Selling a place in Sydney always feels a bit surreal. One minute you’re thinking about repainting the skirting boards, the next you’re wondering what buyers might notice when they wander through during the first open home. Something I’ve learned—after helping a few friends prep their places and going through the selling process myself—is that plumbing problems tend to surface at the worst possible moment. That’s why some people quietly lean on plumbing pros early on, especially when they’re trying to avoid awkward questions from buyers or their inspectors.
The tricky part? Most homeowners stop “seeing” their plumbing after a while. The tap that needs an extra twist. The drain that clears slowly but eventually gets there. The toilet that occasionally hisses after a flush. These aren’t disasters, but buyers interpret small signals quickly—sometimes unfairly, but that’s the game.
Below are the everyday checks I’ve found genuinely useful. Nothing too technical, just the kind of things you’d want someone else to check if you were the one buying.
Checking taps and fixtures, buyers always fiddle with
If you’ve ever been to an open inspection, you know how people behave: they turn on taps, poke around bathrooms, run sinks longer than necessary. So anything that drips, sticks or sounds strained becomes an unspoken strike against the home.
A few simple tests go a long way:
Turn every tap on, then off, then on again. Problems often reveal themselves on the second try.
Check for shuddering pipes or pressure drops.
Look for flaky chrome or mineral build-up around bases.
Don’t forget outdoor taps; buyers love wandering outside and testing them.
Years ago, when prepping my old semi in Marrickville, I realised the ensuite tap squealed like a kettle every time it turned on. I’d been living with it for months. My plumber fixed it in fifteen minutes. I still remember thinking, If a buyer had heard that noise before I fixed it, the whole bathroom would’ve felt older and dodgier than it really was.
Spotting drainage issues that make buyers uneasy
Slow drains aren’t dramatic, but they’re uncomfortable to witness. Even the sound of a gurgle from deep in the pipes can plant doubt in a buyer’s mind.
Do a quick sweep by:
Running the shower for thirty seconds and watching how fast it clears.
Fill the bathroom basin a little and time how long it takes to drain.
Checking whether the kitchen sink bubbles or lets off a faint smell.
Listening for unusual echoing or sucking noises.
In one pre-sale check I helped with, the kitchen sink looked spotless but cleared painfully slowly. It ended up being a mixture of coffee grounds and cooking oil built up over the years—nothing dramatic, but the buyer noticed it instantly and asked pointed questions about the age of the pipes. A basic clean-out would have avoided that whole awkward moment.
Understanding plumbing regulations before contracts start
Most sellers don’t think much about compliance until a buyer’s conveyancer asks a sharp question. Even small renovations—like moving a washing machine, relocating a dishwasher, or swapping a toilet—can require work from a licensed plumber.
Staying up to date with plumbing regulations is less about knowing every clause and more about understanding what a buyer might reasonably expect. Any grey area tends to prolong negotiations, and the more confident you sound about your property’s plumbing history, the easier the selling process becomes.
A few homeowners I’ve spoken to had no idea that some of the rules around water efficiency and product compliance were tightened in recent years. Even if everything was done correctly at the time, paperwork gets misplaced, and memories fade. Sometimes, a licensed plumber can re-inspect and issue new documentation, which helps settle nerves during contract reviews.
Toilets, cisterns and the quiet signals they send
Buyers might ignore the lounge room light switch, but they’ll absolutely flush the toilet. And fair enough—it's one of the things you rely on daily.
A quick toilet audit includes:
Ensuring it flushes smoothly and refills without delay.
Listening for ongoing trickling or refilling noises.
Checking if the base wobbles slightly when pressed.
Looking for small leaks at the back of the cistern.
I viewed a place recently where the toilet rattled when you sat down. It wasn’t a structural issue, but it created an odd, “What else is loose here?” feeling. Small repairs often fix this sort of thing, and doing them now prevents unnecessary negotiation later.
Any tweaks to toilets or water lines should fall under licensed plumbing work, which is why DIY fixes—however harmless they seem—should be handled carefully.
Hot water systems: the silent deal-makers
Hot water units rarely announce their decline politely. Most people don’t think to test them in a way that reveals subtle issues, but buyers often switch taps between rooms during an inspection.
Run through a few checks:
Test hot water from two locations at once. Does the temperature stay steady?
Listen for rumbling sounds from storage tanks.
Look for rust rings or watermarks on the ground.
Check whether the relief valve drips constantly.
I replaced my hot water unit a few years before selling my place. It wasn’t failing yet, but I knew its age would raise questions. The new one didn’t add thousands to the sale price, but it removed one of those quiet, buyer-doubt moments.
Outdoor plumbing checks that improve first impressions
Outdoor plumbing is surprisingly influential. People may not consciously inspect garden taps or exposed copper pipes, but they register signs of wear instantly.
Walk the perimeter of your home and check for:
Persistently damp patches where they shouldn’t be.
Dripping taps, especially near entertaining areas.
Exposed pipes are losing insulation.
Irrigation lines that look slapped together.
Good outdoor presentation creates the sense that the entire property has been maintained thoughtfully, which matters more than sellers realise.
If you’re writing your listing description later, you might touch on how to prevent plumbing issues, since buyers often skim for clues about ongoing costs and general upkeep.
When to bring in professional support
You can do most of the checks above in an afternoon, but if something feels “off”—low pressure throughout the house, unusual pipe noise, recurring blockages—it’s worth getting someone in early.
Pre-sale plumbing support can:
Reveal hidden leaks before the buyer’s inspector does.
Confirm which older renovations were done correctly.
Provide written reports that build trust during negotiation.
Clarify compliance questions that might otherwise stall contracts.
I’ve seen small issues become bargaining chips. I’ve also seen early plumbing reports help sellers hold firm when buyers tried to overreach. Spending a little upfront often returns peace of mind later.
Final thoughts
Selling a Sydney home is rarely a straight line. But giving your plumbing a once-over—an honest, methodical look—removes a lot of the uncertainty buyers feel when walking through a property. Clean drains, quiet pipes, steady water pressure and compliant installations don’t just make the place function better; they make it feel cared for. That sense of care is often what buyers remember long after they’ve left the inspection.
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