Bathroom flood
A bathroom flood is water spreading across the floor and out of the bathroom, usually from a choked floor trap, a burst flexible hose or a leaking water heater. Stop the water at its source first, and the cause can then be cleared or repaired, often in one visit.
Typical price
$80–$250per job, standard hoursTypical job time
30–120 min
Estimate, confirm on WhatsApp
What it looks like
- Water spreading across the bathroom floor and over the door step into the rest of the home.
- The floor trap overflowing instead of draining, sometimes with dirty water.
- Water running from under the basin, behind the toilet or below the water heater.
- A hissing sound or spray from a hose or pipe.
- The flat below reporting water coming through their ceiling.
Common causes
- A choked floor trap that cannot take the water from the shower, basin or washing machine.
- A burst or loose flexible hose under the basin or behind the toilet.
- A washing machine outlet hose that has slipped out of the floor trap, where the machine is in the bathroom.
- A leaking storage water heater, its inlet valve or its pipe connections.
- A choked toilet bowl that overflows when flushed.
- A cracked cistern or a loose cistern connection.
Before you call
Safe things to try first
- Stop the water. Turn off the stop valve under the basin or behind the toilet, or the main valve at the meter or inside the home.
- If water is near power points, the water heater or appliances, switch off those circuits at the distribution board, but only if you can do it without standing in water.
- Protect the flat below. Mop water towards a floor trap that still drains, and keep it from spreading into rooms with no floor trap.
- Stop using the toilet, shower and washing machine until the cause is found.
Stop and call if
- Water has reached power points, extension cords or the water heater's wiring.
- You cannot find or turn the stop valve.
- Sewage is coming up through the floor trap or toilet.
- Water is leaking into the flat below.
What we do
- 1Confirm the water is stopped and the area is safe to work in.
- 2Find the source: a choked floor trap or toilet, a burst hose, a leaking heater or a pipe.
- 3Clear the choke, or replace the hose, valve or fitting that failed.
- 4Test the repaired part and run each fitting to confirm the bathroom drains properly.
- 5Point out any follow-up work, such as a storage heater or pipe replacement that must be done by a PUB Licensed Plumber, or an electrical check by a Licensed Electrical Worker (LEW).
How much it costs
Most bathroom flood jobs in Singapore cost $80–$250 (per job, standard hours). This is an estimate; the final price is confirmed on WhatsApp or on site before work starts.
- Floor trap or toilet choke clearing$50–$200
- Replace a burst flexible hose$50–$120
- Water heater leak check and repair$200–$600
- After-hours surcharge$50–$150
HDB, condo and landed
HDB
Floor traps, hoses, the water heater and pipes after the meter are the owner's, and HDB asks owners not to tamper with floor traps. If the floor trap backs up because of the common stack, or neighbours are affected, call the town council. Tell the flat below if water may have seeped through.
Condo
Everything inside the unit is the owner's; the stack is the MCST's. Inform the management office if water has reached the corridor or the unit below.
Landed
Know where your main stop valve is, usually at the PUB meter near the gate. If an upstairs bathroom floods and water comes through a ceiling, switch off the lights in that room below.
Bathroom flood: common questions
What should I do first when my bathroom floods?
Stop the water at its source or turn off the main valve, switch off power to points near the water if you can do it safely, and stop using the toilet and shower. Then call for help.
Why does my bathroom flood when the washing machine drains?
Either the floor trap is partly choked and cannot keep up with the volume a washing machine pumps out, or the outlet hose has slipped out of the trap. Check the hose first, then have the floor trap cleared.
Will a flood in my bathroom leak into the flat below?
It can, if water sits on the floor or gets past damaged waterproofing. Mop up quickly and tell your neighbour so they can check their ceiling. A leak that continues after the floor is dry needs a separate check.
Is it safe to switch on the bathroom lights after a flood?
If water has not reached any switch, socket or light fitting, it is usually fine. If it has, keep the circuit off at the distribution board and have it checked by a Licensed Electrical Worker before switching it back on.
Can a water heater flood a bathroom?
Yes. A storage heater can leak from its tank, inlet valve or pipe connections. Switch it off at its isolator and close its inlet valve. Replacing a storage heater must be done by a PUB Licensed Plumber.
Get a price for bathroom flood
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