 0420 102 394.