The damp patch on the wall is the cheap version of this problem.
Leak repair splits in two. Visible leaks (dripping taps, weeping joints, a pipe you can see) are standard-hours bookings in the low hundreds. Hidden leaks (damp patches, mould smell, a water bill that has crept up) belong to detection specialists who find the leak before anyone cuts into your wall. In Wellington's older housing stock, a recurring leak is often the pipe system asking to be replaced, not repaired.
Is this your stream?
A dripping tap, a weeping joint under the sink, a toilet cistern that refills itself, or a damp patch that grows slowly. Isolate it if you can, book standard hours, and keep the after-hours premium in your pocket.
A water meter that moves with everything off, warm spots on a concrete floor, or mould with no visible source means a hidden leak. That is detection work with acoustic and thermal gear: book Response or Plumbquick rather than paying a generalist to guess.
What it costs in Wellington
The small repair band
NZ cost guides (Unicorns) put a leaking tap repair at $120–$220 once the callout ($75–$120) and hourly rate ($95–$150) are combined. Ka Pai's published $175+GST daytime callout covers the first hour, which absorbs most small repairs.
The burst pipe band
The Unicorns guide puts burst pipe repair at $200–$800 depending on access and pipe material. An exposed pipe in a garage is the cheap end; inside a wall or under a concrete path is not.
Detection first, repair second
Hidden and underground leaks are priced after detection. The detection visit buys certainty about where to cut or dig; the repair quote follows. No Wellington provider publishes a fixed detection price.
Wellington providers, compared
Six providers that find and fix leaks, grouped by what they are best at. Hover a row for the detail that matters.
Common mistakes
Ignoring the slow leak: Ka Pai's own guidance is that even a slow leak damages walls, floors and cabinetry over time. The $200 repair deferred becomes the $2,000 gib-and-repaint job.
Paying for repeated guesses instead of one detection visit: if a plumber has 'fixed' the same damp patch twice, the next dollar goes to leak detection with acoustic or thermal gear, not a third guess.
Not checking whose leak it is: Wellington Water fixes the public network; your side of the boundary is yours. Turn everything off, watch the water meter, and if it still moves the leak is on your side.
Fixing the symptom in a galvanised system: pinhole leaks in old galvanised steel pipes are the system failing, not a single bad joint. Ask whether you are repairing a pipe or postponing a repipe.
DIY beyond the isolation valve: tightening a tap fitting is one thing; anything behind the wall is restricted sanitary plumbing and belongs to a registered plumber.
Calling it in at midnight rates when a bucket would do: an isolated drip under a sink can wait for a $175+GST daytime callout instead of a $350–$400+GST after-hours one.
FAQ
How much does leak repair cost in Wellington?
NZ cost guides (Unicorns) put a leaking tap repair at $120–$220 and a burst pipe repair at $200–$800, built from a callout fee of $75–$120 plus $95–$150 per hour. Ka Pai publishes a $175+GST daytime callout covering the first hour. Hidden or underground leaks are quoted after detection, because the finding is half the job.
How do I know if the leak is mine or Wellington Water's?
Turn off every tap and appliance, then watch your water meter. If it still moves, the leak is on your side and it is your cost. If nothing moves but the street is wet or supply is down, report it to Wellington Water: they run leak detection crews on the public network daily.
What does leak detection actually involve?
Non-invasive locating with acoustic listening, thermal imaging and pressure testing before anyone opens a wall or digs. Response Plumbing and Plumbquick both run dedicated detection services. You pay for the certainty of digging or cutting once, in the right place.
Is a leaking tap urgent?
Almost never. Book it in standard hours and it sits in the $120–$220 guide band. The exception is a tap that will not shut off at all, which is wasting water fast enough to justify isolating it at the toby and calling.
When does a leak mean the house needs repiping?
When leaks recur in different spots on original galvanised pipework, which is common in Wellington villas and bungalows. CheckMyBuilder's NZ cost guide puts a Wellington repipe at around $19,000. One repair is maintenance; the third repair in a year is a repipe conversation.
Visible leaks are a standard-hours booking in the $120–$250 band, with Ka Pai's published $175+GST callout as the transparent benchmark. Hidden leaks go to the detection specialists (Response, Plumbquick) before anyone opens a wall. Grant, Garcia and Harbour City cover general repairs across the region. Do the meter test to confirm the leak is yours, and if the same system keeps leaking, ask whether you are repairing pipe or postponing a repipe.