Emergency Plumbing

Round-the-clock emergency plumbing services for burst pipes, major leaks, and urgent repairs in Essex and London.

Price: From £95/hr
Typical time: From 1 Hour Response
Guarantee: 12 months on workmanship

9.96/10 on Checkatrade from 103 reviewsGas Safe registered, trading since 2009

Our work: New internal stopcock with easy access for emergencies.

About emergency plumbing

If water is coming through your ceiling or pouring from a pipe, the first job is to stop the flow at the stopcock, not to wait for the phone to be answered. In most Havering homes the stopcock is under the kitchen sink; some houses have a second one in a hallway cupboard or under the stairs. Turn it clockwise until it stops. The stop tap you may see under a small cover in the pavement outside belongs to the water company, not the house, and isn't something you should rely on in a hurry.

Once the water is off, turn off the boiler and switch off electrics in any area affected by water, since a wet ceiling rose or socket is a shock risk. Open the cold taps in the house to drain down the remaining water sitting in the pipework, and if the leak is on a single fitting rather than the whole system, look for a small chrome or plastic service valve on the pipe feeding it, which can often be closed with a flat screwdriver or by hand to isolate just that appliance.

Not everything that feels urgent needs the same response. A dripping tap can wait; a pipe actively flooding a room, a leak you can't stop with the stopcock, or water tracking through a light fitting cannot. If you can smell gas at any point, stop what you're doing, don't touch light switches, leave the property, and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 from outside - that's a gas issue, not something a plumber attends first.

On arrival, the plumber's first job is to confirm the water is properly isolated and assess how much damage has been done, then trace the fault back to its source rather than just patching the symptom. For jobs across Romford and the wider Havering area that means checking pipework in floors, under sinks, and around bathrooms before agreeing what repair the job actually needs.

What's included

How the job runs, start to finish.

1Confirm the water supply is fully isolated at the stopcock
2Check for electrical risk near the affected area
3Trace the leak back to its source rather than the visible drip
4Isolate the affected section using service valves where fitted
5Carry out a temporary or permanent repair depending on access
6Test the repair under normal running pressure
7Advise on any drying out or follow-up work needed

Emergency Plumbing pricing

Price

From £95/hr

Typical time: From 1 Hour Response

24/7 Available
1 Hour Response
No Call-Out Fee
12-month workmanship guarantee

Every job is priced before any work starts, and quotes are free.

Call 07502 225764 Get a free quote

Signs you need emergency plumbing

Water dripping through a ceiling or light fitting
A pipe or joint actively spraying or flooding
Water pooling around the stopcock or under a sink
A sudden drop in water pressure with no warning
Damp patches spreading quickly across a wall or floor
A smell of gas near any pipework or appliance

What customers say

All 103 reviews

“Burst outside pipe in the freezing weather very quick response and fixed and very reasonable”
Plumbing Repair · Checkatrade review, RM14
“I requested Dan and his team to help locate and fix a leaking water pipe in a small block of flats. The work carried out was of an excellent standard with minimal fuss and in a timely manner. Dan and his team explained clearly the work that had to be done and communicated clearly with all parties impacted. Dan has undertaken a number of jobs for me in the last 2 years all of which have been completed to the highest standard. Highly recommended.”
Plumbing Repair · Checkatrade review, RM11
“Turned up on time. Done the job Done exactly what they said. Would recommend Excellent!”
Plumbing Repair · Checkatrade review, RM5

Emergency Plumbing questions

Clear answers to your most common plumbing concerns.

Do you charge a call-out fee?

We do not charge a call-out fee, just for the time spent on the repair.

What should I do while waiting for the plumber?

Turn off your main water stopcock immediately to minimize water damage.

I can't find my stopcock, what do I do?

Check under the kitchen sink first, then any cupboard under the stairs or in a hallway, since that's where it's fitted in most houses. If you genuinely can't locate it or it won't turn, isolating the specific fitting with its service valve, or turning off the stopcock at the incoming meter if there is one, are the next options.

Should I turn off the electrics before the plumber arrives?

If water is near sockets, switches, or a light fitting, switch off the electrics at the consumer unit for that area rather than risk a shock. Only do this if you can reach the consumer unit safely without standing in water.

Is a leaking radiator an emergency?

It depends on how much water is coming out. A slow weep from a valve can usually wait for a normal appointment, but a radiator or pipe losing water quickly should be isolated at the valves either side and treated the same as any other active leak.

What's the outside stop tap in the pavement for?

That's the water company's stop tap on the supply pipe, not the householder's stopcock, and it's not something most people should attempt to operate in an emergency. Use the stopcock inside the property, usually under the kitchen sink, as your first point of isolation.

Can a burst pipe be fixed without draining the whole house?

Often, yes. If the affected pipework has its own service valve, or sits on a branch that can be isolated separately, only that section needs draining down. Whether that's possible depends on how the system was originally plumbed, which the plumber checks on arrival.

Where we work

Based in Romford, covering Havering, Essex and London.

Emergency Plumbing guides

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