Windows and doors
Water under a window or beside a sliding door after rain. Usually the seal between the frame and the wall, or blocked weep holes in the sill track.
We find the cause of building leaks and fix them
Find the cause. Fix it once.
Water that comes in when it rains, or a wet wall beside a shower, is usually a building problem, not a plumbing one. Handy Home Heroes finds where the water gets in, fixes it, and tests it again. A Leak Investigation Visit costs from $290 + GST in Perth.
The usual causes
Where the water gets in.
Most building leaks in Perth come from a handful of places: around windows and doors, where a roof meets a wall, at flashings, through sealant that has dried and split, and from showers and balconies. Some are not leaks at all, but condensation.
01
02
Roof-to-wall junctions
Where a lower roof, patio or pergola meets a wall. Stains on the ceiling or wall just below the joint after heavy rain.
03
Flashings
The metal strips that shed water at a junction. When one lifts or works loose, water runs behind it instead of off it.
04
Failed sealant
Silicone and sealant harden and split in the Perth sun. A gap a millimetre wide is enough to let wind-driven rain in.
05
Showers and balconies
Failed grout and silicone let water into the wall or the room next door. Balconies leak into the room or ceiling below.
06
Condensation
Water on walls, ceilings or window frames with no leak behind it. It comes from moisture inside the house, and the fix is ventilation, not sealant.
What we do
Visit, test, fix, re-test.
We come to the property, run a controlled hose test to show where the water gets in, and tell you the probable cause with photos. Then we fix it and test the same spot again, so you can see the repair holds.
01
Look first
We look at the stain, the wall and the outside of the building, and work out which spots are likely.
02
Controlled hose test
Water is run over one section at a time, starting low and working up, while someone watches inside. That separates a window from the wall above it.
03
The probable cause
Photos of each spot, named by location, with what we found and what we ruled out.
04
A fixed repair price
A written quote for the repair at a fixed price, the same way we quote every job.
05
The repair
Resealing joints, frames and wet areas, then the plaster, paint and skirting the water damaged. See wall and ceiling repairs.
06
Re-test
Once the repair has cured, we run the same test on the same spot again.
The price
Leak Investigation Visit: from $290 + GST.
A Leak Investigation Visit costs from $290 + GST anywhere we work in Perth, Western Australia. It is the same price for homeowners, landlords and property managers.
What the visit covers
- Up to 2 hours on site at one single-storey area of the building.
- A visual check of that area, inside and out.
- A controlled hose test.
- Photos, named by location.
- The probable cause, and what was ruled out.
- A fixed quote for the repair.
What changes the price
- Two storeys or half a day. Two-storey work, or testing that needs half a day, is quoted on top before we start.
- $100 off the repair if accepted within 30 days. Accept the repair quote within 30 days of the visit and we take $100 off the repair.
- Where we work. Perth's southern and western suburbs: Applecross and Melville, South Perth and Como, Bull Creek and Willetton, Fremantle and surrounds, and the western suburbs. Full suburb list.
What we refer out
Some leaks belong to a licensed trade or a specialist. If the water comes from a pipe, tap or drain, that is a plumber's job. If the test points to one of these, we tell you on the day and name the trade you need.
- Plumbing
- Electrical
- Structural
- Waterproofing membrane replacement
- Asbestos
Property managers
Leaks in rentals.
For property managers, the Leak Investigation Visit is a fixed fee of $290 + GST, set to sit under a typical approval limit, so it can be booked without going back to the owner first.
A fixed fee
$290 + GST for one single-storey area. Invoiced to the owner care of your agency on 7-day terms, with your work order number and the property address.
Booked the same day
We confirm the booking in writing the same day your work order arrives.
Tenant access handled
We arrange entry with the tenant directly and keep you copied in.
One email for the owner
Photos, the probable cause and a fixed repair price, in one email you can forward to the owner as it is. More on working with property managers.
New enquiry
Tell us about the leak.
Tell us where the water shows up, when it appears (after rain, after a shower, or all the time), and the suburb. Photos of the stain and the outside wall help.
1Book a visit, or ask a question first. Both go through the same form.
2Simon reads it and replies with a time for the visit, or an answer.
3On the day: a visual check, a controlled hose test, photos and the probable cause.
4You get a fixed quote for the repair. $100 off the repair if accepted within 30 days.
Common questions
Leak questions, answered.
Who do I call for a leak that isn't plumbing?
If water comes in when it rains, or shows up beside a shower or under a balcony, the cause is usually the building rather than the pipes. That is the work we do: find where the water gets in and fix it. If the water is coming from a pipe, tap or drain, you need a licensed plumber, and we will tell you so.
How much does a leak investigation cost in Perth?
Our Leak Investigation Visit costs from $290 + GST. It covers up to 2 hours on site at one single-storey area, a controlled hose test, photos, the probable cause and a fixed quote for the repair. Two-storey work or half a day of testing is quoted on top.
Why does my window leak when it rains?
Usually the seal between the window frame and the wall has failed, or the weep holes in the sill track are blocked and water backs up inside. Sometimes the water comes in higher up and only shows at the window. A hose test run one section at a time tells them apart.
My shower is leaking into the next room. Can you fix it?
If the cause is failed grout or silicone, yes, and that is the most common cause. If the waterproofing membrane under the tiles has failed, that needs a waterproofer, and we will tell you before any repair is quoted.
What if the leak doesn't show on the day?
Some leaks only appear in heavy, wind-driven rain, and a hose test cannot always copy that. If the visit does not show the cause, we tell you what we tested, what we ruled out and what we would try next. The visit price stays the same.