Do I need a frost-proof tap, or is a standard one fine?

A frost-proof tap is worth the small extra cost for most UK homes, since its valve sits back inside the warmer wall and drains the exposed section automatically. Standard taps can work fine too, provided you isolate and drain them properly every autumn, but that relies entirely on you remembering to do it.

Is a double check valve a legal requirement on an outdoor tap?

Yes. Fitting a hose union tap without one breaches the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999, and more importantly it removes a safeguard against contaminated water reaching the drinking supply if pressure drops elsewhere in the system. It's a small, inexpensive part, so there's little reason to skip it even on an older installation.

Can I fit an outdoor tap myself?

For a short, straightforward run tapping off a nearby internal supply, many confident DIYers manage it themselves. A longer run, digging across a garden, or anything involving your home's main supply pipe is worth handing to a plumber instead.

How much does it cost to have an outdoor tap professionally fitted?

Typically £80 to £180 for a straightforward job with a short new supply run, rising if a longer trench or more complex pipework is needed. The tap itself is a small part of that cost; most of it is labour and materials for the supply pipe.

Should I get a lockable outdoor tap?

It's worth considering if you're on a water meter, share a garden with other households, or want to stop children turning it on unsupervised. It's a straightforward, inexpensive addition to most standard bib taps.

What's the difference between a wall plate and a post mounted outdoor tap?

A wall plate tap fixes directly to an exterior wall and is the simpler, more common option. Post mounted taps sit further out in the garden on their own pipe run, useful if you need a tap away from the house, but they need a longer, well protected supply run to reach them.

Can I run more than one outdoor tap from the same supply?

Yes, it's common to fit a second tap nearer a greenhouse or a further part of the garden, branching off the same internal supply pipe. It's worth planning both taps' positions and pipe runs together if you know you'll want a second one eventually, rather than adding it as an awkward afterthought later.

Do I need to do anything special before winter even with a frost-proof tap?

Yes, always disconnect and drain any hose. A hose left attached traps water in the pipe and defeats the tap's self-draining valve entirely, which is one of the most common reasons a supposedly frost-proof tap still splits over winter.

Home/Guides/How to Choose an Outdoor Tap

Buying Guide

How to Choose an Outdoor Tap

The right outdoor tap for your garden, greenhouse or garage depends on more than the price tag, right down to the valve

Thomas RichardEditor, The Tap Guide

Published 15 July 2026 · 6 min read

In this article

Types of outdoor tap
Wall plate versus post mounted
Hose fittings and double check valves
Running a new supply pipe
Lockable taps
Garden and greenhouse specific considerations
Choosing a finish for an outdoor tap
Positioning the tap sensibly
What it costs, fitted or DIY
False economies worth avoiding

An outdoor tap makes watering the garden, washing the car, or filling a greenhouse can far less of a faff, but choosing the right one, and fitting it properly, saves a lot of hassle later. Here's what's worth thinking about before you buy.

Frost protection is the detail most people overlook until the first hard winter catches them out, so it's worth deciding early on whether a standard tap with proper insulation or a genuinely frost-proof design suits your garden better.

Types of outdoor tap

Almost every outdoor tap in the UK is a bib tap, a tap with a downward-facing, threaded spout designed for attaching a hose. Beyond that basic shape, the main choice is between a standard bib tap and a frost-proof tap, which has its valve mechanism set back inside the warmer wall cavity so the exposed section drains automatically when closed.

A standard tap is cheaper but relies entirely on you draining and insulating it properly each winter. Frost-proof taps do much of that work automatically instead, and are worth the small extra cost for most UK homes; our guide on protecting outdoor taps from freezing covers looking after either type properly once it's fitted.

Our top pick right now

Ibergrif Ball Valve Garden Tap£7.39See our top 10 Outdoor Taps

Wall plate versus post mounted

Most outdoor taps fit to a wall plate fixed directly to an exterior wall, the simplest and most common option for a tap near the house. If you want a tap further out in the garden, away from any wall, a post mounted tap on its own freestanding pipe run is the alternative, though it needs a longer buried supply pipe and more careful frost protection along that whole run.

Hose fittings and double check valves

By law, any outdoor tap with a hose union fitting needs a double check valve to stop contaminated water siphoning back into the mains supply if pressure drops elsewhere, a requirement under the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999. Most current outdoor taps come with one built in, though it's worth confirming an older tap against the WRAS approved fittings directory rather than assuming.

Running a new supply pipe

If you're adding an outdoor tap where none exists, the job usually means tapping off an internal supply pipe (often the kitchen cold feed), running new pipework out through the wall, and burying or clipping it to reach the tap's position. For a short, straightforward run, this is manageable for a confident DIYer comfortable with basic plumbing and drilling through an external wall.

For a longer run, anything involving digging a trench across a garden, or if you're not confident isolating and working on your home's main supply, it's worth bringing in a plumber. A botched supply pipe is a much bigger problem than a botched tap.

