Slab Leak Repair Cost (2026): Detection, Repair and Reroute Prices
Slab leak repair cost for most homes runs about $630 to $4,400, with an average around $2,280, including leak detection. Detection on its own usually costs $150 to $600. Rerouting the leaking line through the walls or attic runs $1,500 to $4,500, and repiping the whole house costs $4,000 to $15,000 with PEX. What you pay depends on where the leak is, how old the pipes are, and how much flooring has to come up.
Typical repair with detection
$630 to $4,400
- Urgency
- Fix this week
- DIY difficulty
- Pro only
- Time to fix
- 1 to 3 days
- Prices
- US typical range
Last reviewed October 2026
Slab leak repair cost breakdown
A slab leak is a leaking pipe under a concrete floor. Most are on copper water lines in homes built on a slab, though drain lines under the slab can leak too. Here are typical prices for each part of the job.
| Job | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Professional slab leak detection | $150–$600 |
| Slab leak repair including detection (average about $2,280) | $630–$4,400 |
| Direct spot repair through the slab | $500–$3,000 |
| Reroute one water line through walls or attic | $1,500–$4,500 |
| Epoxy pipe restoration (lining existing lines) | $2,500–$8,000 |
| Whole-house repipe with PEX | $4,000–$15,000 |
| Concrete patch over the repair hole | $150–$500 |
| Tile or wood flooring repair over the repair | $500–$3,000 |
| Water damage drying and cleanup | $1,000–$5,000 |
Ranges are typical US prices compiled by FixHomeCost from published cost guides. Under-slab drain line leaks are a different job and often cost more, since they may need tunneling or a larger opening.
Slab leak detection cost
Slab leak detection typically costs $150 to $600. Expect the high end, or up to about $1,000, for a large house, several suspected leaks, or a combined water and drain line test. Many companies credit part of the detection fee if they also do the repair. Accurate detection is the cheapest way to keep repair costs down, because every foot of concrete the crew doesn't break saves money.
Pressure test
The tech isolates the hot and cold lines and watches a gauge. A dropping reading confirms a leak on that line. It tells you which line is leaking, not where.
Acoustic listening
Ground microphones pick up the hiss of water escaping under pressure. This is how most slab leaks get pinpointed, often to within a foot or two.
Thermal imaging
An infrared camera spots the warm trail of a hot water leak through the floor. It works best on hot lines and bare or tiled floors.
Line tracing
A locator maps the pipe's route under the slab so the tech listens in the right places and the repair hole lands on the pipe.
Tracer gas
For hard-to-find leaks, a safe gas is pushed into the drained line and sniffed out at the surface. It adds cost but helps with quiet, slow leaks.
Drain line test
For drain leaks, the plumber plugs the line, fills it with water and watches the level. A camera then finds the break.
Before you call, do the free water meter test. Turn off every tap and water-using appliance and watch the meter. If it keeps moving, water is escaping somewhere. Our slab leak repair guide walks through that test and the other warning signs step by step.
Slab leak repair options and what each costs
Direct spot repair: $500–$3,000
The crew cuts a hole in the floor and slab right over the leak, digs down, replaces the bad piece of pipe, then patches the concrete. It's the fastest fix for a single leak in otherwise sound pipe. The downside is flooring damage, mess and dust inside the house.
Reroute or bypass: $1,500–$4,500
The leaking line is capped under the slab and a new line, usually PEX, is run through walls, the attic or along baseboards. No concrete gets broken. It's often the better choice when pipes are old or you've had a leak before, since it takes the whole line out from under the slab.
Epoxy restoration: $2,500–$8,000
The pipes are dried, sandblasted from the inside, then coated with epoxy that seals pinholes. It avoids most wall and floor openings. Fewer companies do it, results depend on the installer, and it won't fix a split or badly corroded pipe. Ask about the warranty and local track record.
Full repipe: $4,000–$15,000
Every supply line is replaced, usually with PEX run overhead. It makes sense after a second or third slab leak, or when the pipes are old copper or galvanized. See our whole house repipe cost guide for pricing by house size.
Hot or cold line? Most slab leaks show up on the hot water side. Heat makes copper expand and contract against concrete, and hot water speeds up corrosion. A hot line leak is also more urgent, because your water heater runs nonstop to keep up, raising your energy bill. If the hot line is leaking, a reroute is often the smart call, since the rest of that line has faced the same wear.
Worked example: spot repair vs. reroute
Say a 25-year-old slab home has a hot water leak under a tiled kitchen floor. Detection costs $400.
Direct spot repair: $400 detection + $1,800 to break the slab, fix the pipe and patch the concrete + $900 to replace the tile over the hole = $3,100.
Reroute the hot line: $400 detection + $2,600 to run new PEX through the attic + $400 to patch two small drywall openings = $3,400.
