Something's broken and it's urgent — here's what to do

First: make it safe

Before you call anyone, stop the damage. Knowing where your shut-offs are — before an emergency — saves thousands.

• Burst or leaking pipe

  Turn off the water at the main stop tap (usually near the front boundary or water meter). Then turn on a tap to drain the line and reduce pressure.

• Electrical fault, sparking or burning smell

  Switch off the affected circuit — or the main switch — at the switchboard. Don't touch anything sparking or wet. If there's fire or smoke, get out and call 000.

• Gas smell

  Don't flick switches or light anything. Turn off the gas at the meter, open windows, get everyone outside, and call your gas provider's emergency line (and 000 if it's strong).

• Blocked drain overflowing

  Stop using water in the house, and if sewage is backing up, keep clear — it's a health hazard until a plumber clears it.

Who to actually call

For water, gas or hot water: a licensed plumber/gasfitter. For anything electrical: a licensed electrician. For a total power outage where the whole street is dark, check your electricity distributor first — it may be a network fault they'll fix for free, not something you need to pay a tradie for.

In a genuine emergency, speed matters more than getting three quotes — but you can still be quick and careful. Look for a local tradie who clearly advertises 24/7 or emergency callouts, has real reviews, and will tell you the callout fee on the phone before they come out. A pro will give you that number without fuss.

What an emergency callout costs

Expect a callout fee — commonly in the range of $100–$300 — plus labour, and after-hours, weekend and public-holiday rates are higher than a normal daytime booking. That's legitimate: someone's leaving their home at midnight. What's not legitimate is a vague 'we'll sort the price out later' or a number that balloons once they're on site.

Ask two questions on the phone: what's the callout fee, and roughly what's the hourly or job rate once they're here? Get the answer before they're dismantling your bathroom. If a repair turns out to be big, a good tradie will stabilise the emergency (stop the leak, make it safe) and quote the full fix separately rather than doing it all in the heat of the moment.

Don't let panic cost you

The pressure of an emergency is exactly what a small number of operators exploit — inflated after-hours pricing, unnecessary work, or 'you need the whole thing replaced' when a repair would do. You can protect yourself even at speed: confirm the callout fee up front, pay by a traceable method, and keep the invoice.

And once the crisis is handled, that's the time to build a relationship with a good local tradie for next time — so the next emergency is a quick call to someone you trust, not a panicked search. Below are top-rated local plumbers and electricians on the directory; it's worth saving one before you need them.

Top-rated plumbers on the directory

CabledIN Electrical SolutionsNorth Geelong, VIC

5.0(1,739)

Tonkin Group Albury WodongaAlbury, NSW

5.0(1,396)

DrainproOakleigh, VIC

5.0(1,279)

Mactec ElectricalGnangara, WA

5.0(1,114)

Common questions