How did Finchley's houses come to be built?

Finchley grew in two main waves. The Great Northern Railway's branch through Finchley opened in 1867, and Victorian and Edwardian streets followed around Church End, East Finchley and North Finchley. The second wave came between the wars, when semi-detached houses filled the fields between the old centres, and the Northern line took over the branch in 1940. Finchley was a Middlesex borough until 1965, when it joined Hendon, Friern Barnet and two Hertfordshire districts to make the London Borough of Barnet.

That history matters for plumbing because the pipework in a 1900s terrace and a 1930s semi was laid out on different assumptions, and both have had the best part of a century of changes since.

What is typical in the Edwardian terraces?

Terraces around East Finchley and North Finchley usually have the kitchen in a back addition, with the bathroom above it or squeezed into a rear bedroom. The supply pipe comes in at the front and runs the length of the house. Expect:

long pipe runs under floors, with several generations of joint
a cold tank in the loft feeding the bathroom, where the loft has not been converted
a section of the original lead supply pipe, in houses that have never had it renewed
waste pipes added on the outside wall, often with shallow falls

If you suspect lead, say so when you enquire. Renewing the supply pipe from the boundary into the house is normally the owner's job, while the pipe from the main to the boundary belongs to your water company.

What about the flats?

A great many Finchley houses are now two or three flats. In these, one soil stack serves all of them, the stopcock may be in the ground floor flat, and the lease decides who looks after which pipe. Water from the flat above is a frequent complaint in converted houses, and it is worth reading how plumbing in flats works before booking anyone.

Does Hampstead Garden Suburb have special rules?

Yes. The eastern part of the Suburb falls in N2, and the whole Suburb is a conservation area managed, as far as its buildings go, by the Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust. The Trust's consent is needed for most external changes, including new pipes, flues, vents or overflows on the outside of a house, on top of any planning permission. Repairs inside the house are unaffected, but if a job will add anything to the outside, ask the Trust first and tell the plumber.

Finchley Garden Village, off Hendon Lane in N3, is a smaller planned estate of the same era and is also a conservation area, so the same caution applies there.

Is the water hard in Finchley?

Yes. Water supplied across this part of London is hard, and limescale clogs cistern valves, shower heads and tap cartridges. A toilet that will not stop filling or a kitchen tap that drips is often scaled rather than worn out.

What about the 1930s semis?

These are simpler houses to work on, with the bathroom usually above the kitchen. Many have had the loft converted, which means the cold tank was removed and the hot water changed to a combination boiler or an unvented cylinder. An unvented cylinder is notifiable work under Part G of the Building Regulations, so if you have one, keep its installation certificate. Appliance connections in extended kitchens and washing machines in new utility rooms are frequent requests.

Who sees an enquiry from Finchley?

One local plumber whose area includes your N2, N3 or N12 postcode, and only with your consent. If no plumber covers your postcode, we tell you and your details stay with us.

Who you will hear from

We pass your enquiry to one local plumber, if one covers your postcode. It is never sent to a list of companies. If nobody covers your postcode, we will tell you and will not pass your details on.