Leaking Tap Repair Cost in Sydney

It starts as a gentle drip. You tell yourself you’ll get to it eventually. Then weeks become months, and that tap is still dripping. It seems harmless — after all, how much water can a single drip really waste?

The answer, it turns out, is quite a lot. So the real question is what the repair will cost, and what you pay if you leave it. We’ll start with the repair.

How Much Does It Cost to Fix a Leaking Tap in Sydney?

There’s no single price for a leaking tap repair, because the same drip can come from several different faults. These are the things that decide what yours will cost:

• What has worn out. A washer or O-ring on an older-style tap is the simplest repair. A mixer tap usually needs a replacement ceramic cartridge, which has to match the tap.
• Repair or replace. If the tap body is corroded, the seat is badly worn, or parts for an older tap are hard to get, a new tap can make more sense than another repair.
• The type of tap. Basin, kitchen, shower and bath taps, wall-mounted taps and outdoor garden taps are all built differently.
• Where the leak is. A drip from the spout is a tap repair. Water under the sink usually means a loose fitting or a worn supply hose instead.
• Access. A tap that is easy to get at is quicker to work on than one tucked behind a vanity or set into a wall.

Mr. Clog charges no call-out fee, and we give you a fixed price for the repair or replacement before we start. We carry common parts in our vans, so most tap repairs are completed in a single visit. Given the ongoing water and potential damage costs below, getting it fixed is almost always the right financial decision. See our tap and toilet repairs page for what we fix.

Types of Tap Leaks — and What Each One Means

Dripping from the Spout

The most common type. Usually caused by a worn tap washer or O-ring. On older style taps (compression taps), it’s almost always a washer. On mixer taps, it’s typically a ceramic cartridge that needs replacing.

Leaking Around the Base of the Spout

Water pooling at the base of the tap — especially when it’s turned on — indicates a worn O-ring on the spout body. This is a straightforward fix but needs to be done before the leak damages the bench or cabinet below.

Leaking Under the Sink

If the drip is coming from the pipe connections beneath the sink, it’s likely a loose fitting, degraded thread tape, or a corroded supply line. This one needs attention quickly — it can saturate the under-sink cabinet without you noticing.

Running Toilet (Often Mistaken for a Tap)

A toilet that “runs” constantly — where you can hear water trickling into the bowl — is the most expensive leak of all. A running toilet can waste up to 60,000 litres per year, all of it on your water bill, until it’s fixed.

DIY or Call a Plumber?

In NSW, you legally need a licensed plumber for most tap repairs — including replacing tap washers, cartridges, and any work involving the water supply. It’s not just a formality: incorrect repairs can void your home insurance and potentially make leaks worse.

That said, there are a couple of things you can safely do yourself:

• Tightening an aerator (the small filter at the tip of the spout) if it’s loose
• Replacing a tap cover button or decorative cap
• Tightening an accessible compression fitting under the sink (hand-tight only)

For anything that involves removing tap components, replacing washers or cartridges, or touching the water supply lines — call a licensed plumber. It’s a quick, inexpensive job for a professional.

The Cost of Ignoring It: How Much Water a Dripping Tap Wastes

The maths is simple once you run it:

Every one of those litres is billed by Sydney Water. A hot water tap leak costs considerably more — you’re also heating all that water you’re wasting, adding to your energy bill on top of the water bill.

The Hidden Cost: Water Damage

The water bill is just the start. A leaking tap that drips onto or near a surface — timber vanities, under-sink cabinetry, tile grout — causes gradual water damage that can be far more expensive than the original repair.

Common water damage from ignored tap leaks includes:

• Timber swelling, warping or rotting under bathroom and kitchen benches
• Mould and mildew growth inside cabinets — a health risk as well as a repair cost
• Grout and silicone deterioration around the sink or basin
• Rust and corrosion on pipes and fittings
• Damage to flooring if the leak goes unnoticed for a long time

A tap washer replacement today costs far less than replacing a water-damaged vanity or cabinet down the track.

Frequently Asked Questions