Plumbing in Highworth

Yes. Old stop taps often seize because they're never turned, and one that won't close is no help in a leak. Try turning yours gently before you ever need it. If it won't move, don't force it; send me a photo and I'll say what I can help with.

Older buildings often have pipework that's been extended and rerouted over the years, sometimes boxed in or under floorboards. Let me know where any access panels are and whether rooms have been altered recently. Photos of the pipe runs near the problem help me plan the visit.

Mainly convenience. Highworth is my base, and the town has everything from older cottages to the newer estates. Send your postcode and a short description of the job and I'll get back to you.

It happens. Push-fit fittings rely on the pipe being cut square, inserted fully and supported, and a joint that wasn't quite right can weep slowly for months. A slow leak at a push-fit joint is a pipework repair, so send a photo of where the water shows and I'll say what I can help with.

A toilet that keeps running into the bowl or refilling on its own usually has a worn fill valve or flush valve seal, and hard water can make it worse. Turning off the small isolating valve on its supply stops the water meanwhile. Send a photo and I'll say what I can help with.

If water is escaping, yes: close the stop tap and open a cold tap to relieve the pressure. If it's a slow drip into a bowl, you can leave it and keep an eye on it. Tell me what you've done when you call so I know what to expect.

Yes. From Highworth I cover Blunsdon, Stratton St Margaret, Haydon Wick and the rest of the 13 towns and villages around Swindon. If you're on the edge of town and not sure, send your postcode with the job details.

As general guidance, an outside tap should have an isolating valve inside so it can be shut off in winter, plus a double check valve to protect the drinking water supply. If you're thinking about one, describe where you'd like it and send photos, and I'll say what I can help with.

A weeping radiator valve sits on the heating side rather than the water supply. Send a photo of the valve and the tap, describe what each is doing, and I'll let you know what I can help with.

Photos of the current bathroom, the position of the existing pipes and a note of what you'd like done. If it's a bigger bathroom job, describe it fully and send photos, and I'll say what I can help with, asking any follow-up questions before anything is booked.