Underfloor heating beneath screed
A loop that will not hold pressure needs investigating before more flooring is laid. Testing at the manifold separates the circuits; thermal imaging and tracer gas help locate the affected pipe.
New build leak detection in Buckinghamshire
A damp ceiling or falling heating pressure is the last thing you want in a new home. Across Buckinghamshire, ADI finds hidden leaks in finished houses and plots still under construction, narrowing down the source before new floors or walls are opened.
Leaks we investigate in new homes
Start with what you have noticed. The survey tests the possible sources before deciding where access is needed.
Supply pipes under a new driveway
If the meter moves when nothing is using water, the leak may be outside the house. The survey can follow the buried supply beneath paving or a garden before an excavation is considered.
Hidden pipes and heating circuits
Fresh plaster can conceal a leaking joint, while water from an upstairs pipe may appear in the room below. Moisture readings and pressure tests help distinguish the water supply from the heating.
Showers, windows and rainwater entry
Tell us whether the stain follows a shower or wet weather. ADI investigates the source and records the findings; repairs to roofing, windows and finishes remain for the builder or the appropriate trade.
Your Buckinghamshire leak survey
From the first call to written findings, with access planned around the home or building site.
Step 1: Describe the home or plot
Give the Buckinghamshire postcode, the age of the property and the symptoms. On a development, include the plot number, build stage and site contact. The office confirms the survey scope, quote and availability.
Step 2: Arrange access
Have the keys and access to the meter, stopcock, heating controls and affected rooms ready. Pipe layouts and pressure-test records are useful. Tell the office about site inductions and occupied neighbouring homes.
Step 3: Separate the possible sources
The engineer checks the affected area and tests relevant circuits. Depending on the fault, water or heating may need to be turned off during part of the investigation.
Step 4: Locate and record the leak
Detection methods are chosen for the pipework and building. The findings, photographs and recommendations go into a written report. Any pipework repair is quoted separately; making good is discussed with the relevant trade.
Non-invasive water leak detection methods
ADI’s engineers combine these seven methods to locate hidden leaks before opening a new floor, wall or driveway.Seven ways to find hidden leaks before opening floors or walls.
Tracer gas
A safe, non-flammable hydrogen and nitrogen mix is put into the pipe or void. It escapes at the leak, rises through the floor or ground, and a detector picks it up at the surface.
In a new build: Supply pipes under new driveways, underfloor heating loops and flat roofs.
A detector picks up gas escaping from hidden pipes beneath floors or driveways.
Acoustic listening
Ground and pipe microphones amplify the sound of water escaping under pressure. The loudest point is the leak.
In a new build: Supply pipes under paving and gardens, and isolated heating pipes, ideally when the street is quiet.
Sensitive microphones listen for water escaping from buried pipes.
Leak-noise correlation
Two sensors clamped to a pipe record the leak noise from either side; the correlator works out how far along the pipe the leak sits.
In a new build: Longer supply runs across a plot, and pipes in screed where listening alone is slow.
Two sensors use leak sounds to narrow down its position along a pipe.
Thermal imaging
A thermal camera shows warm pipes and cold, wet patches behind finished surfaces. It scans large areas quickly and is always paired with another method to confirm.
In a new build: Mapping underfloor heating loops, and hot pipes buried in new walls and floors.
Thermal cameras trace warm pipes and damp patches, with another test to confirm.
Borescope cameras
A camera on a flexible tube goes through a small, easily made-good hole to look inside a void, a duct or a boxed-in pipe.
In a new build: Ceiling voids under en-suites and boxed-in pipes behind new plasterboard.
A small camera looks inside ceilings and boxed-in pipework through an access hole.
Moisture mapping
Pin and pinless meters read moisture in walls, floors and concrete. Plotted across the area, the readings show where the water has travelled and where it started.
In a new build: Working out how far water has spread through new screed, plaster and joists.
Moisture readings show where water has spread through floors and walls.
Pressure testing
Each circuit is isolated and held under pressure. A drop confirms a leak on that circuit; a steady gauge rules it out, and proves a repair afterwards.
