Guide for UK heating & plumbing firms
How Much Do Missed Calls Cost UK Plumbers?
You are on a job, up a ladder, or driving between calls. The phone rings and you cannot answer. That caller does not wait for you to call back — they ring the next heating firm on the list. That is the real cost of a missed call: not a missed conversation, usually a lost job.
The maths behind that cost is simple, and you can do it with two numbers you already know: how many calls you miss in a week, and what an average job is worth to you.
The maths, in three steps
- Missed calls a week × 4 weeks = calls you miss in a month. (A month counts as 4 weeks here, the same basis as the calculator on our homepage.)
- Calls a month × average job value = money lost in a month.
- Money lost − plan price = money kept.
That is the whole method. No percentages, no staff costs — a solo operator has none — just the calls you missed, priced at what a job is worth.
Worked example: 4 missed calls a week
4 missed calls a week × 4 weeks = 16 calls a month.
16 calls × £150 average job = £2,400 lost a month.
£2,400 − £119 (Basic plan) = £2,281 kept a month.
Worked example: 6 missed calls a week
6 missed calls a week × 4 weeks = 24 calls a month.
24 calls × £250 average job = £6,000 lost a month.
£6,000 − £279 (Growth plan) = £5,721 kept a month.
What the numbers assume
Every missed call is counted as a job at the entered value — that is the calculator's assumption, stated plainly. If you answer “10+” missed calls a week, the maths counts it as 10: a conservative floor, so the result never over-promises. Your real result depends on how many of your missed calls would have become jobs, and what your jobs are actually worth.
For comparison, a part-time receptionist costs around £1,500 a month all-in (approximate, employer cost) — against £119 a month for Basic or £279 a month for Growth.
Which plan fits
The plan follows missed calls a week, not minutes: 2 to 4 missed calls a week fits Basic (350 inbound minutes and 140 SMS a month, 1 dedicated UK number). 6 or more missed calls a week fits Growth (850 inbound minutes and 340 SMS a month, multiple engineers, team-shared dashboard).
What about urgent calls?
Urgent calls are answered 24/7 and triaged, then passed on the way you configure in the portal: you set the emergency window and the engineer, and the agent works to it. You decide what emergency cover you offer; the agent makes sure no urgent caller is left unanswered.
Estimate only, not a guarantee of income. These examples use the calculator's assumptions. Try your own numbers in the calculator on the homepage to see your own receipt.