Understand the problem
A pipe crossing a garden or serving an outbuilding may leak for some time before anyone notices. Water can disappear into the ground, while an outside tap or automatic system adds complexity to meter checks. The first priority is to establish what is connected and which section is losing water.
Understand every branch of the outside supply
We review available stop valves, outside taps, outbuildings and any automatic water uses. Appropriate isolation helps narrow the network before specialist detection is considered. Ground conditions, pipe materials and access determine which methods may help. The supported location then informs the proposed access and plumbing repair.
Signs that make an investigation worthwhile
- A patch of garden staying wet in dry conditions
- Unexplained use linked to an external supply
- Losses on a pipe serving an outbuilding
- A suspected leak beneath a path or lawn
How we investigate
We choose methods around the question we need to answer, the system and the access available. Your job may require a combination of tests; every tool is not necessary on every visit.
Acoustic leak detection
Escaping water can create sound that travels through pipework and surrounding materials. Specialist listening equipment helps an engineer compare those sounds at useful points.
How this method worksTracer-gas leak detection
A suitable specialist tracer-gas test can help locate an escape from an isolated pipe section. A sensitive detector is used to investigate where the gas emerges above or around the suspected route.
What this method can establishFrom evidence to access and repair
Once the findings support a source area, we explain the necessary opening or excavation and the implications for the surrounding finish. Access is agreed before the plumbing is exposed for confirmation and repair. Suitable parts and materials are chosen for the system, including suitable water-supply fittings.
Appropriate checks follow the repair. The Written Trace & Access report records the relevant findings and work, with supporting photographs where appropriate. All work we carry out within the agreed scope has a one-year workmanship warranty.
Before we attend
Share the route of outside pipes if known and details of automatic watering. Mention buried cables, drainage, roots and restricted garden access. Keep relevant stop valves safely accessible.
Important scope information
Specialist irrigation design, landscaping and reinstatement are outside the residential plumbing package. The exact external scope is confirmed before booking.
£1,750 residential total including applicable tax. £100 deposit deducted; £1,650 balance. Agreed scope applies. Decorative and remedial reinstatement excluded. Commercial work quoted separately.
An written record of the job
If you intend to claim, ask your insurer about approval and reporting requirements before attendance. The report supports the evidence for your submission, while the insurer decides cover, excesses and reimbursement under the policy. Detection, pipe repair and reinstatement may be treated differently.
Explore the report and claims processYour questions
What should I tell you before the visit?
Share the route of outside pipes if known and details of automatic watering. Mention buried cables, drainage, roots and restricted garden access. Keep relevant stop valves safely accessible.
What are the practical limits or exclusions?
Specialist irrigation design, landscaping and reinstatement are outside the residential plumbing package. The exact external scope is confirmed before booking.
What does the £1,750 offer include?
For the agreed residential job, £1,750 includes investigation, specialist leak detection, tracing, necessary access or excavation, the plumbing repair, parts, materials, appropriate retesting and an Written Trace & Access report. It includes any applicable tax and a one-year workmanship warranty. Decorative and remedial reinstatement is excluded.
Can I claim the cost back on my home insurance?
You can submit our Written Trace & Access report and invoice to support a claim. Whether you can recover some or all of the cost depends on your policy, its trace-and-access provisions, excess, limits and your insurer’s decision. Ask about approval before the work. A report supports the evidence; it does not guarantee reimbursement.