Outside tap installation in Exeter
Professional outside tap installation services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
£110-£180
Typical Duration
2-3 hrs
Location
Exeter, Devon
I'll fit an outside tap to your external wall - proper connection to your cold supply, double check valve fitted, inside isolation for winter. Never haul the hosepipe through the house again.
Why Didn't We Do This Years Ago?
You're dragging a hosepipe through the house every time you want to wash the car or water the garden. Kitchen floor gets wet, you're stepping over the hose, and you can't close the door properly. An outside tap costs a couple of hundred quid and saves this nonsense forever.
💡 Pro tip: An outside tap adds genuine value to your property. Buyers love them - especially if you've got a garden or a driveway.
Why Professional Fitting Matters
It's not just drilling a hole and screwing on a tap:
| ✅ Done Properly | ❌ Bodged In |
|---|---|
| Double check valve (building regs) | No backflow prevention (contamination risk) |
| Inside isolation valve | Can't shut off for winter (burst pipe guaranteed) |
| Neat penetration, sealed properly | Massive hole, drafts, water gets in |
| Pipe secured and insulated | Loose pipe, frost damage |
What You Get
🔧 The Full Service
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Plan route | Find best pipe run from kitchen/utility cold supply |
| Drill through | Core drill neatly through external wall |
| Run pipe | Connect to cold supply, run through wall, fit outside tap |
| Fit valves | Double check valve and isolation valve as per regs |
| Seal & test | Seal penetration, test for leaks, confirm good flow |
📦 You're Left With
- Outside tap exactly where you want it
- Inside isolation valve (turn off for winter)
- Double check valve fitted (building regs compliant)
- Neat penetration through wall, properly sealed
Pricing Guide
| Job Type | Estimated Time | You'll Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Short pipe run (1-2m) | 2-2.5 hrs | £110-£135 |
| Standard run (3-4m) | 2.5-3 hrs | £135-£160 |
| Long run or difficult route | 3-4 hrs | £160-£210 |
Based on £60 minimum (first hour) + £50/hr after. Includes tap, double check valve, fittings, and drilling.
Perfect For...
✅ Keen gardeners - watering without traipsing through the house
✅ Car washing - hose right where you need it
✅ Jet washing - driveway and patio cleaning made easy
✅ Paddling pools - fill without 20m of hosepipe through the kitchen
Why Choose Us for Outside tap installation in Exeter?
Water access for garden, car washing, jet washing
Fitted with double check valve (building regs)
Inside isolation valve for winter
Drilled through wall neatly
What to Expect
Step 1: Work Out The Best Route
I'll check where your cold water supply runs (usually under the kitchen sink), and plan the shortest, neatest route to where you want the outside tap.
Step 2: Drill Through The Wall
Core drill through from inside out to minimise mess and avoid spalling the brick face outside. Usually go through between wall studs or in a less visible spot.
Step 3: Run The Pipe & Fit Tap
Connect to your cold supply with a tee piece, run 15mm copper or plastic pipe through the wall, fit the outside tap on a wall plate outside. Fit isolation valve inside and double check valve as required by regs.
Step 4: Test & Seal
Turn it on, check for leaks, confirm you've got good pressure. Seal around the penetration outside with mastic to keep water and drafts out.
🔧 DIY Tips
This is intermediate plumbing - doable if you're confident, but easy to get wrong:
🔧 Tools you'll need
- Core drill bit (for brick/stone)
- Pipe cutter
- Adjustable spanners
- PTFE tape
- 15mm copper or plastic pipe
- Outside tap kit (includes tap, double check valve, wall plate)
- Silicone or external mastic
🔩 How to do it
- Find your cold water supply pipe (usually under kitchen sink)
- Turn off water at stopcock
- Drain down the cold system (open kitchen taps)
- Fit a tee piece into the cold supply
- Drill through external wall (from inside out for neat finish)
- Run pipe through wall
- Fit double check valve on inside section
- Fit isolation valve on inside section
- Fit outside tap on wall plate
- Turn water back on, check for leaks, test pressure
⚠️ Common DIY mistakes
- No double check valve (illegal, contamination risk)
- No inside isolation (can't shut off for winter)
- Drilling from outside in (brickwork spalls)
- Pipe not insulated (freezes in winter)
- Leaking compression fittings (didn't use PTFE tape or washers)
💡 Pro trick: Fit the outside tap slightly above the penetration through the wall so water drains back inside when you turn it off in autumn. Stops water sitting in the outside section and freezing.
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🔧 Winter shut-off is essential - more burst pipes happen from frozen outside taps than any other single cause in Devon. Turn off the inside isolation valve in October, open the outside tap to drain the pipe, leave it open all winter.
Double check valve is required by water regulations to prevent backflow contamination. If you don't have one, your water company can prosecute. I fit them as standard.
Where to position it - think about hose length to your furthest tap requirement. An outside tap on the wrong side of the house is useless. Most people put it on the back wall near the garden, but if you want to wash your car on the driveway, front of house might be better.
Shared water supply? Some older terraced houses share a common cold feed. You might need permission from neighbors before tapping into it. I'll check what you've got and advise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where's the best place to put an outside tap?
Ideally on an external wall close to your kitchen or utility room (easier to run the pipe). Think about what you'll use it for - watering the garden, washing the car, filling a paddling pool. I'll advise on the most practical spot when I see your property.
Do you need to comply with building regs?
Yes - outside taps must have a double check valve to prevent contaminated water siphoning back into the mains. I fit these as standard. You also need an isolation valve inside so you can turn it off in winter (frozen pipes are a nightmare).
Will I have a hole through my wall?
Yes, but a tidy one. I drill through from inside out (stops the brick spalling), fit the pipework, then seal around the outside penetration properly. You'll barely notice it unless you're looking for it.
Can I use it all year round?
You should turn it off from October to March. Outside taps are the number one cause of burst pipes in winter - water freezes in the pipe, expands, cracks the pipe inside your wall. I fit an isolation valve indoors so you can shut it off and drain down the outside section.
How long does it take?
Usually 2-3 hours depending on how far the pipe run is. If you've got easy access to the kitchen cold supply and it's a short run through the wall, it's quick. If I'm running 5 metres of pipe through cupboards and boxing, it takes longer.
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