Lockable taps

A lockable outdoor tap, needing a removable key or handle to turn on, is worth considering if you're on a water meter and want to control usage, share a garden with other households, or simply want to stop curious kids turning it on unsupervised. It adds a small amount to the cost but is a straightforward retrofit onto most standard bib taps.

Garden and greenhouse specific considerations

If you're watering multiple beds, a greenhouse, or running drip irrigation, it's worth thinking beyond a single tap. A tap fitted with a threaded outlet compatible with a garden hose splitter, or a second tap positioned nearer a greenhouse, can save a lot of trailing hose across the garden. Timer attachments that screw onto a standard bib tap are a cheap, effective way to automate watering without any extra plumbing.

Choosing a finish for an outdoor tap

Chrome and plastic-bodied taps are the most common outdoor choices, and both cope reasonably well outside provided the tap is properly rated for external use rather than adapted from an indoor model. Brass taps, often left unlacquered so they weather naturally, are a popular choice for a period cottage garden and develop an attractive patina over time rather than needing to be kept shiny.

Whatever finish you choose, check the manufacturer confirms it's suitable for permanent outdoor exposure. A tap rated only for indoor use can corrode or discolour far faster than expected once it's living outside through a full British winter and summer.

Positioning the tap sensibly

Beyond frost protection, think about how the tap will actually get used before fixing its position. A tap positioned too close to the ground makes filling a watering can or bucket awkward, while one mounted too high makes it harder to attach and detach a hose comfortably.

Aim for a height of around 400 to 600mm above ground level, which suits most people and most hose reels, and check your specific hose reel or watering can collection against that before the pipework is finalised, since moving a fitted tap later is far more disruptive than getting the height right the first time.

What it costs, fitted or DIY

A basic standard bib tap costs from around £10 to £25 for the tap itself, and a frost-proof tap typically runs from £15 to £40 (figures as of our last check, so expect some drift). Fitting one yourself, tapping off an existing nearby supply, costs little beyond the tap, some pipe and fittings, and PTFE tape. Getting a plumber to fit a new outdoor tap, including a short new supply run, typically costs £80 to £180, rising if a longer trench or more complex routing is needed.

Don't skip this: always disconnect and drain any hose before winter, even on a genuine frost-proof tap. A connected hose traps water in the system and defeats the self-draining valve entirely, one of the most common causes of a "frost-proof" tap splitting anyway.

False economies worth avoiding

Choosing a standard tap over a frost-proof one to save a few pounds. The price difference is small and a frost-proof tap does most of the winter protection work automatically.
Fitting a hose union tap without a double check valve. This is a legal requirement in the UK, not an optional extra, and most modern taps include one as standard.
Running a long new supply pipe without proper frost protection along its length. The self-draining valve at the tap doesn't protect a poorly insulated pipe run leading up to it.
Underestimating a longer or more complex installation. A short, simple tap-off job is manageable DIY; a long trenched run or working on the main supply is usually worth a plumber.
Forgetting a lockable option if water use or safety around children is a concern. It's a cheap addition at the point of buying, more of a faff to retrofit later.

Once you've chosen the right tap for your garden, our guide on protecting it from freezing covers looking after it properly through the colder months, and our top 10 outdoor taps page is worth a look to compare specific models.

Frequently Asked Questions

: A frost-proof tap is worth the small extra cost for most UK homes, since its valve sits back inside the warmer wall and drains the exposed section automatically. Standard taps can work fine too, provided you isolate and drain them properly every autumn, but that relies entirely on you remembering to do it.
: Yes. Fitting a hose union tap without one breaches the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999, and more importantly it removes a safeguard against contaminated water reaching the drinking supply if pressure drops elsewhere in the system. It's a small, inexpensive part, so there's little reason to skip it even on an older installation.
: For a short, straightforward run tapping off a nearby internal supply, many confident DIYers manage it themselves. A longer run, digging across a garden, or anything involving your home's main supply pipe is worth handing to a plumber instead.
: Typically £80 to £180 for a straightforward job with a short new supply run, rising if a longer trench or more complex pipework is needed. The tap itself is a small part of that cost; most of it is labour and materials for the supply pipe.
: It's worth considering if you're on a water meter, share a garden with other households, or want to stop children turning it on unsupervised. It's a straightforward, inexpensive addition to most standard bib taps.
: A wall plate tap fixes directly to an exterior wall and is the simpler, more common option. Post mounted taps sit further out in the garden on their own pipe run, useful if you need a tap away from the house, but they need a longer, well protected supply run to reach them.
: Yes, it's common to fit a second tap nearer a greenhouse or a further part of the garden, branching off the same internal supply pipe. It's worth planning both taps' positions and pipe runs together if you know you'll want a second one eventually, rather than adding it as an awkward afterthought later.
: Yes, always disconnect and drain any hose. A hose left attached traps water in the pipe and defeats the tap's self-draining valve entirely, which is one of the most common reasons a supposedly frost-proof tap still splits over winter.