Plumbing services
Outside tap installation
TL;DR
A proper outside tap fitted is £160–£240 all-in and takes 60–90 minutes. That includes a WRAS-approved double check valve (legally required to stop garden water siphoning back into your drinking supply), an internal isolator so you can drain it in winter, and lagged pipework. If someone quotes you £70, they're skipping the check valve or the isolator or both.
An outside tap is one of the most useful things you can add to a house — and one of the most commonly bodged. Cheap installs leave you with a tap that freezes and splits every February, or worse, backflows contaminated garden water into your drinking supply.
This page covers what a compliant install actually includes, why the £70 special isn't a real quote, and how to spec the tap so it survives 15 North West winters.
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What a compliant outside tap install includes
Water Regulations (WRAS) require every outside tap to have a double check valve between it and your household supply — because a hosepipe left in a paddling pool or a plant-feed sprayer can siphon dirty water back into your drinking mains when the pressure drops. That's non-negotiable and it's the bit cheap installs skip.
- WRAS-approved double check valve (legally required)
- Isolator valve inside the house (so you can drain in winter)
- Self-draining outside tap or drain-down point below the isolator
- Lagged pipework through the wall and outside
- Bib-tap outlet at 300mm+ off the ground for hose access
- Neat weatherproof exit through masonry, sealed with mastic
Where should the tap actually go?
We connect from the nearest cold mains — usually under the kitchen sink, in a utility room, or in an integral garage. Ideally the outside tap sits within 3–4 metres of that cold supply, on an external wall, at hose-accessible height. If your only cold supply is at the front and you want a tap at the back, we can run pipework through a loft or under floorboards — it's a bigger job (£280–£420) but often worth it.
Winter — the reason cheap taps fail
Water in a pipe outside freezes, expands 9%, and splits the pipe or the tap body. In February the thaw floods your wall. The fix is simple: fit a self-draining tap (Hozelock or Reliance) that empties automatically when you turn it off, or fit an internal isolator so you can shut off and drain the outside pipe yourself before frost.
- Self-draining tap — drains itself every time you turn it off
- Internal isolator — you drain the outside run in November
- Lagged pipework — insulation on any exposed section
- Cover the tap with an insulated jacket in prolonged frost
- Never rely on the wall alone to keep the tap warm
Which tap should you fit?
For 90% of homes, a Reliance or Hozelock self-draining bib tap is the right answer — around £45–£70 for the tap itself, robust, and does the winter drain automatically. For a more decorative look, brass Victorian-style bib taps look great but need manual draining. Avoid the £8 unbranded bib taps from budget merchants — the internal cartridges fail inside two years.
Typical prices
Real-world ranges from recent Northwest jobs. Your final price is confirmed in writing before any work starts.
| Item | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Outside tap — supply & fit (standard) | 160 – 240 | Within 3m of internal cold supply |
| Outside tap — longer run (up to 8m) | 280 – 420 | Pipework through wall/loft |
| Self-draining upgrade tap only | 45 – 85 | Reliance or Hozelock |
| WRAS double check valve | 18 – 35 | Included in every install |
| Second outside tap (front + back) | 120 – 180 | Added to same visit |
| Winterisation visit (drain-down) | 45 – 65 | November service |
Kit & brands we use
We fit Reliance and Hozelock self-draining bib taps as our default because they've been the market standard for 15 years with reliable parts availability. WRAS double check valves are Reliance or Pegler — both fully compliant and easily serviceable.
Outside-tap red flags
This is one of the most-bodged jobs in domestic plumbing. Ask these before you accept a quote.
- Is a WRAS-approved double check valve included? (Legally required)
- Is there an internal isolator so I can drain the outside run in winter?
- Is the tap self-draining, or do I need to drain it manually?
- Is the exit hole properly sealed with mastic against damp?
- Is the external pipework lagged?
- What brand of tap are you fitting and what's the warranty?
- Is the price fully inclusive of VAT, parts and labour?
Our promise on this job
Flat £50 diagnostic — deducted in full from any work booked. Fair, transparent quote before we start. If we can't fix the fault we diagnosed, we refund the diagnostic. All gas work is signed off by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Talk to KJ about outside tap installation
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