You suspect a leak — maybe your water bill spiked, you hear water running when nothing's on, or there's a damp spot on the wall that wasn't there last week. The next question is: how much will it cost to find it? Leak detection pricing depends on the type of leak, the equipment needed, and the complexity of your home's plumbing. Here's what Central Texas homeowners should expect.
Standard Leak Detection: $200–$500
Standard leak detection covers the most common scenarios — suspected leaks in walls, ceilings, under floors, and in the yard. The plumber uses a combination of equipment to pinpoint the leak without tearing up your home.
Acoustic listening devices amplify the sound of water escaping from a pipe. Even a small pinhole leak creates a detectable sound signature. The plumber moves the listening device along walls, floors, and the slab to narrow down the location.
Thermal imaging cameras detect temperature differences in walls and floors. A leaking pipe behind drywall creates a cool spot (cold water) or warm spot (hot water) that shows up clearly on a thermal image. This is non-invasive and fast.
Moisture meters measure the moisture content of building materials. They're useful for confirming that a suspected area is actually wet, not just discolored from an old stain.
For most residential leak detections in our service area — Lexington, Taylor, Bastrop, Elgin, and surrounding communities — standard detection falls in the $200–$500 range and takes 1–2 hours.
Slab Leak Detection: $300–$600
Slab leaks are a different animal. Many Central Texas homes are built on concrete slabs with water lines running underneath. When a pipe under the slab develops a leak, the water has nowhere to go except into the ground beneath your foundation — which can eventually cause foundation shifting, cracking, and serious structural damage.
Slab leak detection requires specialized equipment beyond what's used for standard detection. In addition to acoustic and thermal tools, the plumber may use electronic line tracing to map the exact path of pipes under the slab. This is more time-intensive because the leak location must be precise — you don't want to jackhammer more concrete than absolutely necessary.
Signs you might have a slab leak: Unexplained increase in your water bill. Hot spots on the floor (if it's a hot water line). The sound of running water when nothing is on. Cracks in the foundation or walls. Damp or warped flooring in areas away from any obvious water source.
What Happens After Detection
Finding the leak is step one. Fixing it is step two — and the repair cost depends on what kind of leak it is and where it's located.
Accessible pipe leak (in a wall or ceiling): $200–$600 to repair. The plumber opens the wall, replaces the damaged section of pipe, and patches the opening. If the pipe is copper with a pinhole leak, they'll typically replace a section with PEX or a copper coupling.
Slab leak repair: $500–$3,000. Options include jackhammering the slab to access and replace the damaged pipe, tunneling under the slab from outside the foundation, or rerouting the pipe above ground (through walls and the attic) to bypass the slab entirely. Rerouting is often the most cost-effective long-term solution because it eliminates the risk of future slab leaks on that line.
Main water line leak (yard): $500–$2,500. If the leak is in the main line between the meter and your house, the affected section needs to be excavated and replaced. Cost depends on depth, length, and what's in the way (driveways, landscaping, tree roots).
How to Check for a Leak Yourself
Before calling a plumber, you can do a simple meter test. Turn off every water-using fixture and appliance in your home — faucets, toilets, washing machine, ice maker, irrigation system. Then check your water meter. If the dial is still moving or the flow indicator is spinning, water is going somewhere it shouldn't. Wait two hours without using any water and check the meter reading again. If it changed, you have a leak.
This test tells you whether you have a leak, but not where it is. That's where professional detection comes in.
Why Quick Detection Matters
A hidden leak doesn't fix itself — it gets worse. A small pinhole leak in a supply line can waste 10 gallons per day (over $200/year in water costs alone). A slab leak can undermine your foundation. A leak in a wall can cause mold growth within 48 hours. The sooner you find and fix a leak, the less secondary damage you'll deal with.
Kimco's Leak Detection Service
At Kimco, we use professional-grade acoustic, thermal, and electronic detection equipment to find leaks accurately and non-invasively. Our pricing is flat-rate — the cost we quote before starting is the cost you pay. If we find a leak, we'll explain the repair options and give you a separate flat-rate quote for the fix. No obligation, no pressure.
Suspect a leak? Call (737) 260-7255. We provide leak detection across Central Texas — Taylor, Thrall, Rockdale, Cameron, Giddings, Elgin, Bastrop, Manor, and beyond.