Plumbers in Taipei

We had a really bad clog in the kitchen sink and had our security guard call a plumber in the neighborhood. Normally I would have my husband call the gentleman we’ve used a few times before, also in the neighborhood, but he was out of town and I didn’t have the guy’s number.

So this new guy comes and spends ten minutes with my sink and charges me $1500.

Now back home this wouldn’t even phase me and I would consider this the minimum charge but I was surprised because we’ve paid for bathroom sinks to be unclogged before and even a toilet once at another apartment and we’ve never paid more than $500. In fact, we were always surprised that we’d pay as little as $200.

This morning we mentioned it to another guard and a tenant in our building and they said that the minimum charge for work in the kitchen is $1500. Is that right?

There have been times that I’ve felt like someone was trying to overcharge me simply because I’m a foreigner and perhaps they think I wouldn’t know any better :fume: but of course, I don’t know that for sure. :blush:

I am pretty sure you got ripped off…

I got this from a government website:

http://www.evta.gov.tw/employee/emp/001/004/a075/46.htm

It basically says that, generally speaking, new plumbers/electricians earn around $NT1,500~2,100 per day, those with experience would earn about $NT1,800~2,500; if hired by a company (as opposed to working for yourself), new plumbers/electricians earn about $NT25,000~$NT35,000 a month, and those with experience would earn around $NT40,000~50,000.

Now, given that, even experienced plumbers only earn $NT1,800~2,100 a day… then at the rate he charged you, he would have earned more than that in 20 minutes.

You can always call that porn star named ‘The Plumber’ and get a second opinion. :wink:

It looks like you were ripped off .

BTW: next time go to the supermarket and get some of those chemicals to pour into the sink, worked for me so far.

I paid 1,000 nt to get my kitchen sink unclogged. I didn’t mind paying but the jerk didn’t do a good job at all, made a huge mess, and the drain was still not entirely unclogged which I discovered shortly after he left!

Here we go again, breathing new life into an ancient thread.

I had a shitty experience with my water filter installation guy, so I’m wary. Can anyone recommend a decent plumber in the general Taipei area? I‘m having trouble with one of the drains on the floor of my bathroom in what seems to be a very sharply curved pipe, and can’t resolve it on my own. My hair has gotten pretty long and I suspect it has formed the clog from hell in there.

Does anyone have any contact info for a plumber? I have a blocked pipe and I seriously can not be fooked listening to the wife try 101 things to try and unblock it. Xindien area.