Callout: attendance and diagnosis only. Repair and service prices: labour only; callout, parts and materials separate. Standard hours: 7am–7pm, Monday–Friday, excluding bank holidays. Out-of-hours labour quoted separately. No VAT charged. Agree charges before booking and work before it starts. Full price guide.
Illustrative scene
EVERY MINUTE COUNTS WITH ESCAPING WATER
What’s happening right now?
Our emergency line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Water coming through the ceiling
Turn off the water at the stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink).
Keep away from wet light fittings and sockets. Switch off the electricity at the consumer unit only if you can reach it without touching water.
If you are in a flat, knock on the door of the flat above.
Tap your problem for what to do in the next two minutes. Water spreads under floors and into ceilings quickly, so stopping it first saves the most damage. Our average response to emergency callouts is under 60 minutes. It is an average, not a guarantee: arrival depends on your location, traffic and other callouts, and outlying towns take longer. When you call, we give you an arrival estimate for your address.
REAL EXPERIENCES. IN THEIR OWN WORDS.
Selected five-star Google reviews.
Customer feedback about our business across its service area. Reviewers’ own words, with their original ratings.
We had a great experience with Brendan on our plumbing issue. He explained everything that was happening clearly and managed to get us booked in that day for another service needed to make sure we got our plumbing back
ABAJ Boyland
★★★★★Google review
AJ was fantastic! Came out on Sunday and rescued us again! Excellent service, thank you! 😊
OOlivia
★★★★★Google review
AJ was able to attend really quickly after a leak was coming through our ceiling from a neighbour. We’ve used him before & he’s super reliable & prompt and the work is a great standard, wld certainly recommend!
NSNick Shields
★★★★★Google review
AJ did a great job and cleared a blocked drain from a washing machine that had a caused a substantial leak to the flat below mine. AJ was very friendly and professional. Would highly recommend.
FCFrancesca Coates
A selected set of five-star reviews, rather than an overall business rating. Reviews describe individual experiences and do not guarantee response times or outcomes for a future visit.
Identify the bathroom level and the room beneath it.
Portobello’s appraisal records Georgian terraces, later villas and Victorian tenements within the conservation area. A seaside address does not establish the cause of a leak or imply that the property has a particular drainage defect.
If a Portobello bathroom starts leaking during renovation, separate the filling, showering and emptying stages in your account. A newly sealed enclosure does not establish that the waste or concealed supply was replaced.
For a shower or bath enquiry, distinguish an upstairs bathroom over another room from a fixture on the ground floor. Explain whether water appears during use, during emptying or after rainfall without running water again to reproduce damage. That timing helps frame the investigation without assuming that coastal weather or failed sealant is responsible.
PROPERTY, PIPEWORK & DRAINAGE
What matters in Portobello properties?
Property layout and drainage. Identify whether the property is a tenement, cottage flat, terrace, detached house, newer apartment or commercial unit; systems vary by address.
Building age does not establish the condition of the drains. Internal waste pipes may be cast iron or plastic, while underground sections may include clay or newer materials. Foul water, surface water and shared drains should be distinguished before choosing a repair.
Has anything changed recently?
Tell us about kitchen or bathroom refits, extensions, loft conversions, neighbour alterations, communal repairs, roadworks or utility excavations. Record where the work happened and when symptoms began. Heavy rainfall, freezing temperatures, tree roots and ground movement may also be relevant. None of these clues proves causation without investigation.
Who manages the repair and what might insurance cover?
It depends on who owns the pipe and the policy, so confirm whether the property is owner-occupied, tenanted, factored, ex-council, an HMO or a commercial let.
Individual owners, joint owners, landlords, factors and Scottish Water may have different responsibilities depending on the pipe and legal arrangements. Buildings, contents, home emergency, escape-of-water, trace-and-access and underground-services cover are separate policy questions; maintenance and gradual damage may be excluded. Check the policy and notify the insurer promptly where relevant. We cannot determine cover or liability.
For Portobello, describe the affected fixtures, whether other flats or premises are affected, any recent works and safe access to the stopcock or drain. If water is near electrical equipment, keep clear and seek urgent help.
Use the observations below alongside the property and access details above. The main service guides explain assessment, safety and pricing in more detail.
Emergency plumbing
Explain whether the bathroom can remain unused while water damage is reported. Where work is ongoing, the urgent question is what water is doing now and how the affected space can be reached safely. Tell the work coordinator about restricted rooms or temporary arrangements. The fact that a fault appears during renovation is context; it does not establish which contractor or component caused it.
Clarify the scope: Does the current observation describe an uncontrolled escape, a wastewater backup or a loss of an essential facility?
Describe any slow emptying before and after the renovation without repeatedly testing it. A drainage symptom during alterations needs the old and new fixture arrangements explained separately. Keep genuine connection records available and identify which outlets were still working when the backup began. Avoid repeated flushing or discharge to demonstrate the sequence, since that may release more wastewater into occupied space.
Clarify the scope: Which fixture first showed the problem, and what happened before water rose or emptied slowly?
Compare bathroom-use timing with rainfall observations without choosing the cause in advance. For investigation during works, record the first visible wet point and the known sequence of installation, isolation or reconnection. Temporary access does not justify disturbing another service. Ask what can be established from existing openings and what further inspection would require agreement, without treating the timeline as proof of responsibility.
Clarify the scope: What was directly observed, and which connection or route remains only a suspicion?
