For one plumber in Bristol

Own plumberinbristol.co.uk and this website

  • The domain plumberinbristol.co.uk
  • A search report: what people in Bristol type for this trade each month
  • This website, with your own job photos in place of ours
  • Your Google Business Profile set up
  • 2 weeks of Google Ads management free (you only pay Google for the clicks)

Message Matthew at BetterWays, who own the domain.

See the search report for Bristol

Get a quote
Hands rinsing a cup under an antique brass swan-neck kitchen tap over a white ceramic sink

Plumbing and heating across Bristol, South Glos and Keynsham

Plumber in Bristol for leaks, drains, hot water and boilers

Local plumbing for Bristol homes, from Georgian flats in Clifton to Victorian terraces in Bedminster and newer houses in Bradley Stoke. Tell us what is wrong and we will tell you what happens next.

Get a plumber out

Name, mobile and postcode. You get a reply to arrange it.

or send it by
  • Clear price confirmed after a look at the job
  • How to check any gas engineer on the Gas Safe Register
  • Advice that fits Bristol's hard water and older housing

Plumbing in Bristol

For a plumber in Bristol, call a local firm that covers your postcode and can tell you whose pipe the problem is on. Bristol Water owns the main up to your boundary stop tap and Wessex Water owns most shared sewers. Everything on your side, from the supply pipe to the taps, needs a plumber.

Hands tightening a pipe fitting under a kitchen sink
Photo for illustration

Plumbing for the way Bristol homes are built

Bristol has a bit of everything. Tall Georgian houses in Clifton split into flats, long Victorian terraces in Easton, Bedminster and Fishponds, interwar semis in Henleaze and Knowle, and estates in Bradley Stoke built from 1987. Each comes with its own plumbing habits, from shared drains behind terraces to original boilers in airing cupboards.

The water is the other constant. Bristol Water says all the water it supplies is moderately hard to very hard, because it comes off limestone. That limescale ends up in taps, toilet valves, showers, cylinders and boilers. We plan repairs and new work with that in mind, so the fix lasts.

  • 01

    Hard water everywhere

    Bristol Water classes its whole area as moderately hard to very hard and does not soften the supply. Scale furs up cylinder safety valves, combi heat exchangers and tap cartridges, so we look for it on every visit.

  • 02

    Lead pipes in older homes

    Bristol Water says many homes in its area built before the 1970s still have a lead supply pipe. Its LeadFreeBristol scheme is replacing them free in BS16 for now, and we can tell you if your pipe looks like lead.

  • 03

    Shared drains and sewers

    Many Victorian terraces share one drain behind the houses. Since 2011 most shared sewers belong to Wessex Water, so a blockage there may be theirs to clear, not yours to pay for.

Services

Every plumbing job, one clear process

Each job has its own page explaining what it involves and what affects the price, because the price is set after a look at the job.

01

Emergency plumber

Burst pipes, water through the ceiling, overflowing toilets and no water. We make it safe first, then fix the cause.

  • Water is coming through a ceiling or light fitting
  • A pipe has split and you cannot stop it at the stop tap
  • Your only toilet is blocked or overflowing
See the details

02

Leak detection

Damp patches, rising bills, low pressure or a Bristol Water leakage notice. We trace the leak and fix it.

  • Your metered water bill has gone up and you have not used more
  • The meter keeps turning with every tap off
  • A damp patch on a wall, ceiling or floor that keeps coming back
See the details

03

Burst pipes

Split, frozen or leaking pipes repaired, with the rest of the run checked so it does not happen again.

  • Water spraying or pouring from a pipe
  • A bulging or split pipe in the loft, garage or under a sink
  • No water after a frost, then water appearing when it thaws
See the details

04

Blocked drains

Sinks, toilets and outside drains cleared, plus CCTV checks. We tell you if the blockage is Wessex Water's to clear.

  • Water rising in the manhole or gully outside
  • Toilet water rising when you flush, or draining slowly
  • Gurgling from plugholes when the washing machine empties
See the details

How a job runs

How a job runs

Four steps, the same for a dripping tap as for a new boiler.

  1. 01

    Tell us what is happening

    Send a message or fill in the form with your postcode, what you can see and a photo if you have one. If water is running, we will talk you through turning it off first.

  2. 02

    We look before we price

    Most jobs need a look to price fairly. We find the cause, check whose pipe it is on, and explain the options in plain words.

  3. 03

    You agree the price

    You get the price confirmed before work starts. If we find something else once the floor is up, we stop and talk to you before going further.

  4. 04

    Fixed, tested and explained

    We test the repair under pressure, leave the area tidy and tell you what we did. For gas or unvented cylinder work you get the right paperwork for the job.

Job sheetExample
Man kneeling beside a toilet checking the floor and pipework with a handheld device
Drain grate blocked with wet leaves and debris in the rain
Close up of a white toilet cistern with a chrome dual flush button
  • FixLeaking compression joint under the kitchen sink, remade and tested
  • CheckStop tap stiff, freed off and shown to the customer
  • NoteLimescale on the shower head: descale or replace at the next visit
Price agreed before work startedExample only

Quote

Tell us what is going on

One question at a time. No prices online: you get a reply, and the price is agreed after a look at the job.

