What Does Leak Detection Cost?
A straight answer: most single-property domestic leak detection surveys in the UK cost somewhere between £250 and £450, and we quote a fixed price before we attend, not an open-ended day rate. Larger properties, commercial sites and external mains with long runs sit above that. Below is what moves the number, so nothing about your quote is a mystery.
What affects the price
- Scope of the search. A boiler losing pressure means one sealed system to test; a spinning meter means every pipe on the property.
- Methods needed. Thermal imaging and acoustics come as standard; a tracer gas test adds gas, drain-down and refill time.
- Property size and build. More floor area, more pipework, deeper buried services and solid floors all add survey time.
- Access. Occupied rooms, fixed floor coverings and buried external runs under paving take longer to survey well.
Typical guide prices
| Survey | Typical UK range |
|---|---|
| Central heating pressure loss survey (domestic) | £250 to £400 |
| Whole-property hidden water leak survey | £300 to £450 |
| Underfloor heating leak survey | £300 to £500 |
| External buried supply pipe (with tracer gas) | £350 to £550 |
| Commercial and multi-occupancy | Priced on scope. Call us. |
Guide ranges for a typical single visit, correct at July 2026. Your fixed quote is confirmed before booking and honoured on the day.
Often, insurance pays
If your buildings policy includes trace and access cover, and most do, the cost of locating the leak is usually claimable, along with opening up and making good. Our report is written to support exactly that claim.
The cost of not looking
A seeping joint at 2 litres an hour is over 17,000 litres a year, into your screed, your footings or your neighbour's flat. Water bills rise, boilers corrode from constant top-ups, and insurers can treat long-ignored leaks as gradual damage with reduced cover. Early detection is nearly always the cheap option.