Pricing
The Number Comes Before the Work
Foreigners in Korea worry most about being overcharged — reasonably, since you can't compare quotes in a language you don't read. Our answer is a simple sequence: diagnose on site, state a fixed price, start only after you agree.
Why there is no price list here
Because any number printed before we have seen your pipe would be a marketing number, not a real one. The fair price depends on what the diagnosis finds — pipe length, access, machine required — so every job is quoted on site, as one fixed figure with VAT spelled out, before work begins. What we can publish honestly is how each service gets priced:
| Service | Pricing | What sets the price |
|---|---|---|
| Clogged toilet | Fixed quote on site | If the toilet must be removed from its base, we quote that separately before touching it. |
| Kitchen sink clog | Fixed quote on site | Restaurant kitchens and floor trench drains are quoted by scale. |
| Blocked floor & shower drain | Fixed quote on site | Price depends on where the blockage sits and how far the machine has to go — confirmed before we start. |
| High-pressure sewer jetting | Fixed quote on site | Priced by pipe diameter, length and condition. Regular-service contracts lower the per-visit price. |
| Drain camera inspection | Quoted on site | Often combined with jetting or leak work; we tell you the combined fixed price first. |
| Water leak detection | Quoted by symptom | We explain the likely range on the phone after hearing the symptoms. |
| Sump pump & motor repair | Quoted by pump spec | Tell us the horsepower or send a photo of the nameplate — we give a close range before visiting and confirm the fixed figure on site. |
| Faucet & fixture replacement | Fixed quote on site | Parts at market price with receipt, named in the quote before you approve; labor confirmed before work. |
The sequence, every time
Text or call — get a range
Describe the problem; photos or a short video sharpen the estimate a lot. We reply with a realistic range and an honest arrival window.
On-site diagnosis
We find the actual cause — with an inspection camera when the pipe needs to be seen. The cause, not the symptom, is what sets the price.
Fixed quote, your call
We state the price and what it covers before touching anything. You can say no — plenty of people schedule for later or get a second opinion, and that is fine.
If the scope changes, we stop
Occasionally a job reveals something bigger — a collapsed pipe behind a clog, say. When that happens we pause, show you what we found, and re-quote before continuing. You decide.
Pay after completion
Card, Korean bank transfer or cash — after the work is done and shown to you. Cash receipt or corporate tax invoice (세금계산서) on request.
Our standing terms
- Fixed quote before work starts — you agree to the number first. If the scope turns out to be different mid-job, we stop and explain before anything continues.
- Same rates at night, on weekends and on holidays.
- Card payment accepted. Cash receipt or corporate tax invoice (세금계산서) issued on request.
- VAT 10% is quoted separately, and we tell you the VAT-included total before starting.
Things worth knowing about plumbing prices in Korea
There is no tipping in Korea. Not for plumbers, not for anyone. The quote is the whole cost.
"Cheap over the phone, expensive in your bathroom" is the classic trap. Some operators quote a low number to win the visit, then discover "serious problems" once they are standing in your home. Any quote given before anyone has seen the pipe is a marketing number — which is exactly why our binding quote happens on site, with the cause in front of both of us.
Your landlord may owe some or all of it. Korean law puts major-repair responsibility on the landlord. Before you pay for anything expensive, read our guide: Who pays — landlord or tenant? We document the cause so that conversation is short.