What's a good cost per lead for hot water jobs?

Between $45 and $85 per exclusive enquiry is normal in Australian metro areas. That looks expensive next to a $30 general plumbing lead until you account for the job value — a $2,500 install at a 45% close rate produces roughly $13 of ad cost per $1,000 of revenue.

Should I advertise heat pump hot water separately?

Yes. Heat pump buyers research differently, respond to rebate messaging, and have a higher job value. A dedicated ad group and landing page for heat pumps almost always outperforms lumping them in with gas and electric storage.

How seasonal is hot water advertising?

Very. Expect a significant lift from the first cold weeks through to late winter, with a smaller secondary spike after long weekends and holidays when systems get pushed hard. We adjust budget month by month rather than running a flat spend all year.

Google Ads

Google Ads for Hot Water Plumbers

Hot water is the best single job type in plumbing to advertise: urgent, high value, and searched with unmistakable intent. "Hot water system replacement" is not a browsing query — it's a customer standing in a cold shower with a credit card.

Book a discovery call 1300 788 710

Why hot water deserves its own campaign

A hot water replacement is typically a $1,800–$4,500 job that needs to happen today or tomorrow. That combination — urgency plus value — means you can afford a much higher cost per click than general plumbing work, and still make excellent margin. Run it inside a general plumbing campaign and it competes for budget with $180 tap repairs.

$1,800–$4,500

Typical hot water job value

$45–$85

Cost per hot water lead

40–60%

Quote-to-booked rate on same-day response

Winter

Peak demand — plan budget seasonally

The keyword clusters that matter

Cluster	Examples	Why it converts
Failure	no hot water, hot water not working	Immediate, unavoidable problem
Replacement	hot water system replacement [suburb]	Decision already made
Type-specific	heat pump hot water, gas hot water install	Informed buyer, higher value
Brand	Rheem / Rinnai / Dux installer	High trust, ready to book
Emergency	same day hot water repair	Premium pricing accepted

Rebates change the maths

Federal and state incentives for heat pump hot water systems have created a distinct, high-intent search category. Campaigns that mention current rebate eligibility in the ad copy consistently outperform generic hot water ads — as long as the landing page explains the eligibility honestly.

Same-day response is the whole game

1
Answer inside 60 seconds
Hot water callers ring three plumbers. The one who answers first usually gets the job — often without being the cheapest.
2
Quote over the phone with ranges
Give a confident price range by system type. Refusing to talk price sends the customer straight back to Google.
3
Book the install on the call
Same-day or next-morning install is the strongest close available. Don't leave it as a callback.
4
Ask for the review that afternoon
A customer who got hot water back the same day leaves your best reviews — which feed the next batch of enquiries.

Seasonal budget planning

Hot water demand climbs sharply through the first cold snap of each year and stays elevated through winter. We front-load budget into those months and pull back through peak summer, so you're competing hardest when the searches are actually there.