Plumber in Clifton, Bristol

The most common call in Clifton is water coming through a ceiling from the flat above. In a converted Georgian house, a failed bath seal, shower tray waste or radiator valve on the second floor can travel along joists and appear one or two rooms away. We trace it from the stain back to the source, which often means checking the flat above as well, so it helps if you can let the neighbours know.

Because the floors are suspended timber, we can usually reach pipes by lifting a few boards rather than breaking anything. We note where boards are cut so the next plumber can find the pipe again.

Bristol City Council publishes a combined Clifton and Hotwells character appraisal, and the city has 33 conservation areas in total. If your building is listed, works that affect its character, such as a new flue through a front wall or a new soil pipe on an elevation, may need listed building consent. Inside, like for like repairs are usually fine, but check if you are not sure. We plan boiler flue and condensate routes to go out at the back or through the roof where we can, and we will tell you when to speak to the council's conservation team first.

Many Clifton basement flats sit below the level of the drain, so the toilet and sometimes the shower are pumped. These units are sensitive to wipes and to Bristol's hard water, which scales up the pump and switches. We service and repair them.

Upper flats are mostly on combi boilers, while some larger maisonettes have unvented cylinders. Bristol Water says its supply is moderately hard to very hard, so we check for scale on combi heat exchangers and cylinder safety valves on every visit.

Hotwells sits at the foot of Clifton by the river, with its own older terraces and flats on the same Bristol Water supply and Wessex Water sewers. The same rules on listed buildings and conservation areas apply there.