When you need a plumber right now.
Some plumbing problems can wait until Monday morning. A burst pipe at 11pm isn't one of them. Hills runs a real 24 hour emergency line for the Gold Coast, with a live plumber on call every night, weekend and public holiday. When you ring, a person picks up, not a callback service.
We aim to be on-site within the hour for genuine emergencies anywhere from Coomera to Coolangatta. The fastest way is always to call us direct on 0472 657 042, don't bother with the contact form for an emergency.
What we class as an emergency.
- Burst pipes flooding the house
- Suspected gas leaks (smell of gas, hissing near gas appliances or the meter)
- No water to the property at all
- Sewer or stormwater overflowing inside the home
- Blocked toilet in a one-bathroom home (people forget this is a real emergency)
- Hot water system leaking from the tank (= the tank has split, replacement only)
- Burst pipe under a slab causing wet-spot damage
- Total drainage failure (kitchen sink + shower + toilet all backing up = main line block)
What happens when you call after hours.
One of the Hills crew picks up. You tell us where you are and what's going on. We give you an ETA right then, not a callback. While we drive over, we'll talk you through how to limit the damage:
- Burst pipe: turn off the water main (we'll talk you through finding it if you can't)
- Gas leak: don't switch anything electrical on or off, get everyone outside, turn the meter off if you can do it safely
- Sewer overflow: stop using all water-using appliances; the more water you add the worse it gets
- Hot water unit leaking: turn off the cold water inlet to the unit + flip the breaker (electric) or pilot (gas)
First five minutes, what to do before we arrive.
If you're calling about a burst pipe, time matters. Here's the standard sequence:
- Turn the water main off, usually a tap or lever in the meter box near the front fence or on an outside wall. Quarter-turn clockwise = off.
- Turn off the hot water system inlet, usually a tap right next to the unit. Stops the unit running dry.
- Kill power to any wet areas, if water is anywhere near power points or the switchboard.
- Move stuff out of the wet zone, towels, rugs, anything off wet carpet. Open windows for airflow.
- Document for insurance, photos of everything before we arrive. Don't throw anything out.
If you can't find the water main, ring us and we'll talk you through it on the call.
What it costs after hours.
After-hours work has an emergency rate that's higher than business hours. We tell you the rate on the phone before we leave, so you know what you're committing to, no surprise rate when we arrive.
Once we're on-site and have seen the actual problem, you get a fixed price for the actual repair before we start work. So you're paying:
- Emergency call-out rate (quoted on the phone before we drive)
- Fixed price for the repair (quoted in writing on-site before we start)
Genuine emergencies during business hours don't have an emergency rate, same as a normal service call, free quote, on-site within the hour where we can.
The most common Gold Coast emergencies, and what causes them.
What we get called to most often, out-of-hours:
- Burst pipe in an older brick-and-tile house, pinhole leak in 30+ year old copper pipework. The copper goes thin from the inside and one day pops.
- Hot water system leaking from the tank, sacrificial anode worn out years ago, tank corroded, weld seam splits. Always replacement, never repair.
- Blocked sewer with tree roots, recurring problem if the entry point wasn't fixed last time someone cleared it.
- Gas leak after storms, wind blows out a pilot light on an older gas heater, gas builds up in the cabinet.
- Burst flex hose, flexible braided hoses behind toilets and under sinks have a lifespan. Past 7 years they start failing. We change a lot of these.
- Toilet won't flush in a one-bathroom apartment, at 6am on a Saturday, this is genuinely urgent.
Burst flex hose, the silent killer of homes.
The single most common cause of catastrophic water damage on the Gold Coast in 2026 is flexible braided water hoses failing. They're the short flex pipes connecting your toilet, basin tap and dishwasher to the wall valves. They have a stated 5-10 year lifespan and most people never look at them.
When one fails (usually splits along the braid), it fires water out at mains pressure (around 500 kPa) for as long as it takes someone to discover it. If you're on holiday for a week, you come home to a flooded house.
If your flex hoses are 7+ years old, replace them. We do this on every emergency call we attend just as a courtesy check. About $20-40 a hose at trade. Could save you a $50,000 insurance claim.
Working with your insurer.
Most home insurance policies cover "sudden and unforeseen escape of liquid", burst pipe, hot water tank split, dishwasher hose failure. The repair itself usually isn't covered, but the damage (carpet, plaster, contents) is.
For a successful claim:
- Photograph everything before we touch it, the burst, the room, ruined contents, time on a clock
- Don't throw anything out until the assessor inspects (or photographs)
- Get the repair done fast, insurers expect you to mitigate further damage
- Keep our invoice for the repair
We can write the repair description for your insurance claim if you want. Just ask.
After we leave.
For every emergency callout you get:
- Written invoice with the work described
- Photos of the fault and the repair (so you can see exactly what was wrong)
- Workmanship guarantee on the repair
- Honest assessment of whether the same fault is likely to recur (e.g. if you've got 40 year old copper everywhere, we'll tell you)
- Quote for any follow-up preventative work (no pressure, just so you have the option)