Installing a shower pump can be complicated. There is a range of variables a plumber must carefully consider before, during and after installation, which can often extend the time they spend in your home.

As such, installing a shower pump is not cheap.

However, if this is your first time installing a shower pump, and a local plumber has just quoted you over £1000, you’ll no doubt have your suspicions over whether that’s quite the right cost for the job.

To save you the time of ringing around more plumbers to compare quotes, we’ve spoken to over 1000 of our customers here at Anchor Pumps, asking them on average both how long it would take, and how much it would cost, to install a shower pump.

Find the results below.

How many hours does it take to install a standard shower pump?

Time is a crucial factor for a plumber. The vast majority of plumbers are self-employed, and the longer they spend at your house, the fewer jobs on the whole they can get through in one day. That’s why you’ll find the majority of plumbers quote using an hourly rate multiplied by the difficulty of the job.

So, how long does it take to install a standard shower pump?

Well, the quotes differ depending on the region you’re located. In London, the South West and the East of England, you’re looking to hire a plumber for the best part of a day. If you’re in the North West, the East Midlands or, the North East, a plumber will likely quote just over a half a day for a job.

Note that most plumbers warned that the time it would take to install the shower pump would depend on certain factors. For example, in London and the South East of England, you may be looking at longer installation times due to the likelihood of installing onto older pipework.

How much does it cost to install a standard shower pump?

The cost of shower pump installation will be calculated by multiplying the number of hours it takes your plumber to install the pump by the general hourly rate in your local area. We’ve provided the calculation for each of the nine regions of England below.

Variables That Might Increase Your Installation Fee

Of course, this study was conducted by asking plumbers to quote on a standard shower pump installation. In the real world, there are likely to be several variables which mean it takes the plumber longer to install the pump. Here are a couple of notable variables which may increase the cost of your installation.

Age of the House

Older houses tend to have ageing or rusting pipework. This will undoubtedly increase the time it takes the plumber to install the pump, either through having to replace certain pipes or by taking extra care not to break anything. Take this into consideration when evaluating your quote.

Break Tank Installation

In some cases, it may not be possible to install a shower pump directly to your home’s heating system. You may also need to have a break tank installed to ensure you’re not installing a pump directly to the mains water line. This will naturally increase the time a plumber needs to spend in your home, increasing the quote for the job.

First Shower Pump Installation

It’s far quicker to replace a broken pump than to install one for the first time. In a like for like replacement, a plumber will simply need to find the up to date version of your current pump and install that pump on the same fittings. If you’ve never had a shower pump, it’s likely the plumber will need to access the right location and pump type for your home, while also conducting work on your current system. This will naturally increase the cost of installation.