Frequently Asked Questions

Most plumbing repairs in Calgary are billed by the hour plus parts. Daytime rates commonly run about $85 to $150 an hour and after-hours or emergency rates $150 to $250 an hour, often with a call-out or service fee of $50 to $150. Ask for the hourly rate, the call-out fee and how time is rounded before the visit, or get a fixed written price for a defined job.

A standard 50-gallon gas tank, supplied and installed, usually costs about $1,500 to $3,500. A tankless gas heater installed is commonly $2,200 to $5,000, plus $400 to $1,500 if the gas line has to be upgraded. Venting changes and removal of the old tank are the items to check are included.

A whole-house Poly-B repipe typically costs $8,000 to $15,000, with most homes landing around $10,000 to $13,000, and larger two-storey homes up to about $18,000. Ask whether drywall patching and painting are included or priced separately.

Get a camera inspection first; it usually costs $200 to $600. A spot repair on one section commonly runs $1,000 to $3,000, trenchless lining or pipe bursting $5,000 to $12,000, and a full dig-and-replace $4,500 to $15,000 or more depending on depth, length and what sits on top of the line.

Yes. Plumber and Gasfitter (Class A and Class B) are compulsory certification trades in Alberta under the Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Education Act. Anyone doing that work for pay must be a certified journeyperson or a registered apprentice working under one. Ask to see the certificate, and for gas work ask specifically for the gasfitter certificate.

A business that takes payment before the work is finished on your home must hold an Alberta prepaid contracting licence, so ask for it. Ask for a WCB-Alberta clearance letter, which shows whether the contractor's coverage is in good standing, and a written contract that describes the work, itemizes the price and says who will take out the permit.

No. Calgary Plumbing Pro is a free matching service. We do not do plumbing work, we do not employ plumbers, and we do not screen or verify contractors. You describe the job, and your request is sent to local plumbing contractors listed in the Calgary Construction Network directory, who reply to you by email.

Not for a straight like-for-like swap. The City of Calgary says a permit is needed when the gas line upstream of the heater's shut-off valve changes, when the venting changes, or when the type of heater changes, for example from a natural draft tank to a direct vent model. Rules differ in nearby towns: Cochrane and Airdrie both list water heater installation as permit work.

Yes, if you own the home, live in it or intend to, and do the work yourself. A homeowner cannot take out a permit for work a contractor is doing, and the City will not issue a homeowner permit for concealed plumbing that was done without one. The homeowner permit fee is $116.50 in 2026.

Generally no. Calgary homeowners can apply for most permit types themselves, but not a gas permit, unless the homeowner is an Alberta-certified journeyman gasfitter working on a single-family home. For almost everyone, a certified gasfitter takes out the gas permit and the City inspects the work. Rules differ in other municipalities, so check with yours.

The National Plumbing Code of Canada 2020 has been in force in Alberta since April 1, 2023. Gas work follows CSA B149.1, the natural gas and propane installation code; the 2025 edition came into force in Alberta on March 1, 2026.

No. Poly-B is no longer listed in the current plumbing codes, but codes are not retroactive, so existing Poly-B is not illegal and there is no rule requiring its removal. People replace it after a leak, when an insurer or buyer asks about it, or during a renovation. Some insurers ask about Poly-B, so check with yours.

In Calgary, the homeowner is responsible for the water pipe from the house to the service valve, which is usually at or near the property line. All water pipes and devices outside the property line are the City's responsibility. Repairs to the service on private property are the owner's cost, except for the water meter.

Stop running water, keep people away from the sewage, and report the backup to the City of Calgary. The City can run a snake to the sewer main to check whether the blockage is on private or public property, with no charge for that check. If it is on your side, you will need a plumber, and a camera inspection is the right first step.

Calgary's water is hard because of its calcium and magnesium. The City reports hardness of roughly 141 to 200 milligrams per litre from the Bearspaw plant and 181 to 274 from the Glenmore plant, varying through the year. Hard water leaves scale in water heaters, which is why flushing a tank and descaling a tankless unit matter here.

The City's advice is to keep the heat at 15°C or higher, insulate pipes in cold areas, and open interior doors and cabinet doors so warm air reaches the pipes. If a pipe freezes, thaw it from the tap back toward the frozen section with a hair dryer, heating pad or hot towels, and never with an open flame.

Do not look for the leak and do not switch anything on or off. Get everyone out of the house and call emergency services from outside. Once the house has been made safe, any repair to the gas system needs a certified gasfitter and a gas permit.

The City of Calgary recommends a backwater valve on the sewer pipe or on basement fixtures to stop sewage backing up into the house, and a plumbing permit is required to install one. New houses built in the floodway, flood fringe or overland flow areas are required to have one.