Sandton Emergency Plumbing
Bathroom Plumbing
Get the plumbing right and the bathroom lasts twenty years.
Call 010 500 1849Bathrooms are unforgiving. Everything is concealed behind tile, waterproofing and stone, so a joint that was rushed at first fix becomes a wall that has to be opened three years later. The plumbing decisions that matter most in a bathroom are the ones nobody ever sees.
We install and repair showers, baths, basins, concealed mixers and wastes, and handle the full plumbing scope on renovations from set-out to commissioning. Whether you need a single leaking shower valve replaced or a complete guest suite plumbed from scratch, the standard is the same.
Concealed work done once
Everything behind tile is pressure-tested and photographed before it is closed up, and you get the photographs.
Balanced pressure
Hot and cold are balanced so showers hold temperature when another tap is opened elsewhere in the house.
Correct falls and waterproofing liaison
Wastes are set at proper fall and coordinated with the waterproofing trade so shower floors actually drain.
Tidy, protected sites
Surfaces are sheeted, dust is controlled, and finished fittings are protected until handover.
How bathroom plumbing actually works
Showers cause more callbacks in South African homes than any other bathroom fixture, and rarely because of the shower head. The usual culprits are a concealed mixer body installed at the wrong depth for the finished tile line, a waste with insufficient fall, or a failure at the junction between waterproofing and the waste outlet. All three are set-out issues decided at first fix.
Temperature stability is the second common complaint. If a shower runs cold when a toilet is flushed, the system has a pressure balance problem — often a pressure-reduced hot supply from the geyser meeting a full-pressure cold main. The correct fix is at system level with balanced pressure or a thermostatic valve, which sits alongside our water pressure work.
On renovations we sequence properly: set-out and first fix, pressure test, waterproofing, tiling, then second fix and commissioning. Rushing that sequence to save a week is the single most common reason renovated bathrooms leak within two years. Where the property is older, we usually recommend replacing the supply pipework serving the bathroom while walls are open rather than reconnecting to ageing galvanised runs that will need burst pipe repair later.
Common issues we see
- Shower leaking into an adjoining room or ceiling below
- Shower floor holding water instead of draining
- Temperature swinging when other fixtures are used
- Basin waste or bottle trap leaking into the vanity
- Bath filling slowly or draining slowly
- Concealed mixer that has failed behind tiling
- Mouldy silicone indicating a persistent slow leak
When to call us immediately
- A ceiling below a bathroom is staining
- Your shower loses temperature when a tap is opened
- Water is pooling in the shower after use
- You are planning a bathroom renovation
- A concealed valve has started dripping behind the wall
Our process
What happens after you call
- 1
Design and set-out
Fixture positions, waste routes and finished tile depths are set out before anything is installed.
- 2
First fix and test
Supply and waste are installed, pressure-tested and photographed prior to closing up.
- 3
Second fix
Mixers, wastes, baths, basins and shower sets are fitted to the finished surfaces.
- 4
Commission and seal
The bathroom is run under load, checked for leaks, correctly sealed and handed over clean.
Frequently asked questions
How long does bathroom renovation plumbing take?
First fix is typically one to two days, second fix a further day, spread across the wider renovation programme depending on tiling and waterproofing.
Why does my shower go cold when a tap is opened?
It is a pressure balance problem between hot and cold. A thermostatic valve or a balanced-pressure system corrects it properly; a new shower head will not.
Can you find a shower leak without removing tiles?
Often yes, using thermal imaging and moisture readings to distinguish a waste leak from a waterproofing failure before anything is broken open.
Should I replace pipework during a renovation?
If the property has older galvanised pipework and walls are already open, yes. Doing it later means breaking new tiling.
Do you work with tilers and waterproofers?
Yes. Coordinating those three trades in the right order is what makes the difference between a bathroom that lasts and one that leaks.
Related services
Where we deliver this service
Sandton Emergency Plumbing
Africa's busiest business district, plumbed and protected around the clock.
Midrand Emergency Plumbing
The fastest-growing corridor in Gauteng, served by plumbers who live in it.
Randburg Emergency Plumbing
Established Johannesburg suburbs, ageing pipework, and plumbers who know both.
Centurion Emergency Plumbing
From Irene's smallholdings to Highveld's office parks, covered around the clock.
Need bathroom plumbing today?
We answer every call in person, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week — including public holidays. Emergency plumber dispatched in as little as 20 minutes.