Ask whether recurring backups justify inspecting a drain beyond the recently altered fixture. A camera enquiry during building work should specify the existing drainage question and the accessible section. Drawings of proposed alterations are not proof of current connections. Agree what the inspection can record and what falls outside its reach, especially where a newly finished surface restricts an entry point.
Clarify the scope: Which accessible section needs investigation, and what decision should the findings support?
Identify whether the leak is beside the enclosure, beneath the tray or visible below. Bathroom work may replace the enclosure while retaining a mixer, supply or waste connection. Explain the actual scope and whether the symptom concerns flow, temperature, slow emptying or escape. Selecting sealant, a trap or a new unit in advance can miss a fault in another retained component.
Clarify the scope: Is the change in flow, temperature, drainage or escaping water, and which components were actually altered?
Describe what you can observe. Say which fixture or room is affected, when the issue began and whether water is still escaping. A symptom helps assessment; a guessed diagnosis can miss the cause.
Explain how the property can be reached. Include a flat or unit number, entry arrangements and access to the affected area. Identify the bathroom level and the room beneath it. is the situation discussed above; mention any related constraints.
Agree the next step. Confirm attendance, who can authorise work and what the visit includes. Ask how further investigation, parts and repair costs will be approved.
For an enquiry affecting more than one property, explain who can provide access and approve the proposed work before a visit is arranged.
Independent information when you need it.
Responsibility for a shared building repair or a wider water incident may need checking alongside a private plumbing enquiry. These public sources can help identify the appropriate next contact.
A shower leak in Portobello: why the visible edge may not be the source
A shower leak in Portobello: why the visible edge may not be the source. Practical observations, access and booking questions, with links to relevant local service information.
Find the information that matches the fault. Detailed local guides are linked where available; the other links explain the main service and what to discuss before booking.
We’re proud to be clear about our prices. Published guide charges, a clear breakdown of what is included, and your agreement before work starts. Callout, labour, parts and materials are explained separately so you can make an informed choice.
Standard hours are 7am–7pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays. Evenings, nights, weekends and bank holidays are out of hours. All times are Edinburgh local time.
These figures are not a total job price.
Callout charges cover attendance and diagnosis only and are separate from repair labour. The service prices shown are labour charges only. Parts and materials are charged separately. No VAT is charged.
Service labour figures below are guides for standard-hours work. Out-of-hours labour is quoted separately. Where a callout applies, for urgent attendance, it is payable for attendance and diagnosis even if you decide not to proceed with a repair; confirm the applicable fee before agreeing to attendance.
Prices correct as of . Published prices are subject to change without notice for future enquiries. This does not change an accepted quotation or an agreed contract price; any additional work or price variation requires your agreement before proceeding. Read our pricing policy →
Booked a planned visit online or on WhatsApp? No callout charge. You pay only for the work you agree to, plus parts.
Callout charges and standard-hours service labour guide
Service
Guide charge
What it covers
Standard-hours callout
From £75
Attendance and diagnosis only
Out-of-hours callout
£100–£180
Attendance and diagnosis only
Ask for the callout charge, labour and any other known costs before agreeing to a visit. We will agree the total price, or how it will be calculated, before you commit; any repair, parts or additional work needs your agreement before it starts.
Leak detection does not include the repair. Boiler work requires an appropriately qualified engineer; the boiler service price does not include a separate landlord gas safety certificate. Jobs outside the listed ranges or services without a published guide require an individual quote.
What should I record for Portobello when the property or its plumbing has changed?
Record the last known dry condition and what work had actually been completed before the mark appeared.
What address information is useful for a Portobello enquiry?
Portobello, Joppa and nearby east Edinburgh streets. Include the full postcode, exact property or flat number and a contact who can arrange entry.
How do I choose a plumbing service for Portobello?
Start with what you can observe: identify the bathroom level and the room beneath it.. Explain the symptoms and use the relevant service pages above; assessment determines the actual work needed.
How quickly can a plumber get to Portobello?
Our average response to emergency callouts is under 60 minutes. It is an average, not a guarantee: arrival depends on your location, traffic and other callouts, and outlying towns take longer. When you call, we give you an arrival estimate for your address.
How are repair costs agreed in Portobello?
Standard-hours callout starts from £75 for attendance and diagnosis only. Repair labour, parts and materials are separate. Standard hours are 7am–7pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays. Evenings, nights, weekends and bank holidays are out of hours. All times are Edinburgh local time. Ask for the callout charge, labour and any other known costs before agreeing to a visit. We will agree the total price, or how it will be calculated, before you commit; any repair, parts or additional work needs your agreement before it starts.
Can I send a non-urgent Portobello enquiry online?
Use the contact form with your name, phone and email, then verify your email with a six-digit code to submit your enquiry. It does not confirm a booking. Telephone for urgent assistance.
DAYTIME BOOKING REQUESTS · 7AM–7PM
Prefer to book on WhatsApp?
WhatsApp booking requests are for weekday daytime visits, Monday to Friday within 7am–7pm, Edinburgh local time. One same-day slot is offered each weekday, at least 3 hours ahead; for a same-day booking, call 0131 210 0505 to confirm.
Choose an available date and then a two-hour time window in the chat. Bookings are provisional until the plumber confirms. The work and price must be discussed and agreed before work starts. Online and WhatsApp bookings are not available at weekends: for a weekend or bank holiday visit, call 0131 210 0505 (out-of-hours pricing applies). Standard rates apply Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays. Callout, labour, parts and materials are separate charges: agree all applicable charges before committing to a visit.
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