Ask "how much does a water leak repair cost?" and you will usually get a plumber's price for fixing a joint. That figure is real, but when the leak is inside a wall, under a floor or above a ceiling it is rarely the biggest part of the bill. A hidden leak costs money in four stages, and the one that decides the total is usually how accurately the leak was found before anything was opened.
This guide breaks the cost into those four stages, explains what moves each one up or down, and gives typical UK ranges from published trade price guides. Those ranges are general market figures, not quotes from us. The only prices we state for our own work are the leak detection prices on our pricing page.
How much does a water leak repair cost in total?
For a hidden leak, the total is:
- Find: locating the leak, ideally without damage.
- Access: opening the wall, floor or ceiling at that point.
- Repair: fixing or replacing the pipe or fitting.
- Make good: reinstating plaster, screed, tiles, boards and decoration, plus any drying.
A small, accessible leak can be dealt with in one plumber's visit. A leak under a tiled bathroom floor can involve a detection engineer, a plumber, a tiler, a plasterer and a decorator. That is why two "pipe leak repair" jobs can differ in total cost by a factor of ten, even when the plumbing work itself is similar.
What does it cost to find a hidden leak?
This is the stage with the clearest pricing, and the one that most influences the other three. Our published guide prices, which include VAT, are:
| Leak Detect London service | Guide price |
|---|---|
| Thermal imaging survey | from £150 |
| Acoustic leak detection | from £150 |
| Tracer gas testing | from £200 |
| Combined detection package | £250 to £500 |
| Under-floor leak detection | £300 to £700 |
| Emergency detection (24/7) | £300 to £500 |
The figure within each range depends on the size of the property, how many systems need testing (cold supply, hot supply, heating, waste) and how easy it is to reach the pipework. We confirm the exact price before starting, and every survey includes a written report. For a fuller comparison of detection methods, see our London leak detection costs guide.
What does getting access to the pipe cost?
Access is the stage people underestimate. The cost depends on what has to be removed, and how much of it:
- Plasterboard walls and ceilings are the cheapest to open and reinstate. A small, neat opening is quick work.
- Solid plastered walls take longer to cut and need more careful reinstatement.
- Timber floors are relatively easy if boards can be lifted, harder if there is engineered flooring or a floor finish glued down on top.
- Tiled floors and walls cost more, because tiles break on removal and matching replacements may not be available.
- Concrete floors and screeds need breaking out, which is slower, noisier and more disruptive.
The single biggest factor is the size of the opening. When the leak has been pinpointed, a plumber can often work through a hole a little bigger than a hand. When it has not, the usual approach is to open up where the damp is worst and keep going, which can mean lifting a whole floor to find one joint.
How much does the pipe repair itself cost?
Once the pipe is exposed, the repair is often the most predictable part. Published UK price guides from 2025 and 2026 put a straightforward burst or leaking pipe repair at roughly £150 to £400, with typical plumber labour rates of around £40 to £60 an hour outside London and higher in London. Out-of-hours call-outs usually carry an extra charge. These are typical UK market ranges, not our prices, and a plumber will price your job on what they find.
The repair costs more when:
- a length of pipe is corroded or damaged and needs replacing rather than a single joint;
- the pipe is buried in screed or concrete and has to be rerouted;
- the leak is on a shower valve, manifold or fitting that needs a matching part;
- the heating system has to be drained, refilled and rebalanced.
What does making good cost?
Making good is where the money goes on most hidden leak jobs, and it is almost always a trade other than plumbing. Published guides give London plasterer day rates of roughly £250 to £350 or more, and tiler day rates that are commonly higher in London and the South East than the national figure of around £140 to £200 a day. Materials are usually extra. Again, these are general market figures, not our prices.
Things that push the making good cost up:
- Drying time. Wet screed and masonry need to dry before they can be sealed and finished. Commercial drying equipment may be needed. Our guide to drying and restoration after a leak covers this stage.
- Matching finishes. Discontinued tiles or bespoke flooring can turn a patch repair into a whole room.
- Decoration. A patched ceiling usually means repainting the whole ceiling, not one square.
- Kitchen and bathroom fittings that have to come out to reach the pipe and go back in afterwards.
Why does the cost to repair a leaking pipe in a wall vary so much?
Take two leaks on the same kind of copper joint. In the first, the joint is behind a plasterboard boxing in a cupboard. A plumber opens a small panel, remakes the joint and a decorator touches it up. In the second, the joint is behind a fully tiled shower wall. Finding it means testing the pipework and the shower valve, opening the tiles in the right place, repairing the joint, then retiling and resealing, possibly after replacing a section of waterproofing. The plumbing is almost identical. The totals are not.
| Factor | Lower cost | Higher cost |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Accessible void, cupboard, boxing | Tiled wall, solid floor, under a fitted kitchen |
| Finish | Paint on plasterboard | Tiles, stone, engineered wood |
| Accuracy of detection | Leak pinpointed before opening | Exploratory opening up |
| Time before discovery | Found quickly, little spread | Weeks of seepage, wet timber or screed |
| Timing | Planned, working hours | Nights, weekends, bank holidays |
Can insurance pay for a water leak repair?
It can pay for some of it. Many buildings policies cover damage from a sudden escape of water, and many include trace and access cover for finding a hidden leak and opening up to reach it. What is covered varies a lot between policies. Some pay for the repair of the leaking pipe itself and many do not, and slow leaks, worn sealant and wear and tear are common exclusions. Check your own policy wording and read our insurance leak claims guide before committing to work you expect to claim for.
How can you keep the bill down?
- Act on the first sign. A damp patch that is investigated in the first week is a far smaller job than one left for months.
- Turn the water off when you are not using it until the leak is found, if the leak is on the supply.
- Get the leak located before anyone opens up. The detection fee is usually small next to the cost of an unnecessary hole in a tiled floor.
- Keep spare tiles and note the flooring and paint you have, so matching is easier.
- Get written quotes for the repair and making good separately, so you can see where the money goes.
- Talk to your insurer early if you intend to claim, so you do not pay for work they will not consider.
When should you call a leak detection specialist?
You do not need a specialist for a dripping tap or a visibly leaking joint under a sink. You probably do if the water is coming from somewhere you cannot see, the water meter keeps moving with everything turned off, the boiler keeps losing pressure, or a plumber has already opened up once without finding it. Call us on 020 3912 0200 and we will tell you honestly whether a survey is worth it for your situation.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to fix a leak?
For a visible, accessible leak, a plumber's visit is often the whole cost, and UK price guides put simple pipe repairs at roughly £150 to £400. For a hidden leak, add the cost of finding it, opening up and making good, which can each be larger than the repair itself.
How much does it cost to fix a leaking pipe under the floor?
It depends mainly on the floor. Lifting a few boards is quick. Breaking out and reinstating tiles or screed is not. Our under-floor leak detection is £300 to £700, and a precise location keeps the area that has to come up as small as possible.
Is it cheaper to just open up where the damp is?
Sometimes, when the damp is directly next to an obvious fitting. Often not, because water travels along pipes and floor voids before it shows. An opening in the wrong place still has to be made good, and you may need a second one.
Do your prices include the repair?
Our published prices are for leak detection and the written report. The repair and making good are separate, and are carried out by a plumber and other trades once the leak is located.
How much does a water leak cost if I leave it?
There is no fixed figure, but a hidden leak wastes water on a metered supply and keeps wetting timber, plaster or screed for as long as it runs. The longer it goes, the more there is to dry out and reinstate.
