Plumbers in Lewisham
Plumbing in Lewisham
In January 2026 we swapped a worn two-handle basin tap in Deptford for a single-lever mixer the same day; the May before, we plumbed in a new basin unit as part of a Deptford studio flat refit. Plumbing in Lewisham means working on Victorian terraces in Brockley, Catford, Forest Hill and Sydenham and interwar houses in Bellingham and Downham, with two local twists: homes old enough to still have lead supply pipes, and drains near the culverted Ravensbourne and Quaggy that can back up when the sewers fill in heavy rain.
Quick answer
A plumber in London typically charges £65 to £95 an hour with a £90 to £120 call-out, more in the evening or at weekends. Replacing a tap costs £100 to £260, unblocking a drain £100 to £350 and tracing a hidden leak £200 to £700. In Lewisham, a blockage in a drain shared with neighbours is usually Thames Water’s to clear for free.
Every enquiry gets a written reply within 2 hours, and urgent leaks are attended the same day, including evenings and weekends.
By house type
The plumbing Lewisham homes have
Lewisham’s housing is mostly Victorian and Edwardian terraces, with interwar estates in the south and newer flats by the river. The age of the house tells you a lot about what is behind the walls.
Victorian and Edwardian terraces
Brockley, Ladywell, Catford, Hither Green, Forest Hill and Sydenham. Expect a lead or narrow supply pipe in some houses, older stopcocks that may not shut fully, and drains that run behind the terrace and join a shared run, which is usually Thames Water’s to clear.
Houses split into flats
Where a terrace has been converted, the flats often share a soil stack and sometimes the incoming supply. A leak from the flat above, a stopcock that feeds two flats, or a shared stack needs the freeholder or neighbours involved, so we check who owns which pipe before quoting.
Interwar estates in Bellingham and Downham
Houses from the 1920s and 1930s, all built before 1970, so the supply pipe is worth checking for lead. Older pipework and fittings are worth checking whenever a bathroom or kitchen is refitted.
Deptford and New Cross
Georgian and Victorian terraces near the old Royal Dockyard alongside newer riverside flats. Newer flats may have an unvented cylinder, which needs a G3-qualified plumber. Deptford High Street closes to traffic on market days, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday until 7pm, which we plan visits around.
Lewisham drains
Sewer backflow near the Ravensbourne and the Quaggy
The River Ravensbourne and the River Quaggy run through Lewisham, culverted for most of their length, and join at Loampit Vale. At least a fifth of the borough’s properties carry some flood risk from them. In heavy rain the culverted sections can back-surcharge into the sewers, so water and sewage can back up through low gullies, downstairs toilets and basement drains even when the rivers stay in their banks.
- Report sewer flooding to Thames Water, which owns the public sewer. Shared drains and the drain outside your boundary are its responsibility too, and it clears those blockages free of charge.
- Anti-flood (non-return) valves stop sewage coming back up your drain, but while the valve is shut your own toilets and sinks cannot drain either. Thames Water has warned that a valve alone can still let a property flood during a long surcharge, and asks new developments for a pumped device instead, so the right answer depends on how often and how badly the drain backs up.
- Find the cause first: a CCTV drain survey, £150 to £350, shows whether the problem is a sewer surcharge or a blockage, root intrusion or broken pipe on your side.
- Basements and low extensions: Building Regulations guidance on drainage (Approved Document H) expects drains from areas below the sewer’s flood level to be protected, so we raise it at quote stage on any basement or sunken extension.
Costs
How much does a plumber cost in Lewisham?
A plumber in London typically charges £65 to £95 an hour in 2026, usually with a one-hour minimum, and £300 to £600 for a full day. Fantastic Services puts an average plumbing visit in Lewisham at £84 to £216, with a one-hour minimum and extra time in half-hour blocks.
Typical London market ranges, not fixed Soraiz Builders prices
| Charge | Typical London cost | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly rate | £65 to £95 | Most firms charge a minimum of one hour |
| Day rate | £300 to £600 | Longer jobs such as repiping or a bathroom first fix |
| Call-out fee | £90 to £120 | Usually covers attendance and diagnosis, not the repair |
| Evenings, weekends, bank holidays | +25% to +50% | Often time and a half; some emergency call-outs reach £250 |
| Job | Typical London cost | Lewisham notes |
|---|---|---|
| Replace a tap | £100 to £260 | Our Deptford basin tap swap, January 2026 |
| Unblock a drain | £100 to £350 | Check first whether the run is shared and Thames Water’s |
| CCTV drain survey | £150 to £350 | Worth it where drains back up in heavy rain |
| Trace a hidden leak | £200 to £700 | Thermal or acoustic; access and repair extra |
| Replace a toilet | £200 to £600 | Close-coupled; wall-hung costs more |
| Install a shower | £250 to £700 | Labour only; electric showers need a suitable supply |
| Fit an outside tap | £150 to £300 | With a double check valve and isolation valve |
| Unvented cylinder | £2,000 to £3,800 | Fitted by a G3-qualified plumber |
Sources: our plumbers in London page (Logic4training June 2026, Checkatrade, MyJobQuote, Trade2Base, Fantastic Services, Book A Builder UK, Housekeep and whito 2026 guides) and Fantastic Services’ Lewisham plumbing page (2026). Plumbing inside a bathroom or kitchen refit is priced as part of that project. Gas and boiler work is a separate service, carried out by Gas Safe registered engineers: see central heating and gas work.
