Isolation valve fitting in Exeter
Professional isolation valve fitting services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
£60-£85
Typical Duration
0.5-1.5 hrs
Location
Exeter, Devon
Isolation valves fitted to taps, toilets, and appliances so you can turn water off locally for servicing. Makes future repairs much easier without shutting off the whole house supply.
The Upgrade You Didn't Know You Needed
Ever tried changing a tap washer? Crawl under the sink, find the stopcock, turn it off, discover it doesn't shut fully, crawl into the cupboard under the stairs, find the main stopcock, shut the whole house down... With isolation valves, you just turn the local valve off. Job done.
💡 Pro tip: Fit isolation valves when you're doing other plumbing work. Already changing taps? Add valves while I'm there. Already got the water off and pipes drained - makes fitting valves much quicker.
Proper Valve vs Cheap Alternative
Isolation valves should last decades if fitted properly:
| ✅ Proper Compression Valve | ❌ Push-Fit Bodge |
|---|---|
| Solid brass body, lasts decades | Plastic body, fails in years |
| Compression fitting (reliable) | Push-fit (can leak or blow off) |
| Quarter-turn operation (easy on/off) | Multi-turn (fiddle about) |
| Rated for constant pressure | Rated for "domestic use" (vague) |
What You Get
🔧 The Service
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Isolate | Turn off water supply |
| Cut | Cut into pipe at right location |
| Fit | Install valve with compression fittings |
| Test | Turn water on, check for leaks, test valve operation |
📦 You're Left With
- Isolation valve(s) fitted and tested
- Easy access for future servicing
- Proper compression fittings (no leaks)
- Label on valve showing what it controls
Pricing Guide
| Job Type | Estimated Time | You'll Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Single valve (e.g., under sink) | 30 mins-1 hr | £60 (minimum) |
| Multiple valves (kitchen, bathroom) | 1-1.5 hrs | £60-£85 |
| Valve fitting during other work | +15 mins per valve | +£15-25 per valve |
Based on £60 minimum (first hour) + £50/hr after. Includes standard brass isolation valves.
Perfect For Your Project If...
✅ No isolation valves - currently have to turn mains off for everything
✅ Old plumbing - adding valves makes future work easier
✅ New appliances - dishwasher, washing machine need isolating
✅ During renovations - perfect time to upgrade plumbing properly
Why Choose Us for Isolation valve fitting in Exeter?
Turn water off locally for repairs
No need to shut whole house off
Properly fitted compression joints
Makes future servicing much easier
What to Expect
Step 1: Turn Off Water
Shut off the main stopcock or isolation point feeding the pipe I'm working on. Open taps to drain remaining water.
Step 2: Cut & Measure
Cut the pipe where the valve will go, measure the gap, cut the valve body to fit exactly. Needs to be precise so the compression fittings seal properly.
Step 3: Fit Valve
Slide compression nuts and olives onto pipe ends, insert valve body, tighten nuts. Not gorilla-tight - just firm enough to compress the olive and seal.
Step 4: Test
Turn water back on slowly, watch for leaks. Open and close the new valve several times to check it operates smoothly and shuts off completely.
Step 5: Label (Optional)
If you've got multiple valves, I can label them so you know which one controls what. Especially useful in multi-bathroom houses.
🔧 DIY Tips
Fitting isolation valves is doable DIY if you're competent with compression fittings:
🔧 Tools you'll need
- Pipe cutter or hacksaw
- Adjustable spanners (two)
- PTFE tape or jointing compound
- Deburring tool or file
- Bucket and cloths
💧 The process
- Turn off water - main stopcock or local isolation point
- Drain pipes - open taps to drain water
- Cut pipe - where valve will go, clean square cut
- Deburr - file/deburr edges smooth
- Measure gap - work out where valve body needs cutting
- Fit compression fittings - nut, olive, onto each pipe end
- Insert valve - between pipe ends
- Tighten nuts - compress olives onto pipes, seal the joint
- Test - water on slowly, check for leaks
⚠️ Common DIY mistakes
- Not deburring pipe edges (cuts the olive, causes leaks)
- Overtightening compression nuts (cracks olive, doesn't seal better)
- Wrong size valve for pipe (won't fit or seal properly)
- Not supporting pipe while tightening (twists the pipe)
- Using push-fit connectors (bodge, not reliable long-term)
💡 Pro trick: When fitting compression fittings, hand-tighten the nut first, then just one turn with a spanner. That's usually enough. If it drips, tighten a quarter-turn at a time. Gorilla-tight is counterproductive.
Quarter-turn vs multi-turn valves - quarter-turn valves (lever handle) are much quicker and easier to operate. Multi-turn (screw handle) work fine but take ages to close. Both do the same job.
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🔧 Exercise your valves - isolation valves can seize if never used. Turn them off and on once a year to keep them working. Seized valves are useless in emergencies.
Under sinks - typical setup is one valve per pipe (hot and cold), usually on flexible connector tails. Makes changing taps trivial - turn valves off, undo connectors, swap taps, job done.
Dishwasher/washing machine - these should have isolation valves as standard. If yours don't, get them fitted. Makes appliance replacement or servicing much easier.
Outside taps - should have an isolation valve INSIDE the house so you can shut the outside tap off in winter (prevents freezing). If yours doesn't have one, worth adding.
Old houses - Exeter's Victorian and Edwardian houses often have no isolation valves anywhere. Everything's run from the main stopcock. Upgrading to local isolation valves is the single best plumbing improvement you can make.
15mm vs 22mm - kitchen cold supply is often 22mm, everything else usually 15mm. I fit the right size valve for your pipes. Can't fit 15mm valve to 22mm pipe (without reducing fittings).
Frequently Asked Questions
What's an isolation valve and why do I need one?
It's a valve that lets you turn off water to a specific tap or appliance without shutting off the whole house. Brilliant for servicing - change tap washers without turning everyone's water off, disconnect dishwasher without touching the mains. Should be fitted to everything really.
Where should isolation valves be fitted?
Under every tap/basin (hot and cold), to washing machine, dishwasher, outside taps, toilet cisterns - basically anywhere you might need to service without killing the whole water supply. Makes life so much easier for future work.
Can you add isolation valves to my existing plumbing?
Yes - I cut into the pipe, fit the valve, done. Takes a bit longer than new installations because I need to drain down and cut pipes, but totally doable. Best upgrade you can make to old plumbing.
How long does fitting an isolation valve take?
Single valve under a tap is usually 30-60 minutes. Multiple valves in one visit is quicker per valve because I'm already set up. If I'm also doing other work (tap replacement etc), I'll fit valves as part of the job.
Do isolation valves ever fail?
They can seize if not used regularly - turn them on and off once a year to keep them working. Quality valves last decades. Cheap ones can fail - I only fit proper compression valves, not push-fit bodges.
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