Breakdowns and leaks
Burst Pipe? What to Do First, and What a Repair Costs
When a pipe bursts in your house, the order you deal with it in matters, starting with the electrics if the water is anywhere near them. Here is what to do first, how to stop the water and limit the damage, what a burst pipe repair costs, who is responsible for which pipes, and how to stop pipes bursting in cold weather.
What to do when a pipe bursts
Checkatrade’s burst pipe advice puts the steps in this order, with the electrics first whenever the water is near them and the stopcock before any clean-up.
Burst pipe steps, in order
- Switch off the electricity if water is near sockets, switches or appliances
- Turn off the water at the stopcock
- Turn off the heating and open all the taps
- Soak up the standing water
- Photograph the damage before you clean up
- Check your home insurance
- Call a plumber
Switch off the electricity if water is near it
If the water is near sockets, switches or appliances, switch off the electricity at the consumer unit before you deal with the leak, and do not touch anything electrical while you are standing in water.
Do not touch the electrics while you are standing in water
Water conducts electricity, so a switch, a plug or an appliance touched from a wet floor can give you an electric shock. That includes the consumer unit, so switch the electricity off from somewhere dry.
Turn off the stopcock and drain the pipes
The stopcock is usually under the kitchen sink, and it turns clockwise to shut off the water. Then turn off the heating, open all the taps to drain the water left in the pipes, and soak up the standing water.
Photograph the damage and check your insurance
Photograph the damage before you clean anything up, including the ceilings, walls, floors and belongings the water reached, so you have a record of what it did. Then check your home insurance.
Call a plumber
When you call, say where the pipe has burst, what you have turned off and whether the pipe is part of the heating. A leak from the heating pipework is one of the usual reasons a boiler loses pressure, so the boiler may need topping back up once the pipe is repaired.
Describing a burst pipe when you call a plumber
Do this
A pipe has burst in the loft and water came through the landing ceiling. The electricity is off at the consumer unit, the stopcock is off and the taps are open. It is a cold water pipe, not part of the heating.
Not this
There's water pouring through my ceiling. Can someone come out now?
The Nottingham plumbers who answer emergency calls at any hour include Nottingham Gas & Plumbing in Forest Fields, whose emergency plumbers are on call 24/7 and aim to arrive within an hour, depending on location. M & S Plumbing & Heating in Gedling takes 24/7 emergency call-outs, and T & S Heating in Arnold is open 24 hours, seven days a week.
Temporary fixes for a burst pipe
Epoxy putty, fibreglass tape with polyurethane resin and a clamp with a rubber sleeve can each hold a burst pipe for now. None of them is permanent, so the pipe still needs a proper repair, which sometimes means replacing a section of it.
What a burst pipe repair costs
Checkatrade’s plumber cost guide puts the repair of a burst water pipe at £50 to £200, with an average of £150, excluding VAT. Checkatrade’s example emergency price for a broken pipe is £100, where the job is a small section of uPVC, and its advice on burst pipes puts the repair of a leaking pipe at £220 to £440.
A repair at night or at the weekend also carries the emergency call-out fee. Checkatrade puts the fee at £100 to £120, with an average of £110, so on the averages a £150 repair comes to £260.
A burst pipe repaired on a Saturday night
| Burst water pipe repair | £50 to £200 |
|---|---|
| Emergency call-out fee, at night or at the weekend | £100 to £120 |
Total £150 to £320
The repair price excludes VAT, which applies if the plumber is VAT-registered. Neither figure covers the damage the water did to ceilings, floors or furniture.
When you call a plumber at night or at the weekend, ask whether the price you are given includes the call-out fee and VAT.
Who is responsible for a burst pipe
Generally, anything within your property boundary is your responsibility, and the mains supply and the drains are the water company’s, as Checkatrade’s burst pipe guidance sets out. A pipe that bursts inside your home is within your boundary, so arranging its repair falls to you, and a burst on the mains supply falls to the water company.
Why pipes burst
The usual causes of a burst pipe are cold weather, wear and tear, and blockages. In cold weather the water inside a pipe can freeze, and a frozen pipe can burst within around 6 hours.
How to prevent burst pipes in cold weather
The pipes and taps to protect are the ones the cold can reach, and most of the work is done before winter.
Protecting pipes from the cold
- Lag exposed pipes
- Lag outside taps
- Fix any leaks before winter
- During a cold spell, leave a trickle running through taps fed by an unheated supply
- Drain the system if you are going away for a long period
Common questions
What should I do first when a pipe bursts?
Switch off the electricity at the consumer unit if the water is near sockets, switches or appliances, without touching anything electrical while you stand in water. Then turn off the water at the stopcock, turn off the heating and open all the taps to drain the pipes. Soak up the standing water, and photograph the damage before you clean up.
Where is my stopcock?
Your stopcock is usually under the kitchen sink. Turn it clockwise to shut off the water, then turn off the heating and open all the taps to drain the pipes. If the water is near sockets, switches or appliances, switch off the electricity at the consumer unit before you go to the stopcock.
How much does it cost to fix a burst pipe?
Repairing a burst water pipe costs £50 to £200, with an average of £150, excluding VAT, on Checkatrade's figures. A repair at night or at the weekend adds the emergency call-out fee of £100 to £120, which takes the total to £150 to £320.
Who is responsible for a burst pipe?
Generally, you are responsible for anything within your property boundary, and the water company is responsible for the mains supply and the drains. A pipe that bursts inside your home is within your boundary, so the repair is yours to arrange.
How long does it take for a frozen pipe to burst?
A frozen pipe can burst within around 6 hours, on Checkatrade's advice. Cold weather is one of the usual causes of a burst pipe, along with wear and tear and blockages.
How do you temporarily fix a burst pipe?
Epoxy putty, fibreglass tape with polyurethane resin or a clamp with a rubber sleeve can hold a burst pipe for now. None of them is permanent, so the pipe still needs a proper repair, which sometimes means replacing a section of it.
How do I stop my pipes bursting in winter?
Lag exposed pipes and outside taps, and fix any leaks before winter. During a cold spell, leave a trickle running through taps fed by an unheated supply, and if you are going away for a long period, drain the system before you leave.
Where the figures come from
- Checkatrade, what to do about a burst water pipe read 2026-09-16
- Checkatrade, plumber cost guide read 2026-09-16
- Checkatrade, plumber call-out fee guide read 2026-09-16
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