The plain answer on leak detection cost
Leak detection is priced by the effort needed to locate the leak, not by the size of the house. A leak you can hear behind an accessible wall is a shorter job than a pinhole under a concrete slab. Detection-only visits and find-and-fix visits are also quoted differently.
This page gives no dollar amounts, since a number without your details would be a guess. It does show what shapes the quote, so you can describe the problem well on the call and hear a clear price before work starts.
Four questions that predict your quote
- Where does the water show up? A stain on a ceiling, a wet patch in the yard, and a bill that keeps climbing all point to different search areas.
- How many fixtures and lines are in play? One bathroom is a smaller search than a whole house with a basement and an outdoor line.
- How hard is the pipe to reach? Open basement ceilings are easy. Concrete, finished walls, and buried lines take more care.
- Do you want the leak found, or found and repaired? A repair adds parts, labor, and sometimes opening a wall.
Answer these four before you call and the quote you hear will be much closer to the final one.
Want the leak found before you decide on a repair?
Call (855) 575-2890 and tell us where you see the signs.
Where the leak is changes the method and the scope
| Leak location | Typical method | What widens the scope |
|---|---|---|
| Inside a wall or ceiling | Moisture meter, thermal camera, acoustic listening | Several pipe runs above the stain, or hidden access. |
| Under a concrete slab | Acoustic listening, pressure test on isolated lines | Hot and cold lines in the same floor, and flooring that must come up. |
| Buried water line in the yard | Pressure test, listening along the route, locating the pipe | Length of the line, depth, and blue-stakes utility marking before any dig. |
| Under a fixture or appliance | Visual check, dye, pressure test of the supply | Hidden connections behind cabinets. |
| Irrigation line or valve | Zone-by-zone test | Number of zones and valve boxes. |
| Whole-house mystery loss | Process of elimination, isolating sections | Multiple small leaks instead of one. |
Detection only, or find and fix
Detection only
You pay to locate the leak and mark it. You can then take the finding to any trade for the repair. This suits an insurance claim or a landlord report.
Find and fix
The plumber locates the leak and repairs it in the same visit when access allows. The quote may be set in two steps, because the repair cost is unknown until the leak is found.
Locate then decide
You choose after the finding. A pinhole in an accessible copper line is a spot repair. A failing line in a slab may point to rerouting the pipes.
If a claim, a sale, or a landlord needs paperwork, ask for the finding in writing. It should name the leak location, describe the cause, and include photos where possible. That record is often worth more than the repair itself when someone else has to approve the cost.
What a detection visit usually looks like
- Interview
The plumber asks where you see signs, when the bill changed, and what has been repaired before.
- Isolate
Sections of the house are closed off one at a time, which shows whether the loss is inside or outside.
- Pinpoint
Listening gear, a moisture meter, and thermal imaging narrow the spot. A pressure test confirms which line is holding.
- Report
You get the location, the likely cause, and the repair options, with the price explained before any work starts.
A no-cost first pass you can do yourself
Before you book, shut off every tap and appliance. Listen for a hissing sound near the water heater, the main shutoff, and the laundry area. Check that no toilet is running, because a silent flapper leak can waste a lot of water.
A dye tablet or a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank will show a flapper leak if color reaches the bowl within 15 minutes without a flush. Ruling out a toilet can save you a detection visit.
Red flags in a leak detection quote
- A single number given with no questions about where the leak is.
- No mention of how the leak will be pinpointed, only a promise that it will be found.
- A repair price quoted before the leak is located.
- No clear statement on whether surfaces will be opened, and who restores them.
- A refusal to say what the visit covers if nothing is found.
Insurance and the water bill
Homeowners policies often cover sudden accidental water damage, but not wear, neglect, or the failed part itself. Detection may be covered in some policies and not in others, so check yours before you book. Keep the written finding and any photos.
A rising bill is a clue, not proof. Ask Public Works what the meter shows, since residents cannot open the city's meters themselves. A leak detection service can then target the right part of the house.
When it cannot wait
If water is spraying, pooling near the electrical panel, or soaking a ceiling, shut off the main and call the 24/7 line. A broken line needs burst pipe repair first, and detection can follow once the water is off.
Crews reach Perry, about 4 miles south, and Willard, about 7 miles south, for the same visits.
Brigham City note: meters, pressure, and before-you-dig calls
Brigham City does not let residents access its water meters, so ask Public Works at (435) 734-6615 about the meter side of a suspected leak. That tells you whether to look inside or at the line to the street.
The city also offers water pressure testing. Knowing your pressure helps separate a leak from a pressure problem. If detection points to a buried line, Blue Stakes of Utah wants a call to 811 before excavation, so build that wait into your repair timeline.
Source type: City water page and Blue Stakes of Utah
Frequently Asked Questions
Often yes, when the water bill climbs or the meter moves with everything off. A hidden leak wastes water and damages framing. Detection finds it before the damage grows.
Yes. The city offers water pressure testing. Ask Public Works at (435) 734-6615. High pressure can stress pipes and fixtures, so it is a useful number to know when you suspect a leak.
Call 811 or Blue Stakes of Utah before any digging, at least 3 business days ahead and not more than 14 calendar days. A detection visit does not dig, but the repair might.
Not first. Listening devices, moisture meters, and pressure tests narrow the search. Opening a wall comes after the location is known.
That is a real answer. It means the loss may be a running toilet, a dripping fixture, or a billing issue. Ask what the visit covers in that case before you book.
Sources and standards
- Plumbing codes in the UPC and IPC families set the rules for fixtures, venting and drains. Ask the Brigham City building office at (435) 734-6604 which edition and permit rules apply to your job.
- The Utah Division of Professional Licensing offers a public Verify a License tool for checking any plumber's license class.
- The Brigham City Water Division explains hardness, pressure testing and water quality on its water page. Call Public Works at (435) 734-6615 with questions.
Written by Brigham City Pro Plumbing. Last updated October 29, 2026.