Overview
Leak detection is paid to find what plumbers couldn't
Leak detection is a paid diagnosis, not a fix. The customer has usually already had a plumber out, paid for an hour, and been told to call a specialist. The specialist arrives with acoustic equipment, a thermal camera, tracer gas, and the experience to read all three. The deliverable is a location and a photo, not a repair. Customers who have never used a leak detection service often expect a fixed price for 'find the leak' and don't understand why the diagnostic might run two or three hours. A quote that explains the method, the equipment, and the time is the quote that gets accepted.
QuoteGenio gives leak detection specialists a structure for diagnostic billing. Call-out and initial inspection as the first line, acoustic and thermal survey by the hour, tracer gas where applicable as its own line, and the deliverable named as a written report with photos. The repair quote sits on a separate record because the repair is a different job. Send the quote via WhatsApp from the customer's house, take a deposit on the diagnostic, and the final invoice closes the record once the report is delivered. Customers paying for leak detection are paying for time, equipment, and skill, not a guess.
Who it is for
Who uses QuoteGenio
Built for every type of leak detection and trace-and-access business.
The problem
The quoting headaches every leak detection specialist knows
Leak detection is sold on expertise, not parts. Your quote needs to make the value of the survey obvious before the client compares you to a generic plumber.
Quoting from notes wastes hours
Writing up surveys after the visit eats your evenings, time you'd rather spend with the family or planning tomorrow's jobs.
Surveys look like guesswork
A handwritten quote for a R9,916 survey makes you look like a guesser. A clean PDF makes you look like a specialist.
Insurers reject incomplete quotes
Trace-and-access claims need a fully itemised quote with method, scope, and access cost. Anything less gets bounced back.
The fix
QuoteGenio makes it simple
A faster, cleaner workflow built around how leak detection specialists actually work. On-site, with insurers, and quoting expertise rather than parts.
The payoff
What you get with QuoteGenio
The everyday wins that add up across a year of quoting and invoicing.
Built for leak detection
Line items for acoustic survey, thermal scan, tracer gas, trace-and-access, and reinstatement. Everything a specialist quote needs.
Works from your phone
Quote from the boundary wall or the loft. No laptop required, no after-hours admin.
Quote in under 2 minutes
A structured workflow that gets you to a sent quote before the client even makes coffee.
Track payments easily
Know which invoices are outstanding and follow up with one tap. No spreadsheet required.
Built for your trade
Quoting calibrated to how leak detection specialists actually work
Pick your trade in Settings and the entire quote flow switches to fit. Line item presets, compliance fields, on-the-quote calculators, and per-m² / after-hours pricing all change to match your industry.
Trade-specific line items
Quick add picker pre-fills the common items your trade quotes. Skip the blank rows.
Brand-specific catalogues
Pylontech, Hikvision, Canadian Solar, Sunsynk and others pre-named. Pick the brand, the description writes itself.
Compliance fields built in
IOPSA, ECASA, PIRB, PSIRA, NHBRC, SAQCC. Set once. Every quote prints them under FROM.
Registration expiry alerts
Dashboard notification 60 days before your PSIRA, CoC or any dated registration lapses.
Per-m² / hour / day billing
Unit selector on every line item: m², hr, linear m, days. Stop doing the maths externally.
After-hours and emergency
1.5× and 2× multipliers as a one-tap toggle. Customer sees the breakdown on the quote.
Quote-flow calculators
Solar size, battery backup, cable run cost. Compute on the spot, drop straight onto the quote.
Staged payments
Deposit on acceptance + balance on completion as two separate amounts on the quote PDF.
Scope-of-work checklist
Structured Included / Not included lists. Client acceptance = signing the scope.
Site-survey mode
Log a location per line item: camera positions, fixtures by room, sensors by zone.
Regional rate hints
Pricing ranges per item per currency shown as you quote.
Free on every plan
All of the above included on the free plan. Premium is for capacity, not the trade tooling.
Why QuoteGenio
Why Leak Detection Specialists choose QuoteGenio
The tools that matter most when you are quoting on-site, under pressure, and between jobs.
Quote from your phone
Most Leak Detection Specialists build and send quotes directly from the job site. No laptop, no office, no delays.
Win more jobs, faster
The first professional quote a client receives usually wins. Respond in minutes, not hours.
Quote to invoice in one click
When the job is accepted, convert to an invoice instantly. No retyping, no double entry.
