What Changes the Cost of Finding a Leak

"How much do you charge for leak detection?" is one of the most common questions callers ask, and the honest answer is that it depends on the house and the leak. This page won't give you a price. It will tell you what moves the number up or down, so you can ask good questions on the phone.

How the visit is billed

Companies bill locates differently: a flat fee for a locate, an hourly rate, or a locate fee that's credited if they also do the repair. Some charge a trip or diagnostic fee. Ask which applies before anyone comes out.

Things that make a locate quicker

• A clear meter test before the visit (you can do it). How
• An accessible crawl space or basement.
• Metal pipe that carries sound well.
• A leak with an obvious symptom, like a warm floor spot or a wet patch over a known line.

Things that make it slower

• Plastic service lines with no tracer wire.
• Leaks that are very slow, or intermittent.
• Finished basements, tile floors and plaster walls with no access.
• Several leaks at once, which is more common in older galvanized plumbing.
• Long service lines to houses set far back from the street.
• Frozen or very wet ground.

Size and layout of the house

More fixtures and longer runs mean more sections to test. Two-story homes with bathrooms over finished ceilings add steps. Homes partly on slab and partly on crawl space need both approaches.

Locate only, or locate and repair

Some homeowners want only the spot marked so they can hire the repair separately or do it themselves. Others want one company to do both. The second option can be simpler, especially for insurance and for a Boise sewer adjustment, since one invoice covers both. Ask.

Restoration and drywall

Opening and closing walls, drying wet materials and replacing insulation are separate costs and often separate trades. Factor them in when comparing.

Insurance

Policies vary. Some cover the cost of accessing and repairing damage from a sudden leak but not the leaking pipe itself, and many exclude slow leaks. Call your insurer early and ask what they want documented.

Questions to ask on the call

• How is the locate billed, and is it credited toward repair?
• What equipment will you bring?
• Do you repair as well, and will I get an itemized invoice?
• Is there anything I should do before you arrive?