Limerick · V94 · Leaks
Leak detection in Limerick
A leak detection specialist charges €380 + VAT for up to 3 hours, then €120 + VAT an hour, on one Dublin firm's published prices; no Limerick firm we found publishes one. Repairing a burst or leaking pipe runs €150–€2,000 on published Limerick and Munster prices. A leak on the pipe between your boundary and the house may be found and fixed free by Uisce Éireann. Send the job and one local plumber who covers your part of Limerick rings you.
- Check if First Fix Free applies first
- Prices and rules checked 2 November 2026
- One local plumber rings you, not a list
The short answer
How much does it cost to find a leak?
Last checked 2 November 2026. LeakSOS's prices, Uisce Éireann's First Fix Free page and the CRU's leaks page were read at source that day.
A leak detection specialist charges €380 + VAT for up to 3 hours, then €120 + VAT an hour, on one Dublin firm's published prices; no Limerick firm we found publishes one. Repairing a burst or leaking pipe runs €150–€2,000 on published Limerick and Munster prices. A leak on the pipe between your boundary and the house may be found and fixed free by Uisce Éireann.
| Job | Published price | Who says so |
|---|---|---|
| Leak detection, up to 3 hours | €380 + VAT | LeakSOS, Dublin |
| Each extra hour | €120 + VAT | LeakSOS, Dublin |
| Repair a burst or leaking pipe | €150–€2,000 | Limerick and Munster sources, below |
| Leak on your external supply pipe (mains only) | Free, if confirmed | Uisce Éireann |
Before you pay anyone
Is the leak inside or outside?
Rule out the inside first. Uisce Éireann asks for the same checks.
- Toilets and tapsA trickle into the toilet pan that never stops, or a tap that drips. A cistern leaking through is the most common hidden leak in a house.
- The attic tankListen at night. If it keeps refilling when nothing is running, water is going somewhere. Check the overflow pipes on the outside wall too.
- Nothing inside?If the inside is dry and Uisce Éireann has written about a leak, ring it on 1800 278 278 and ask for a First Fix Free investigation (Uisce Éireann: First Fix Free).
A leak you can see or hear inside the house is a plumber's job: turn off the stopcock and send it.
First Fix Free
When Uisce Éireann fixes it free
The scheme covers leaks on the external supply pipe, from your boundary to where the pipe enters the house. When your meter suggests a possible leak, Uisce Éireann writes to you, asks you to do four checks in the house, then offers a free investigation. If a contractor confirms the leak on the external pipe, the property owner signs an acceptance form and the repair is scheduled free (Uisce Éireann: First Fix Free).
Since April 2021 it also takes in unmetered homes, homes without an internal stop valve and homes on a shared connection, and you no longer need to be registered with Uisce Éireann. It never covers a leak inside the house.
Limerick
Leaks in an old city network
Limerick's public network loses a lot of water: Uisce Éireann put net leakage in the Limerick City water resource zone at 30.0% in 2025 (Uisce Éireann leakage figures), and it is replacing old cast iron mains in parts of the city (Uisce Éireann, 28 Nov 2025). A leak on the public main is Uisce Éireann's to fix, not yours.
Inside the boundary, age matters. 32% of homes in Limerick city and suburbs were built before 1971 (CSO Census 2022, small area statistics), and Uisce Éireann says builders and plumbers often used lead up to and including the 1970s (Uisce Éireann: lead in drinking water). In an older house, ask what the supply pipe is made of before any leak repair.
Frost is the other cause. Shannon Airport averages 20.3 days of air frost a year (Met Éireann, Shannon Airport 1991–2020). Lag pipes in the attic and on outside walls before winter, and see what to do with a burst pipe if one goes.
Prices
Every published leak and pipe repair price
| Who publishes it | Job | Price | VAT | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crowley PlumbingCork City & Suburbs | Burst or leaking pipe repairLabour included, parts extra. | €200–€600 | not stated | crowleyplumbing.ie |
| plumbersinireland.ie (guide)Limerick page, same figures as its Dublin page | Burst pipe repairSame figure as the site's Dublin page. | €150–€400 | incl. VAT | plumbersinireland.ie |
| HomePros.ie (guide)Cork | Burst pipe repair | €500–€2,000 | incl. VAT | homepros.ie |
FAQ
Leak questions
How much does leak detection cost in Limerick?
No Limerick firm we found publishes a price. LeakSOS in Lucan, Dublin, charges €380 + VAT for up to 3 hours of leak detection and investigation, then €120 + VAT an hour, with repairs and materials extra (LeakSOS (Lucan, Dublin): prices). Treat it as a benchmark and ask for the price with VAT.
Will Uisce Éireann fix my leak for free?
Only a leak on your external supply pipe, the stretch from your boundary to the house. Under First Fix Free, Uisce Éireann investigates free when your meter suggests a possible leak, and repairs free if the leak is confirmed on that pipe. Leaks inside the house are yours to fix (Uisce Éireann: First Fix Free).
I'm on a group scheme or a well. Does First Fix Free cover me?
No. First Fix Free is for Uisce Éireann's own customers. 609 households in Limerick city and suburbs are on a group scheme or a private source such as a well (CSO Census 2022, CSO Census 2022, small area statistics), and on those the pipes and pump are the owner's, so a leak is a plumber's job.
Which pipes am I responsible for?
Uisce Éireann is responsible for leaks on the mains, up to and including the water meter. Your responsibility usually ends at the property boundary, and covers every pipe on your side of it and in the house (CRU: water leaks and First Fix Free).
How can I tell if I have a hidden leak?
Listen for the attic tank filling when nothing is running, look for a constant trickle into the toilet pan, and check the overflow pipes outside. Uisce Éireann may also write to you: every meter it installs has a leak alarm (CRU: water leaks and First Fix Free).
Is a dripping tap worth fixing?
Yes. It can waste over 1,500 litres a year, says the CRU (CRU: water leaks and First Fix Free). It's usually a washer or cartridge: €60–€130 on published Limerick prices. See tap repairs.
Free quote
Send the leak to one local plumber
Tell us what's wrong. It goes to one local plumber who covers your part of Limerick, and they ring you about it.
More for Limerick
Related pages
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- Radiator and heating repairsCold radiators, valves, power flushing and filters.
- Emergency plumber in LimerickBurst pipe or leak now? What to do first.
- Blocked drains in LimerickUnblocking, jetting and camera surveys.
- Toilet, tap and shower repairsRunning cisterns, drips and showers.
- Plumber prices in LimerickAll 36 published prices, with sources.
- Areas we coverSuburbs and villages around Limerick.
- Plumber in CastletroyThe same jobs in Castletroy, with local figures.
- Plumber in Raheen and DooradoyleThe same jobs in Raheen and Dooradoyle, with local figures.
- Plumber in CorballyThe same jobs in Corbally, with local figures.
- Plumber in AnnacottyThe same jobs in Annacotty, with local figures.
- Plumber in CastleconnellThe same jobs in Castleconnell, with local figures.
Where these numbers come from (7 public sources, checked 2 November 2026)
Sources (4)
Prices and facts on this page were checked against these published pages. We are not connected to these businesses.
- LeakSOS, Dublin: leaksos.ie
- crowleyplumbing.ie: crowleyplumbing.ie
- plumbersinireland.ie: plumbersinireland.ie
- homepros.ie: homepros.ie