Rochester Water Works
✓ Licensed ✓ Insured BBB A 28 yrs
Specialties: Drain cleaning, Toilet replacement, Re-piping
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🔧 Plumbing · RochesterA plumber in Rochester charges roughly $99/hour — driven by the BLS OEWS national mean hourly wage of $32.74 for SOC 47-2152, the NY cost-of-living index of 125.9, and the standard 2.4× contractor markup. Below: project-by-project pricing, then 3 licensed local pros.
| Project | Time | Typical cost | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard service call (diagnosis + minor repair) | 1–2 hours | $224 | $184 – $269 |
| Drain cleaning (sink, tub, or floor drain) | 30–90 min | $130 | $107 – $156 |
| Single-fixture leak repair (faucet, supply line) | 1–2 hours | $237 | $194 – $284 |
| Toilet replacement (you supply fixture) | 2–3 hours | $273 | $224 – $328 |
| Water heater replacement (40–50 gal tank) | 4–6 hours | $1,592 | $1,305 – $1,910 |
| Sewer line repair (spot repair, not full replace) | 1–2 days | $2,554 | $2,094 – $3,065 |
| Whole-house re-pipe (1500 sq ft, PEX) | 3–5 days | $7,194 | $5,899 – $8,633 |
Local rate = BLS national mean × 2.4 markup × (NY COL 125.9/100). Materials adjusted by the same factor.
A licensed plumber handles anything that touches the pressurized water supply, the DWV (drain-waste-vent) system, the gas line, or fixed gas-fired appliances like water heaters and pool heaters. A typical service call begins with a 15–30 minute diagnosis: the plumber will run faucets, check water pressure at a hose bib (40–80 PSI is normal), inspect supply lines and shut-off valves, and — if the call involves a drain — usually run a snake or scope a camera before quoting the repair. Bigger jobs (re-pipes, sewer-line work, water-heater swaps) require a written scope, a permit pulled in the homeowner's name, and at least one rough/final inspection by the local building department.
A plumber who quotes a major job sight-unseen, refuses to put the price in writing, or asks for more than 30% up front. Door-to-door "I noticed something wrong with your house" pitches after a storm are almost always scams.