A slab leak doesn't always mean a torn-up floor. You may hear about three options: a spot repair, a reroute, or a repipe. Which one fits, and whether your floor gets opened, depends on where the leak is and how your plumber recommends fixing it. Before you say yes to anything, get plain answers to three questions: where is the leak, what are my choices, and what does each one disturb?
Nobody can tell you which repair you need without looking at your house, and this post won't pretend to. What it can do is help you understand the choices and ask better questions. If you are still trying to confirm a leak, start with slab leak warning signs.
Do I have to break the concrete?
There's no honest one-word answer until someone has found the leak. It depends on where the leak sits, what the pipe is, and what is around it.
Ask the plumber to tell you, in plain words, whether floor, tile, carpet or concrete will be opened, and who puts it back afterward. Finish work like flooring and paint is easy to overlook, so ask whether it's part of the price.
What choices might my plumber talk through?
Here are the three terms, with the question to ask about each. Have your plumber define every one for your house, because the details matter.
- Spot repair. Fixing the one section of pipe that failed. The question to ask: is this the only weak spot, or just the first one to give out?
- Reroute. Running new line by a different path so water no longer depends on the failed section. The question to ask: does my house allow another path, and what would it involve?
- Repipe. Replacing all or most of the water lines in the house, not just the trouble spot. The question to ask: what in my history says one leak is really a pattern?
Not every option will fit every house. If a plumber offers only one, ask why the others were ruled out.
How do I decide between them?
Start with your leak history. A single leak in a house that has otherwise been trouble free tells a different story than a second or third leak. If this isn't your first, read up on what repiping involves and when to repipe a Valley home before you talk to anyone.
Then think about how long you plan to stay. A fix that makes sense for a house you're selling soon may not be the fix you want for a house you plan to keep. Neither answer is wrong. It just changes the math.
Finally, ask what else the plumber saw. If the pipe near the leak looks worn, or the plumber has other reasons to worry about the rest of the system, that belongs in your decision. If they saw nothing else, that's useful to know too.
If you end up weighing new pipe material, our copper vs PEX comparison sets the two side by side.
A good recommendation comes with a reason. "Because that's the way we do it" isn't a reason. "Because the leak is here, the pipe is this, and this is what it disturbs" is.
If the plumber recommends the biggest job, ask what would make a smaller fix reasonable. If they recommend the smallest, ask what would change their mind. Good answers are specific.
What changes the price?
Your house sets the price, so you won't find numbers here. These are the things that move it:
- How much pipe is replaced, from one section to the whole house.
- How hard the pipe is to reach, and what has to be opened to get there.
- What has to be put back afterward: flooring, drywall, paint.
- The pipe material you choose.
- Permits and inspections, which vary by city.
- Whether the plumber finds more than one problem once they look.
Whatever you choose, get the price in front of you before work starts. We give you the price first, and nothing begins until you approve it.
Do I need a permit?
Permit rules are set by each city, and they can depend on the kind of work. Ask your plumber whether a permit applies to your repair, then check with your own city's building or permit office. A licensed plumber should be able to explain how that process works where you live.
What should I ask before I say yes?
- Where exactly is the leak, and how do you know?
- What are all my options here, and why do you recommend this one?
- What will be opened, and who restores it?
- Is this the only leak you found, or the first?
- What does the price include, and what would change it?
- Does this need a permit, and who handles it?
- Can I get the plan in writing?
Is it worth getting a second opinion?
Yes, and a good plumber won't mind. A slab leak repair is a big decision. Ask the first plumber what they found and how, so the second one is working from the same facts. If two plumbers describe two very different plans, ask each to explain the difference in plain words.
What should I do while I decide?
Water may still be escaping while you think it over, so don't let the decision drag. Ask your plumber whether it's safe to keep the water on in the meantime, or whether part of the house should be shut off until the repair. Keep your notes, photos and meter readings in one place so every plumber starts from the same facts.
When should I call a licensed plumber?
Call as soon as you have a confirmed or suspected leak. Choosing a repair is a conversation to have with someone who has looked at your house, not something to settle from a blog post. Expect questions about the signs you noticed, your meter, and the age and history of the house. Expect a clear explanation of what they found and what your choices are.
Bring your notes and the questions above. When you're ready to sort out your options, see how our slab leak service works and give us a call.
Common Questions
It depends on where the leak is, what the pipe is, and what is around it. Ask your plumber to tell you in plain words what will be opened and who puts it back.
Rerouting generally means running new line by a different path so water no longer depends on the failed section. Ask your plumber whether it applies to your house and what it would involve.
A spot repair fixes the section that failed. Whether it is the last repair you need depends on the condition of the rest of the plumbing, so ask what the plumber found beyond the leak.
Permit rules are set by each city and can depend on the kind of work. Ask your plumber, and confirm with your own city's building or permit office.
