Pipework Installation and Repair

• New pipe runs: Supplies for new bathrooms, kitchens, utility rooms and outside taps. See our bathroom plumbing and kitchen plumbing services.
• Rerouting: Moving pipes out of the way during a renovation, or out of a solid floor into an accessible void.
• Repiping: Replacing old hot and cold pipework through the whole house, usually during a full house renovation, when floors are already up.
• Lead and galvanised pipe replacement: See below.
• Supplies for extensions: Extending or upgrading the water supply for a house extension.
• Heating pipework: New flow and return pipes for radiators and boilers, usually as part of a central heating system installation.

Gas pipework is a separate job, covered by our gas plumbing service.

Both are approved for drinking water and heating, and most homes use a mix. The right choice depends on where the pipe runs.

Copper pipework is the traditional choice and looks neat where pipes are on show. Boiler manufacturers often require copper for the first section of pipe from the boiler, so we check the instructions. Plastic pipework installation is quicker in awkward spaces and reduces the number of joints hidden in floors.

One point is often missed: if metal pipes are replaced with plastic, the electrical earth bonding may no longer be continuous. We flag it, and it can be checked through our electrical maintenance services.

Yes. Lead can dissolve into drinking water, and there is no safe level of lead. Babies, young children and pregnant women are most at risk. Lead pipes were used in many homes built before about 1970.

Lead pipe is dull grey, soft, and shows shiny silver when scratched; a magnet does not stick to it, and joints are often rounded bulges. Check the pipe where it enters the house, near the internal stopcock.

Replacing lead usually means a new supply pipe, typically blue MDPE plastic, from the boundary to the house, laid deep enough to protect it from frost (typically at least 750 mm), plus any lead inside the house. The water company is responsible for the pipe up to your boundary. Some water companies, including Thames Water, may replace their section when you replace yours, so check with them before work starts. Lead pipes are common in Victorian and Edwardian homes; see our period property restoration service.

Galvanised steel pipes rust from the inside, narrowing the bore. Signs include brown or discoloured water, low pressure and leaks at joints. Repairs rarely last, so replacement is usually the better option. Copper can also develop pinhole leaks, and old compression joints can weep. Where one leak points to more on the same run, we replace the section rather than patch it.

• Lagging: Pipes in lofts, garages, under suspended floors and on outside walls must be protected against freezing. Hot pipes are insulated to save energy.
• Pipe sizes: Typically 15 mm to taps and 22 mm for main runs. A supply that is too small, or a long run of narrow pipe, can cause poor flow, particularly with a combi boiler or unvented cylinder.
• Water hammer and noise: Banging pipes are usually loose clips or fast-closing valves, and can be fixed.
• The regulations: All pipework must meet the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999, including approved materials, isolation valves and backflow protection. Some work must be notified to the water company before it starts; we tell you if yours does.