I had an emergency where a pipe under the kitchen sink had burst and was flooding the flats below. Danny came out at short notice on a Friday night, found the hidden stop cock, isolated the leak and literally saved the day. Professional and efficient. Will definitely use again.
Emergency Plumber in Islington
Islington's Georgian terraces carry some of London's oldest pipework, including lead supply pipes and cellar kitchens below drain level. Your emergency plumber in Islington normally gets there within 60 minutes. As a 24 hour plumber we answer every call, and coming out costs nothing extra: no call-out fee.
Islington at a glance
- Postcodes
- N1, N5, N7
- Arrival
- Usually within 60 minutes
- Homes
- Georgian and early Victorian terraces
- Most common
- Lead supply pipes and basement pumping
- Also covering
- Angel, Barnsbury, Canonbury
Water in the cellar or front vault?
The stopcock is usually in the cellar or front basement, where the supply enters under the pavement; in a converted flat, check under the sink or a hall cupboard. Do not touch wet electrics. Gas smell? 0800 111 999 straight away. Then us: 020 3674 8514.
Emergency plumbing problems we fix in Islington
Lead pipes, tall cast-iron stacks, pumped basements near the Regent's Canal and hard water explain the six Islington emergencies set out here.
- 01
Blocked drain or sink in Islington
In Islington, cellar and lower-ground kitchens in Georgian terraces often sit below the street sewer, so their waste relies on a pump or a deep gully that silts up.
Islington: usually £140 – £240. Blocked drain or sink: first steps →
- 02
Blocked or overflowing toilet in Islington
Many Barnsbury and Canonbury houses have toilets on three or four floors feeding one old cast-iron stack, and a blockage in that stack backs up into the lowest toilet first.
Islington: usually £95 – £150. Blocked or overflowing toilet: first steps →
- 03
Water leak or leak through the ceiling in Islington
Lead supply pipes are still found under the floors of Islington Georgian terraces, and when an old wiped joint gives way the leak often shows in the cellar first.
Islington: usually £280 – £600. Water leak or leak through the ceiling: first steps →
- 04
Leaking radiator in Islington
Tall Islington terraces have heating spread over four or five floors, and radiators at the top of the house are usually the first to stop heating when air collects in the system.
Islington: usually £110 – £170. Leaking radiator: first steps →
- 05
No hot water or no heating in Islington
Islington houses with cylinders in basement or top-floor airing cupboards suffer hard water scale, and where the cylinder is in the basement the top floors can wait a long time for hot water.
Islington: usually £130 – £420. No hot water or no heating: first steps →
- 06
Burst or frozen pipe in Islington
In Islington the pipes most likely to freeze are in the front vaults under the pavement and in cellars, where supply pipes run close to cold outside walls.
Islington: usually £150 – £280. Burst or frozen pipe: first steps →
How fast we get to you in Islington
You should see us within 60 minutes. Tell us if the way in is the front door, the area steps down to the basement, or a rear entrance. For a flat in a big house near Highbury Fields, give the flat number and which bell to press.
Streets and places we cover in Islington
Upper StreetEssex RoadLiverpool RoadCanonbury RoadBarnsbury StreetCross StreetColebrooke RowDuncan TerraceGibson SquareOfford RoadCanonbury SquareBarnsbury SquareRichmond AvenueNoel RoadHighbury Hill
We also cover Angel, Barnsbury, Canonbury, Highbury, Holloway, Pentonville, Newington Green, De Beauvoir Town.
Emergency plumber prices in Islington
Hard water seizes stopcocks in Islington cellars; swapping a seized one usually comes in at £140 to £210. Our rate starts at £110 for the first hour, with £45 per half hour after, the same at any time. No call-out fee, and you get the fixed price on paper beforehand.
Plumbing in Islington: what goes wrong and why
Georgian and Victorian terraces dominate N1 and N5, and they carry some of the oldest live pipework in London: lead supply pipes, cast-iron stacks and cellar kitchens sitting below the level of the drain. Around Barnsbury, Canonbury and the streets off Upper Street, conservation-area and listed-building rules mean visible new pipework is rarely acceptable, so runs go internally and making good gets planned before the first cut. Basement conversions near the Regent's Canal usually depend on pumps. Hard water is the background problem everywhere, scaling cylinders, seizing stopcocks and killing shower valves years early. The larger houses near Highbury Fields split into flats add the familiar overloaded-stack complaint on top.
Most common here: lead supply pipes and basement pumping.
What customers near Islington say
Amazing responsiveness and efficient, professional, clean work. We had gushing water from corroded pipe buried in concrete. The 2 men worked for 5½ hours to locate and mend. The men were polite and respectful throughout. Very honest and reasonable pricing as well.
It was a Saturday and he came very quick and did an amazing job. Very friendly and was even concerned that it would be loud for my cat, so I sat with my cat in a different room with the door shut. Finished the job so quick, couldn't recommend more highly!
The plumber did an exceptional job with our bathroom sink installation. They were punctual, professional, and highly skilled, ensuring every detail was perfect.
We show these Checkatrade reviews word for word, so Islington homeowners can read the customers' own phrasing. Read all 147 reviews or our Google reviews.
Emergency plumber in Islington: your questions
Is an hour realistic for a plumber to reach Islington?
Yes, usually within 60 minutes. Access in Islington often means a front door at the top of steps and a basement reached by separate area steps, so tell us which one leads to the problem. For flats in divided houses off Upper Street or near Highbury Fields, give the bell and flat number.
Does an Islington plumber charge just for turning up?
No. Charges are for time and agreed parts only. The first hour costs £110, then each half hour beyond is £45, with no difference at night or on bank holidays. A fixed price is agreed with you in writing up front, and parts are only bought after you approve them.
Is there a 24 hour plumber covering Islington on Christmas Day?
Yes. We answer at every hour, on Christmas Day, bank holidays and weekends, and you speak to a person. Supply pipes in front vaults under the pavement and in cellars near cold outside walls are the ones that freeze, and a night-time visit costs the same per hour.
What plumbing problems in an Islington terrace are emergencies?
A failed wiped joint on a lead supply pipe flooding the cellar, a basement pump that has stopped near the Regent's Canal, a blocked cast-iron stack backing up into the lowest toilet, or a frozen pipe splitting in the front vault. Escaping water or trapped waste in any of these means call at once.
Whose job is the lead supply pipe under the pavement outside my Islington house?
Generally the pipe from the water main to the boundary stop valve belongs to the water company, and the supply pipe from that point into your house is the owner's. In Islington terraces that private section often runs under the front vault into the cellar. If it is lead and leaking, it should be repaired or replaced.
Where is the stopcock in a Islington home?
In an Islington Georgian or Victorian terrace it is usually in the cellar or front basement, near where the supply comes in under the pavement. In a converted flat look under the kitchen sink or in a hall cupboard.
Which streets in Islington do you cover?
All of them. That includes Upper Street, Essex Road, Liverpool Road, Canonbury Road, Barnsbury Street and Cross Street, and nearby Angel, Barnsbury, Canonbury, Highbury and Holloway.
What goes wrong most often in Islington homes?
Lead supply pipes and basement pumping. Most homes in Islington are georgian and early Victorian terraces, and that is where it comes from.