Pricing guide
Typical Leak Detection Specialists job pricing
A rough guide to what leak detection specialists charge for common jobs. Pricing varies by method, property size, and whether the claim is insurance funded. Use these as a sanity check when building your own rates, not as fixed numbers.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Site visit / call-out | R1,240 - R2,479 |
| Acoustic leak survey (residential) | R4,628 - R10,743 |
| Thermal imaging survey | R5,289 - R12,891 |
| Tracer gas survey | R6,280 - R15,701 |
| Pool leak detection | R6,941 - R18,180 |
| Trace-and-access (excavation per m²) | R2,975 - R7,602 / m² |
| Reinstatement (tile, plaster, screed) | R6,280 - R23,138 |
Pricing converted from USD to ZAR at indicative rates. Rates vary significantly by country, region, currency, and market.
Call-out fees
A leak detection call-out covers travel and the initial scoping discussion. Most specialists charge R1,240 to R2,479 for a standard daytime call-out, separate from the survey itself. Always quote the call-out as its own line so the client sees you're paid for the trip even if the survey is declined.
Hourly vs fixed pricing
Use fixed pricing for known surveys (acoustic, thermal, tracer gas) where the property size is confirmed. Use hourly (R1,570 to R2,644 per hour) for trace-and-access work where wall or floor opening is unpredictable. Mix both on the same quote when the survey is fixed but the access is open-ended.
See it in action
Example quote breakdown
Here's what a clean, itemised quote for a typical hidden leak job looks like. Notice how survey method, access, and protection each have their own line. Transparent quotes win insurance work because they answer every adjuster question before it's asked.
Try it yourself
Job size
Region
Sample quote
Hidden leak under tiled floor, acoustic plus trace-and-access
Call-out and site scoping
Acoustic leak detection survey with report
Tracer gas confirmation
Trace-and-access (controlled tile lift, 1m²)
Site protection and clean-down
| Description | Qty | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Call-out and site scoping | 1 | R1,818 | R1,818 |
| Acoustic leak detection survey with report | 1 | R7,933 | R7,933 |
| Tracer gas confirmation | 1 | R5,289 | R5,289 |
| Trace-and-access (controlled tile lift, 1m²) | 1 | R4,628 | R4,628 |
| Site protection and clean-down | 1 | R1,240 | R1,240 |
| Subtotal | R20,907 | ||
| Tax (10%) | R2,091 | ||
| Total incl. tax | R22,997 | ||
Totals recalculate as you change the controls above. Tax rate inferred from the sample quote.
Items often forgotten
Site protection sheets, dust extraction, the second visit if findings need a follow-up trace, the written report, and reinstatement of any wall or floor opened during access. Add them as standard lines on your template so you stop absorbing them out of your margin.
Peer snapshot
How Leak Detection Specialists actually use QuoteGenio
Indicative activity for Leak Detection Specialists on the platform. Use it as a benchmark for how often to quote and how fast to respond.
14
Quotes sent per month
58%
Average quote acceptance
2 min
Median time to send quote
R22,997
Typical quote value
Figures are indicative platform averages for this trade segment.
Start quoting Leak Detection Specialist jobs like this, free
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Avoid these
Common quoting mistakes
We talk to a lot of leak detection specialists. The same pricing and scoping mistakes come up again and again. Fixing these will protect your margin and speed up insurer approvals.
Mistake: Quoting a flat 'leak detection' price
Better: Itemise by method (acoustic, thermal, tracer gas) and by access. A flat price hides your expertise and invites the client to haggle on the total.
Mistake: Forgetting trace-and-access lines
Better: Lifting tiles, opening walls, and floor work are all chargeable. List them per square metre or per hour, never as 'included in survey'.
Mistake: No reinstatement quoted
Better: Either price reinstatement upfront or state clearly 'reinstatement excluded, separate quote on completion'. Don't leave the client guessing.
Mistake: Bundling the report into the survey
Better: The written report is a deliverable. List it as a line, especially on insurance jobs where the report is the whole point.
Mistake: Skipping the call-out fee
Better: Even when the survey is declined, you've still driven out and scoped the site. Always charge a call-out as a separate line.
Mistake: Verbal emergency surveys
Better: Even after-hours leaks need a written quote before you start. WhatsApp a quick quote from your phone before opening the kit.
Mistake: No expiry on the quote
Better: Set a 14 to 30 day validity. Tracer gas, equipment, and access labour costs move, so you don't want to honour a three-month-old quote at a loss.