Local work
Plumbing jobs in Deptford
In January 2026 we replaced an old two-handle basin tap in a Deptford home (SE8) with a new single-lever mixer. In May 2025, as part of a Deptford studio flat refit spread over two and a half weeks of visits, we fitted a new basin unit with a countertop basin and tap in the shower room, alongside new lighting, a slatted feature wall and redecoration.
10 photosDeptford (Lewisham)
Studio flat refit in Deptford
A Deptford studio flat refitted over two and a half weeks in May 2025: a refreshed shower room with a new basin unit, work on the electric shower, a slatted feature wall, new lighting, furniture assembly and decoration.
Read the case study
Deptford (Lewisham)
Basin tap replacement in Deptford
An old two-handle basin tap swapped for a new single-lever mixer.
Lead pipes and pressure
Lead supply pipes and low pressure in Lewisham
Homes built before 1970 may still have a lead supply pipe, and almost all of Lewisham’s terraces and its interwar estates are older than that. Lead can dissolve into drinking water, and an old narrow pipe is also a common cause of weak taps.
- Who pays: you pay for the pipe inside your boundary, and Thames Water replaces its own section free when you replace yours, through its lead pipe replacement scheme, within three months.
- Pressure: Thames Water must supply at least 7 metres of head (0.7 bar) at the outside stop valve. If that is fine but your taps are weak, the cause is inside: a part-closed stopcock, a narrow or lead pipe, or scale. The new pipe is usually 25 mm, which often helps.
- Hard water: all of Thames Water’s area has hard water, so limescale shortens the life of taps, shower valves and cylinders; keep one tap unsoftened for drinking if you fit a softener.
Areas we cover
Plumbers across Lewisham
- Deptford SE8
- New Cross SE14
- Brockley SE4
- Crofton Park SE4
- Lewisham SE13
- Ladywell SE13
- Hither Green SE13
- Lee SE12
- Catford SE6
- Bellingham SE6
- Downham BR1
- Grove Park SE12
- Forest Hill SE23
- Sydenham SE26
FAQ
Plumbing in Lewisham: common questions
How much does a plumber cost in Lewisham?
A plumber in London typically charges £65 to £95 an hour, usually with a one-hour minimum, and a £90 to £120 call-out. Evenings, weekends and bank holidays cost 25 to 50% more. Fantastic Services puts an average plumbing visit in Lewisham at £84 to £216. A tap replacement costs £100 to £260 and a drain unblock £100 to £350.
Do you cover emergency plumbing in Catford, Sydenham and Forest Hill?
Yes. We cover the whole of Lewisham, including Catford, Sydenham, Forest Hill, Brockley and Deptford, and attend urgent leaks the same day, including evenings and weekends. Until we arrive, turn off the stopcock, open the cold taps to drain the pipes, and switch off the electrics if water is near fittings.
Who clears a blocked drain in Lewisham, me or Thames Water?
A drain inside your boundary that serves only your home is yours. Since October 2011 Thames Water has owned shared drains and sewers and the part of your drain outside your boundary, and clears those free on 0800 980 8800. On a Lewisham terrace the shared run behind the houses is often Thames Water’s, so check before paying for jetting.
Why does my drain back up when it rains heavily?
Near the Ravensbourne and the Quaggy, culverted rivers can back-surcharge into the sewers in heavy rain, pushing water back up low gullies and toilets. Report it to Thames Water. A CCTV survey, £150 to £350, shows whether it is the sewer or a fault on your side, and whether an anti-flood valve or a pumped device suits your home.
Do Lewisham homes still have lead water pipes?
Some do. Homes built before 1970 may still have a lead supply pipe, and most of Lewisham’s terraces and interwar estates are older than that. You pay for the pipe inside your boundary, and Thames Water replaces its section free when you replace yours within three months. The new 25 mm pipe often improves pressure too.
Do you fix boilers in Lewisham?
Boiler and other gas work is a separate service, carried out by Gas Safe registered engineers; see our central heating and gas work page. Our plumbers handle water-side work such as leaks, taps, toilets, showers, drains, supply pipes and G3 unvented cylinders.
Get a free plumbing quote in Lewisham
Send a photo of the problem and your postcode. We tell you whether it looks like a quick repair or something bigger, and agree a written price before any work starts.
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