An outside tap is one of those upgrades you don't realise you needed until you have one. Filling paddling pools, washing the car, watering planters, hosing down dogs — without leaving a kitchen tap dripping water across half the house.
Done properly, an outside tap should last decades. Done badly, it freezes the first hard winter, splits the pipe inside the wall, and you've got a hidden leak chewing through plaster. We fit ours with isolation valves indoors (so you can drain them in winter) and frost-protected outdoor heads.
The £140 fixed price covers a standard installation through an external wall, no more than 3 metres from the nearest cold water supply. Longer runs or special requests (twin taps, irrigation timer integration) quoted separately.
How it works
Common questions
Can it freeze in winter?
Only if you forget to isolate it. Every autumn (October-ish), turn off the indoor valve and open the outdoor tap to drain. Leave the outdoor tap open through winter. Takes 30 seconds. Some customers like 'self-draining' frost-resistant taps which we can fit instead — adds about £40.
Can I have two outside taps?
Yes — we can either run a single line with a tee for two taps near each other, or run separate lines to opposite sides of the house. Two-tap setup is typically £220 for the same install footprint.
Will it affect my water pressure indoors?
Not noticeably. The new tap branches off your existing cold supply, which is sized to handle multiple outlets at once.
What about an irrigation system?
We can integrate with garden irrigation kits (Hozelock, Gardena, Hunter). The tap becomes the supply point for a controller. Worth doing in one visit if you've already got an irrigation plan.
Do I need planning permission?
No. An outside tap is permitted development.