# How much does moling a water pipe cost? | Notts Leak Detection > Moling a water pipe costs £1,200–£3,000+ in Nottinghamshire. What sets the price, how it compares with a trench once the drive is relaid, and when it fails. URL: https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/moling-water-pipe-cost/ 1. [Home](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/) 2. [Water Pipe Moling](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/water-pipe-moling/) 3. How much does moling a water pipe cost? Decision Guide # How much does moling a water pipe cost? [Notts Leak Detection](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/) explains what moling a water pipe costs locally, how that compares with digging a trench, and the ground conditions that decide whether it is possible. Published 28 September 2026 · Updated 28 September 2026 · By Notts Leak Detection **Short answer:** Moling a water pipe in Nottinghamshire is listed at £1,200–£3,000+. The price depends on the length of the run, the depth, the ground and the connections at each end. It often costs more than a trench across lawn, but can come out cheaper under a drive once relaying the surface is counted. Moling water pipe cost is best judged against the full cost of the alternative. A mole pulls a new pipe underground between two small pits and leaves everything in between untouched. A trench is often cheaper to dig, but the surface along the whole route then has to be put back. ## Local prices Job Price Source Moling a new pipe (Nottinghamshire) £1,200–£3,000+ [Checkatrade](https://www.checkatrade.com/Search/Lead-Pipe/in/Nottinghamshire) Supply pipe replacement (Nottingham quotes) £388–£598 [hamuch](https://www.hamuch.com/cost/mains-water-supply/nottingham) Full water main replacement (Nottinghamshire) £1,000–£2,500+ [Checkatrade](https://www.checkatrade.com/Search/Lead-Pipe/in/Nottinghamshire) ## What sets the price of moling Factor Why Length of the run Longer runs need more setting up and more pipe Depth Pits go to the laying depth, 750mm–1,350mm Ground Clean ground moles easily; rubble and stone slow it or stop it Pit positions Space for a launch pit near the boundary and a receiving pit near the house Connections Getting to the boundary stop tap and the internal stop tap Other services Gas, electricity and drains are located before the mole runs Pipe under the drive? A survey checks the ground and prices mole and trench side by side. 0115 839 0791 (+441158390791) ## Moling vs trench: the fair comparison Across a lawn, a trench is usually cheaper. The turf goes back and the ground settles. Under a block-paved drive, the blocks have to be lifted along the whole route, kept, and relaid on a fresh bed. Under tarmac or concrete, the trench has to be cut, backfilled and patched, and the patch never quite matches. Add that to the trench price, and moling often comes out level or cheaper, with the drive still in one piece. ## When moling isn’t possible The mole needs ground it can push through evenly. Large stones, rubble, old foundations, tree roots and other buried services can stop it or knock it off line. Very long runs and routes with bends are harder. The survey checks all of this before you commit, and prices a trench as the fallback. ## Questions to ask before you book - Does the price include both pits, the connections at each end and backfilling? - Where will the pits go, and what will need lifting to dig them? - How are other buried services found before the mole runs? - What happens, and what does it cost, if the mole is stopped part way? - Is the pressure test done before the pits are filled? A clear answer to each one is a good sign the job has been properly surveyed. For how a moling job runs, see [water pipe moling](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/water-pipe-moling/). If the pipe being replaced is lead, see [what lead pipe replacement costs](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/lead-pipe-replacement-cost/) first. ## Bottom line Budget £1,200–£3,000+ for a moled supply pipe. Compare it with a trench plus the cost of relaying whatever is on top, not with the trench alone. A survey tells you whether the ground suits moling before you commit. Call 0115 839 0791 (+441158390791), 9am–7pm, 7 days. ## Questions people also ask ### Is moling always cheaper than digging? No. Across open lawn, a trench is often cheaper and just as quick. Moling wins under block paving, tarmac, concrete and established gardens, where relaying the surface would cost more than the mole. ### What can stop a mole? Large stones, brick rubble, old foundations, tree roots and other buried services can stop or deflect the mole. Very long runs and routes that need to change direction are also harder. A survey checks the route first. ### Does moling meet the water regulations? Yes, when the pipe is laid at the required depth, 750mm to 1,350mm below finished ground level, with approved pipe and fittings, and pressure-tested before the pits are backfilled. Related service [Water Pipe Moling](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/water-pipe-moling/) Pull a new water pipe underground with a mole, leaving the drive, lawn and path in place. [View service](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/water-pipe-moling/) Talk it through Lines open Monday–Sunday, 9am–7pm. 0115 839 0791 (+441158390791) ## More guides - [Decision Guide How much does water supply pipe replacement cost?](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/water-supply-pipe-replacement-cost/) - [Decision Guide How much does lead pipe replacement cost?](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/lead-pipe-replacement-cost/) - [Decision Guide How much does leak detection cost in Nottingham?](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/leak-detection-cost/) - [Learn Who is responsible for the water supply pipe?](https://nottsleakdetection.co.uk/guide/who-is-responsible-for-water-supply-pipe/)