Cost guide
How much do outside taps cost?
An outside tap costs £120 to £250 fitted off an existing internal cold pipe, and takes an hour or two. A double check valve is a water regulations requirement and should be in the price.
Typical prices
Ranges, not quotes. A quote depends on your room.
| Work | Typical UK price |
|---|---|
| Outside tap off an existing pipe | £120 to £250 |
| Frost proof self-draining tap | £180 to £320 |
| Tap on a long internal run | £220 to £400 |
| Standpipe in the garden | £250 to £500 |
| Buried supply to an outbuilding, per metre | £30 to £60 |
| Winter isolation and drain down | £50 to £90 |
Make sure a double check valve is included. It is required by the Water Supply Regulations, it costs a few pounds, and it is the part a cheap installation leaves out.
What moves the price
- Distance from a suitable internal cold pipe to the outside wall.
- Wall construction. A cavity brick wall is a straightforward core; solid stone is not.
- Whether an internal isolating valve is fitted so the tap can be drained for winter.
- A frost proof self-draining tap, which costs more and removes the annual routine.
- A buried supply to an outbuilding, which needs a trench at 750mm and continuous pipe.
What the money buys: outside tap installation with double check valve.
Who quotes for it
Questions about outside taps
Will an outside tap freeze?
It can. Fit an internal isolating valve, close it before the first frost and leave the outside tap open to drain. A frost proof self-draining tap removes the need to remember.
Can I use an outside tap with a hosepipe on a meter?
Yes. It is metered like any other water, and a hose uses a great deal more than most people expect, roughly as much in an hour as a household uses in a day.