The reroute costs $300 more, but it replaces the whole hot line, not one 2-foot section. If you've already had one slab leak, the next one is likely on the same aging pipe. For many homeowners that extra $300 is worth it. If you can't find matching tile, the reroute pulls further ahead.
Flooring, water damage and mold costs
The pipe repair is only part of the bill. The longer a slab leak runs, the more you pay to put the house back together.
Tile
Expect $500 to $2,500 to replace tile over a repair hole. Keep spare tiles if you have them. Matching discontinued tile can mean redoing a whole room.
Wood, laminate and vinyl plank
Water wicks under floating floors and swells boards well past the leak. Repairs often run $1,000 to $5,000 when a room has to be redone.
Carpet
Carpet can usually be pulled back and relaid. Wet pad gets replaced. This is the cheapest flooring to work around.
Drying and mold
Professional drying usually costs $1,000 to $5,000. If mold has started in walls or under flooring, remediation adds to that. Fast detection keeps both small.
Does insurance cover slab leak repair?
Often in part. Many homeowners policies cover tear-out and access, meaning breaking and repairing the slab and flooring to reach the pipe, plus sudden water damage to the house. They usually don't pay to fix the pipe itself, since that's treated as wear. Some policies have a specific slab leak limit, often a few thousand dollars, and some exclude it entirely.
Leaks that ran for months can be denied as long-term seepage. Act quickly, take photos and keep detection reports and invoices. Call your insurer before the floor gets opened so an adjuster can see the damage if needed. Damage to the foundation from long-term leaking is a separate question. If you see new cracks, our foundation crack repair cost guide covers what those fixes run.
Signs you need under-slab leak repair
- Your water bill jumps with no change in use
- The water meter moves with everything turned off
- Warm or hot spots on the floor
- The sound of running water when nothing is on
- Damp carpet, cupping wood or loose tiles
- The water heater runs more often than it should
- Low pressure at several fixtures (see low water pressure)
A sewer smell or slow drains on the ground floor point to a drain line instead. That's closer to a sewer job, covered in our sewer line replacement cost guide.
How to handle a slab leak
- 1
Do the meter test. Turn off all water use and watch the meter for 15 minutes. Movement means a leak.
- 2
Close the cold supply to the water heater. If the meter stops, the leak is on the hot side. Turn off the heater's power or gas if the leak is large.
- 3
Shut the main valve when you're not using water to limit damage until the repair.
- 4
Call your insurer and photograph any wet flooring before work starts.
- 5
Hire a leak detection specialist to pinpoint the leak and test both lines.
- 6
Get quotes for spot repair, reroute and, if pipes are old, a repipe. Check them with our quote check tool.
- 7
Confirm who patches the concrete, flooring and drywall, and whether drying is included.
- 8
After the repair, watch the meter again to confirm the leak is gone.
Ways to save
- Pay for accurate detection before any digging
- Choose a reroute if tile can't be matched
- Ask if the detection fee is credited to the repair
- File the access and flooring part with insurance
- Repipe after the second leak, not the fifth
Call a pro right away when
- The meter moves with everything off
- You feel a hot spot on the floor
- Water is coming up through flooring
- Your water heater never stops running
- New cracks appear in floors or walls
Slab leak plumbing repair is not a DIY job, but the detective work is. The meter test is free and takes 15 minutes. For the plumber's side, see plumber cost per hour, and compare pipe choices for a reroute in PEX vs copper.
Common questions
How much does slab leak repair cost?
Most homeowners pay $630 to $4,400, about $2,280 on average, including detection. A reroute runs $1,500 to $4,500, and a whole-house repipe $4,000 to $15,000.
How much does slab leak detection cost?
Usually $150 to $600. Large homes, multiple leaks or combined water and drain testing can push it toward $1,000. Some companies credit the fee toward the repair.
What's a fair slab leak detection and repair cost estimate?
For one leak with a simple spot repair, $1,500 to $3,500 all in is common. Add flooring repair if tile or wood is involved. Quotes far above that should explain why, such as a reroute or a drain line.
Is it better to repair or reroute a slab leak?
Spot repair is cheaper for one leak in good pipe. Rerouting avoids breaking the floor and replaces the whole line, so it's usually better for older pipes or a second leak.
Does homeowners insurance cover slab leaks?
Many policies pay for tear-out to reach the pipe and for sudden water damage, but not the pipe repair itself. Some cap or exclude slab leaks. Call your insurer before work starts.
Can a slab leak damage my foundation?
A leak that runs a long time can wash out or soften soil under the slab, especially in expansive clay. That can lead to settling and cracks. Fixing leaks quickly is the best protection.
How long does slab water leak repair take?
Detection takes a few hours. A spot repair or reroute is usually done in 1 to 2 days. Concrete curing, flooring and drying can add several days.
Related guides
This is general information, not a professional inspection. See how we research costs.