In a new build: Isolating each underfloor loop and supply in turn, and proving a repair before the floor goes back down.
Testing each circuit separately identifies which pipe or heating loop is losing water.
Areas we cover in Buckinghamshire
- Milton Keynes
- Bletchley
- Aylesbury
- Buckingham
- Winslow
- High Wycombe
- Amersham
- Chesham
- Beaconsfield
- Marlow
- Taplow
Help before and after handover
You have moved in
Keep photographs and a note of changes to the meter, heating pressure or damp patch. Tell your builder about the problem and check the instructions in your warranty before authorising work. A survey report records the findings; it does not decide who must pay.
Read the new-home warranty guideYou are building or handing over
A failed test after screeding or a leak reported after completion needs a clear location and a record of the fault. ADI attends construction sites and finished homes. Explain access arrangements, plot readiness and any required site paperwork when booking.
Prepare for the engineer’s visit
New build leak detection specialists, provided by ADI Leak Detection
New Build Leak Detection, a specialist service from ADI Leak Detection. ADI started in 2011 and has more than twenty-five leak investigation engineers across England, Scotland and Wales, working in finished homes and on building sites.
- £5 million public liability insurance. Engineers hold CSCS cards for work on construction sites.
- Accredited by CIPHE, WIAPS and WaterSafe for plumbing and water regulations, and a SPATA-approved contractor for pool work.
- Reports a builder, warranty provider or insurer can use, with photographs, findings and recommendations.
- 4.7 on Trustpilot from 1600+ reviews, checked 14 September 2026.
ADI Leak Detection reviews on Trustpilot
Read the full review“Hamaad from ADI was great. He was very thorough with his work and communicated everything very clearly. He was able to locate the leak and provided a detailed report that could be shared with my insurer. He went above and beyond to answer questions about my insurance claim from both me and my insurer. I'd highly recommend their services.”
Read the full review“We had a major water leak of approximately 220 litres per hour and, with a holiday booked only a few days later, we urgently needed someone to find and repair it. […] Frank arrived at our house. He was extremely polite, professional and clearly very experienced. He quickly set up the equipment, carried out a tracer gas test and pinpointed the leak to an area just outside our garage underneath the driveway. […] The whole job, from arriving at our house to finding and repairing a 220 litre-per-hour leak, was completed in around three hours.”
Questions about new build leaks in Buckinghamshire
Does your Buckinghamshire coverage include Milton Keynes?
Yes. This page uses the ceremonial county boundary, which includes Milton Keynes and Bletchley as well as the Buckinghamshire Council area. The places listed are examples. Give the office your postcode to discuss the property and current availability.
Can you investigate before the house is handed over?
Yes. ADI works on plots under construction as well as completed homes. Tell the office whether the supply and heating are connected, which test has failed and what access is available. Commercial jobs have a risk assessment and method statement, and engineers hold CSCS cards for site work.
Will my new tiles or screed have to come up?
The aim is to narrow down the leak before opening a finished surface. Pressure tests, thermal imaging, acoustics and tracer gas can help, depending on the system. An opening may still be needed to confirm or repair the fault, so zero disturbance cannot be promised.
Can the report go to my builder or warranty provider?
The written findings and photographs can be shared with your builder, warranty provider or insurer. Tell the office about any information they have requested. Ask the relevant party about authorisation and payment before booking; a report does not guarantee cover or reimbursement.
Do you repair leaks as well as finding them?
Pipework repairs, including supply pipes and underfloor heating pipe, can be quoted separately. Roofing, windows, shower trays, tiling and decoration need the builder or appropriate trade. The survey findings help identify what needs attention.
How do I arrange a Buckinghamshire survey?
Call 0333 567 2625 with the postcode, symptoms and age or build stage of the property. The office is open Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 6:30pm, and will confirm the quote and current availability. No attendance time is promised on this page.
Arrange a leak survey in Buckinghamshire
Tell the office your postcode, what you have noticed and whether the home is occupied or still being built. ADI will discuss the survey, access, a quote and current availability.
0333 567 2625
- Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 6:30pm
- Calls reach ADI Leak Detection's office in High Wycombe. Engineers cover England, Scotland and Wales.