Straight answer: leak detection with us starts at $89, and the total for finding your leak is capped at $350 no matter how stubborn it turns out to be. Most leaks in Pinellas County homes are found in the first hour, which means most homeowners pay $178 total. No estimate visit, no range, no surprise.
The Full Price List
| What | Cost |
|---|---|
| Service call (we come out, meter test, isolate the leak) | $89 |
| Detection work | $89 per hour |
| Typical total, leak found in the first hour | $178 |
| Maximum you can pay for detection, period | $350 |
That is the whole pricing model. It covers slab leaks, wall leaks, yard and service line leaks, and underground hot water leaks in single-family homes anywhere in our Pinellas County service area, from Largo and Clearwater down to St. Petersburg.
Why We Can Quote a Number When Others Say “It Depends”
Call around and you will mostly hear some version of “every job is different, we will quote it on site.” There is a reason for that. Detection time really does vary with the type of leak, how deep it hides, and how much is in the way. Companies that bill open-ended simply pass that uncertainty to you.
We went the other way. Detection is all we do, we work these same Pinellas neighborhoods every day, and after enough slab homes you know how long leaks take to find. So we put the risk on our side of the table: $89 per hour, and if a leak fights us long enough to hit the cap, the extra time is our problem, not yours. The $350 cap is the ceiling, not the norm. Most visits end at $178.
What You Get for $178
- Meter test first. We confirm you actually have a leak before any money is spent chasing one.
- Isolation. Hot side or cold side, inside the house or out in the yard. This narrows the hunt fast.
- Pinpointing without demolition. Acoustic listening and thermal imaging find the leak through concrete and drywall. Nothing gets opened to “take a look.”
- A marked spot, photos, and a written finding. You know exactly where the leak is and what fixing it involves before any repair is discussed. If your plumber or your insurance company needs documentation, you have it.
Detection and Repair Are Separate Numbers
Detection is the flat-priced part. Repair is quoted after the leak is found, because a pinhole in an open wall and a line under the kitchen slab are very different fixes. Finding the exact spot first is what keeps repair costs sane: your plumber opens one small area instead of exploring, and you only pay to fix what is actually broken.
One more Pinellas-specific thing worth knowing: if a hidden leak inflated your water bill, Pinellas County Utilities can credit part of that bill after you document the repair. We wrote up exactly how that works in our guide to the county’s leak adjustment and rebate programs. The paperwork we hand you at the end of a detection visit is the kind of documentation those programs want to see.
The Free Check Before You Spend Anything
Before you book anyone, try the 60-second meter test. Turn off every faucet and fixture in the house, then watch your water meter. If the dial or leak indicator keeps moving, water is escaping on your side of the meter and detection is worth the money. If it holds still, your high bill may have a different cause, and we would rather tell you that on the phone than charge you $89 to say it in your driveway.
Cost Questions We Hear Every Week
Is the $89 a trip fee on top of everything?
The $89 service call is the first hour’s foundation, not a separate add-on trap. Leak found in the first hour means $178 total: $89 service call plus $89 for that hour of detection.
What if the leak is hard to find?
The cap is the answer. However long a leak takes to pinpoint, detection never bills past $350. And the meter test comes first, so we do not run the clock on a house that does not have a real leak.
Does insurance cover leak detection?
Often the detection report is exactly what your adjuster asks for when a hidden leak causes damage. Coverage depends on your policy, but the written finding, photos, and marked location we leave you with are built to support a claim.
Why is the first hour $178, not $89?
$89 covers the service call: getting a technician and the equipment to your door, the meter test, and isolation. Detection itself bills at $89 per hour. First hour total, $178. Capped at $350 no matter what.
If your bill jumped or a floor feels warm, call (727) 239-0089. You now know the price before we ring the doorbell, which is exactly how we think it should work.