Mistake: No follow-up after sending the quote
Better: Most quotes that don't close, don't close because nobody followed up. Send a polite check-in 48 hours after the quote lands, and a second nudge at day 7. Two of every three accepted quotes get there because someone followed up.
Step by step
How to quote leak detection jobs
Scope the job properly before quoting a survey. Note the property size and number of floors, identify the suspected leak zone (under-tile, concealed wall, roof, pool, irrigation), and check for visible damp patches, damaged ceilings, or pressure drop on the meter. Ask which survey method the insurer expects (acoustic, thermal, or tracer gas) and whether a trace-and-access claim is open. Photograph everything for the report file. A single-storey apartment with a suspected bathroom leak is one survey; a multi-floor house where nobody knows which bathroom is leaking is a full property acoustic plus thermal sweep and should be priced as such.
Itemise each survey method and access stage separately so the client can see what they are paying for. List the call-out ($ 75 to $ 150) separate from the survey, quote acoustic leak detection, thermal imaging, and tracer gas as their own lines with their own price (typically $ 280 to $ 950 each), and always include the written report as a named line, never as a freebie. Break out trace-and-access at $ 180 to $ 460 per square metre for controlled tile lift or wall break, and state reinstatement as either a priced line or 'excluded, separate quote on completion'. Add site protection sheets and dust extraction so you never absorb them.
Set 14 to 30 day validity on every survey quote. Tracer gas (typically hydrogen-nitrogen mix), thermal equipment hire, and access labour rates all shift, and insurance trace-and-access benefit caps (usually $ 1,500 to $ 5,000) move with policy renewals. On trace-and-access jobs over $ 1,000, ask for a 40 to 50 percent deposit to cover reinstatement materials. State clearly that the quote covers a single leak investigation and that finding a second unrelated leak is a chargeable variation. Include insurer policy numbers and claim references on the quote where relevant so the adjuster can file it straight into the claim.
Send the quote before you leave the driveway. Leak detection competes on expertise, not parts, and the first professional-looking PDF in the inbox wins the insurer sign-off. Write the quote up on your phone with the headline test result noted ('acoustic pickup at 22 kHz near bathroom riser'), WhatsApp or email the link before you pack the acoustic kit, and copy the insurer assessor on the email where appropriate. Follow up in writing after two days, and if the survey uncovers additional work (a second zone, more access), send an updated variation quote immediately so the scope change is approved in writing.
FAQ
Common questions from leak detection specialists
Everything you need to know before getting started.
Yes. QuoteGenio lets you add any line item: acoustic, thermal, tracer gas, trace-and-access, or VAT. Structure your quote exactly the way you invoice.
Yes. Once your quote is ready, share it as a link directly via WhatsApp. Your client gets a professional branded document instantly.
Each line item has its own description, quantity, and price. Add as many lines as the survey needs and group them however makes sense for the client.
Yes. Every quote has a unique public link. Your client can open it on their phone and accept it online. No signup required.
Yes. Convert any accepted quote into an invoice with one click. All the line items carry over, so there's no double entry.
Yes. The free plan gives you 5 quotes and 2 invoices per month with no credit card required. Upgrade to Premium for unlimited quotes, invoices, statements, and reports.
Most policies cover trace-and-access as a separate benefit, often capped between R24,791 and R82,635. Quote your survey method, access, and reinstatement as separate lines so the adjuster can see exactly what falls under that benefit. Bundling them into one figure usually triggers a request for a fuller breakdown and a delay.
Yes. The report is a deliverable in its own right and is usually what the insurer or homeowner relies on for the next stage. Listing it separately makes its value visible and protects you if the client later asks for the report long after the survey was paid. Reports also justify your survey fee on price-sensitive private jobs.
Quote a fixed survey fee that includes the gas, equipment, and labour for a standard residential property, then add an hourly rate for anything beyond a defined scope (large commercial, multi-floor). Tracer gas (typically hydrogen-nitrogen mix) is a real consumable cost and should be reflected in your fixed price, not absorbed.
14 to 30 days is standard. Tracer gas and equipment hire costs move, and access labour rates shift seasonally. QuoteGenio lets you set an expiry date that appears on the PDF, so there's no awkward conversation if the client comes back months later expecting the same price.
Still have questions? We would rather answer them now than after you have signed up.
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Plumber · Centurion
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Cleaning Services · Leeds
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Carpenter · Bloemfontein
Guides
Guides for Leak Detection Specialists
Practical advice to help you quote better, get paid faster, and grow your business.
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