Plumbing · DC

Plumbing costs in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV

If you’re pricing Plumbing work in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, start with the wage picture — not a national blog post that never mentions your labor market. Mean hourly pay here sits about 4% above the national OEWS mean.

Updated Nov 1, 2026 · Estimates only

Mean hourly wage
$36.1
Median hourly
$34.55
p10 – p90
$22.83 – $55.0

Local tip: Local code, permit fees, and how busy crews are this month move numbers as much as wage rates do.

Sample project ranges

ProjectLowMidHigh
Water Heater Replacement$690$1,321$2,773
Toilet Installation$189$485$1,103
Pipe Repair$132$435$1,278
Drain Cleaning$46$147$513

What usually moves the number

Rebates (verify; don’t trust a random Facebook ad)

Heat pump water heaters have often qualified for federal §25C credits (verify current caps) and strong utility rebates. Conventional tanks rarely qualify for federal credits. Start with IRS, ENERGY STAR, and DSIRE.

Getting quotes without the circus

  1. Screenshot our mid/low/high band.
  2. Ask three licensed, insured pros for written scopes.
  3. Compare exclusions — permits, haul-away, thermostats, flashing — before crowning a winner.
Local pro? Get featured in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV — talk to us.
Featured local pro

Sponsored slot for Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Plumbing. Partner.

Want actual bids?

Leave a few details if you’d like local pros to follow up. We’ll only share what you submit after you check the box below.

Gear people often ask about

We’re not a store. If we later recommend a product through a partner link, we’ll label it and note if we earn a commission.

Thermostats

A decent thermostat won’t fix a bad install, but it can stop the short-cycling arguments.

Partner options
Water heaters

Tank, tankless, heat-pump — the sticker price is only half the story.

Partner options
Warranties & financing

Read the exclusions. “Full coverage” rarely means what the brochure implies.

Partner options

Monthly wage & cost note

Short email when we refresh the index. No daily drip campaign. Unsubscribe whenever.