Damp, mould and hidden leaks
At the 2023 Census, 4.4% of Gisborne homes were always damp and 23.1% sometimes damp, against 2.3% and 15.8% nationally. Mould bigger than an A4 sheet was always present in 5.8% of homes and sometimes in 15%.
Lots of things make a house damp, and plumbing is only one of them. Still, a slow leak under a shower, behind a vanity or in the subfloor can feed damp for months without a drip you can see. Clues: water you can hear running with every tap off, a soft floor by the toilet, or a musty cupboard under the sink. A leak detection specialist can find what you can't.
Gisborne facts that change a plumbing job
Fewer owner-occupiers
38.2% of Gisborne households didn't own their home or hold it in a trust in 2023, against 34% nationally. If you rent, the plumbing is normally your landlord's to sort, so report problems early.
When floods reach the sewer
NIWA records that in the July 1985 floods a civil defence emergency was declared and raw sewage overflowed onto the ground in Gisborne. If wastewater comes up through your gully trap (the grated drain outside where the waste pipes meet) in heavy rain, stay clear and ring the council.
Frost is rarely the problem
NIWA's Gisborne Airport station averages about six air frosts a year, so frozen pipes are unlikely to be the cause of a winter plumbing problem here.
More homes going up
Stats NZ counts 164 new homes consented in Gisborne in the year to March 2026, against 55 in the year to March 2016. The town had 13,482 private dwellings at the 2023 Census.
Gisborne District Council's water
Gisborne District Council runs water and wastewater in-house, as a business unit of the council, and chose that over a new water company. It hasn't been possible for us to confirm its rule on where the council's pipe meets yours, so ask Gisborne District Council before anyone digs near the boundary.
PGDB's message to homeowners is simple: don't just take their word for it. Some people advertise plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying without a licence. Search the person's first and last name on the PGDB register, or ring PGDB on 0800 743 262 if you're unsure.
Nearby and by job
In Hawke's Bay: Napier and Hastings. The region: Gisborne. Jobs: leak detection, showers, blocked drains and drainlayers.
What we would do
If the house is damp, rule out a leak before you spend money on drying it out. With every tap off, check whether you can hear water moving; then look under the sinks, around the toilet and shower, and in the subfloor if you can get under. Renting? Tell your landlord in writing. If sewage comes up in heavy rain, ring Gisborne District Council first. For the leak itself, describe what you've found and we'll pass it to a Gisborne tradie who specialises in tracing leaks.