What counts as a plumbing emergency?

Water you cannot stop, sewage coming up a drain, no water to the whole house, or a leak near electrics. A single slow drain, a dripping tap or a water heater that has simply stopped heating can usually wait for regular hours with the water off.

How much does an emergency plumber cost?

National cost guides, read November 6, 2026, put after-hours, weekend and holiday rates at $125–$170 per hour, against $45–$150 per hour in regular hours. A second guide describes an added $100–$300+ for calls outside regular hours. Ask for the after-hours charge before anyone is sent.

Can emergency repairs start before a permit?

The City of Boise's published fee schedule normally adds an investigation fee equal to the permit fee when work starts before a permit, but waives it for emergency work that was urgently necessary when getting a permit first was not practical, provided the permit is obtained as soon as practical. Ask the Building Division, (208) 608-7070, how that applies to your job.

I smell gas. Is that a plumber?

No. Leave the building, do not use switches or phones inside, and call 911 or your gas utility from outside.

Does Boise Elite Plumber send a plumber?

No. We are a referral service, not a plumbing contractor or an emergency dispatcher. Quote requests are not open yet; when they are, we pass your request to an independent local plumber who contacts you.

Emergency · Boise, Idaho

Emergency Plumber in Boise: What to Do Before Anyone Arrives

In a plumbing emergency the first job is yours: close the main water shutoff, keep clear of wet electrics, and stop using drains if sewage is coming up. After-hours plumbing runs $125–$170 per hour in national cost guides, against $45–$150 per hour in regular hours (read November 6, 2026). Boise Elite Plumber is a referral service that matches homeowners with independent local plumbers; we do not dispatch anyone ourselves.

Published November 10, 2026 · Figures and rules checked against the sources listed at the end of this page.

Gas smell, sparking, or water reaching the electrical panel: leave and call 911 or your utility from outside. That is not a plumbing call.

The first ten minutes

Close the main water shutoff Usually where the water line enters the house, or at the meter. Turn it fully off.
Keep away from wet electrics Switch off the breaker for the affected area if you can reach the panel on dry ground.
Sewage backing up? Stop all water use No flushing, no taps, no laundry until the line is cleared.
Leaking water heater Close the cold valve on top and turn the gas control off or the breaker off.
Take photos, then move what you can Your insurer will want pictures before clean-up.

Now, tonight or tomorrow?

Now: water that will not stop even with the main closed, sewage in the house, a burst pipe in a wall or ceiling.
Today: a leak you have stopped with the main shutoff, no hot water, a failed water heater that is isolated.
Regular hours: one slow drain, a running toilet, a dripping tap.

If the main shutoff has stopped the damage, waiting for regular hours usually costs less. The problem table on the home page sorts the common cases.

What it costs

Emergency plumbing costs, national ranges (read November 6, 2026)
Charge	Range
After-hours hourly rate	$125–$170
Regular hourly rate, for comparison	$45–$150
Burst pipe repair	$400–$2,000
Main line snaked	$175–$600

Permits still apply, with an allowance

Inside Boise, repairing or replacing piping needs a City plumbing permit. The City's fee schedule recognises that emergencies do not wait: the extra investigation fee for starting before a permit is waived for urgently necessary emergency work, provided the permit is obtained as soon as practical. A plumbing contractor normally handles the permit; check their license before you hire. Details: Boise plumbing permits.

Ask before they start

What is the after-hours charge, and is it hourly or flat?
What is your Idaho plumbing contractor certificate number? (How to look it up.)
Will you give the price in writing before work begins?

Sources and dates

Every figure and rule above names where it came from and the date it was read. If a source disagrees with a quote you receive, the quote wins: it reflects your house, your pipes and this week's demand. Prices are rechecked at least every six months.

HomeGuide, "2026 Plumber Cost Per Hour | Average Rates To Hire A Plumber" — read November 6, 2026. Regular and after-hours hourly rates. National.
HomeAdvisor (Angi), "How Much Does a Plumber Cost in 2026?" (updated Jun 19, 2026) — read November 6, 2026. After-hours surcharge. National.
HomeGuide, "How Much Does It Cost to Repair a Burst Pipe? (2026)" — read November 6, 2026. Burst pipe repair. National.
City of Boise, "Boise City Plumbing Code Fee Schedule" (PDF, dated Oct. 2021) — read November 10, 2026. Emergency-work exception to the special investigation fee. PDF dated October 2021.