Get a plumbing quote

Six quick questions. It takes about a minute.

  1. 01The job
  2. 02Your home
  3. 03Timing
  4. 04Your details
Step 1

The job

What do you need help with?

Areas

Areas we cover

We cover Bristol City Council areas such as Clifton, Redland, Bishopston, Henleaze, Easton, Fishponds, Bedminster, Totterdown and Brislington, plus Kingswood and Bradley Stoke in South Gloucestershire and Keynsham in Bath and North East Somerset. Each area page explains the housing and the plumbing problems common there.

Clifton, BristolBS8

Clifton

Clifton is mostly Georgian and Regency terraces, crescents and villas, many now divided into flats, with basements and lower ground floors that often rely on pumped or macerator toilets.

Redland, BristolBS6

Redland

Redland's housing is late Victorian and Edwardian: big semis, villas and terraces in Pennant stone and brick, many with cellars and many now converted into two or three flats.

Bishopston and Horfield, BristolBS7

Bishopston and Horfield

BS7 is classic Bristol terrace country: two and three storey Victorian and Edwardian houses in brick and Pennant stone, with a rear wing holding the kitchen and a bathroom above it.

Henleaze and Westbury on Trym, BristolBS9

Henleaze and Westbury on Trym

BS9 has some of north Bristol's larger family homes.

Bedminster and Southville, BristolBS3

Bedminster and Southville

BS3 is street after street of Victorian terraces around North Street, East Street and Greville Smyth Park, mostly two storey with a rear wing.

Totterdown and Knowle, BristolBS4

Totterdown and Knowle

Totterdown is known for its colourful Victorian terraces on very steep streets.

Brislington, BristolBS4

Brislington

Brislington grew along the Bath Road.

Easton, BristolBS5

Easton

Easton's streets are narrow and dense, with small Victorian terraces built close together, often in the local Pennant sandstone with brick details.

Fishponds, BristolBS16

Fishponds

Fishponds grew around Fishponds Road with long rows of Victorian and Edwardian terraces, many in Pennant sandstone from local quarries, then filled out with interwar semis.

Kingswood, BristolBS15

Kingswood

Kingswood grew on the old coalfield east of Bristol and is now part of South Gloucestershire.

Keynsham, BristolBS31

Keynsham

Keynsham's housing has three main layers.

Bradley Stoke, BristolBS32

Bradley Stoke

Bradley Stoke was planned in the late 1970s and building began in 1987.

Traditional bathroom with a pedestal basin, roll-top bath and warm wall lights

Water where it should not be

Water leak or burst pipe? Do this while you wait

Emergency plumber
  1. 1

    Turn off the inside stop tap, usually under the kitchen sink or where the pipe comes into the house.

  2. 2

    If water is near lights, sockets or the consumer unit, switch off the electrics at the consumer unit only if you can reach it without touching water.

  3. 3

    Open the cold taps to drain the pipes, and turn off the boiler or immersion heater.

  4. 4

    If you smell gas, leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.

  5. 5

    If you live in a flat, tell the neighbours below that water may be coming through.

  6. 6

    Take photos of the damage for your insurer before you start clearing up.

Questions

Straight answers before you call

Not sure if it is a quick repair or a bigger job? Describe it and get a straight answer.

Ask a question
Is Bristol water hard or soft?

Hard. Bristol Water says all the water in its area is moderately hard to very hard, because the rocks it flows through are mostly limestone. It does not soften the supply. You can check your postcode on the Bristol Water quality checker.

Who do I call for a leak in the street or pavement?

If water is coming up in the road or pavement, report it to Bristol Water, as the main and the pipe up to your boundary stop tap are theirs. If the leak is inside your boundary, on your supply pipe or inside the house, you need a plumber.

Will Wessex Water unblock my drain?

Wessex Water clears blockages on public sewers and most shared pipes that serve two or more homes. A pipe that only serves your home, inside your boundary, is yours. Lifting the manhole covers usually shows which it is.

How much does a plumber cost in Bristol?

It depends on the job, the access and the parts. We confirm the price after a look at the job and before any work starts. If anything changes once we open up, we talk to you first.

Do I have lead pipes?

If your home was built before the 1970s, it might. Bristol Water says many pre 1970s homes still have a lead supply pipe. Lead is dull grey, soft and shows silver when scratched. A plumber can check at the inside stop tap.

Can a plumber work on my boiler?

Only if they are on the Gas Safe Register. Any work on a gas boiler in the UK must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Ask to see their ID card and check it on the Gas Safe Register website.

What should I do if a pipe bursts?

Turn off the water at the inside stop tap, usually under the kitchen sink. Switch off electrics near the water if it is safe to reach the consumer unit. Open cold taps to drain the pipes, then call a plumber.

Do you cover South Gloucestershire and Keynsham?

Yes. Kingswood and Bradley Stoke are in South Gloucestershire, and Keynsham is in Bath and North East Somerset. All three still get their water from Bristol Water and their sewers from Wessex Water.

Hillside of colourful terraced houses in Bristol

Get in touch

Tell us what needs fixing

Send your postcode and a short description and we will come back to you with the next step.

Request a visit

or send it by