Identify Hidden Water Pipes

[Richie]

So I'm in a modern build house (timber frame style)

I am looking at drilling a hole for a hook to hang a mirror in the downstairs toilet however I am a bit worried about hitting a pipe.

I can see where the stud is due to a very slight and almost imperceptible bit of the wall which a screw is obviously behind however this is slight off centre from the sink (about 1cm).

The Flexi pipes for the taps come out the wall around 18" from the floor level and in the center of the sink.

The floor is a concrete pad that was laid on to the foundations so, is it likely that these pipe go into the wall and then go UP to the ceiling and clipped to said stud?

Should I just accept that the hook will be slightly off centre and drill into the stud so I can be sure I won't hit a pipe?

I don't have access to a pipe/wire/stud finder

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

A masonry drill bit on low speed will almost certainly not drill through a pipe

Plasterboard (assuming it is) you can just push a hole into anyway with a screwdriver if your going to use a plug.
(by push you may need a little hammer assistance) then when you know your safe you can use a drill bit to open the hole to the correct size

 

[Deleted User 298457]

Put the hot tap on full and feel for heat is the only old wives tale that works here. Or a stethoscope/cup to the wall and full blast taps..

 

[Uther]

If you leave the water on you'll know if you drill though it.

 

[Terminal_Boy]

£15 stud/pipe/wire finder from your local DIY emporium.

 

[Buffman]

£15 stud/pipe/wire finder from your local DIY emporium.

That won't help for plastic pipes in a modern build

 

[Richie]

A masonry drill bit on low speed will almost certainly not drill through a pipe

Plasterboard (assuming it is) you can just push a hole into anyway with a screwdriver if your going to use a plug.
(by push you may need a little hammer assistance) then when you know your safe you can use a drill bit to open the hole to the correct size

Yeah it's just plasterboard so doesn't take a lot to go through it... This might be the best bet

 

[b0rn2sk8]

A masonry drill bit on low speed will almost certainly not drill through a pipe

This, even better if you have a nice old blunt one to use. Plasterboard might as well be cheese so you could probably get through it with your fingers if you really needed to.

I managed to hit a plastic central heating pipe between the plasterboard and block wall once and it just glanced off and it barley left a mark. just go slowly as you pass through the other side of the plasterboard. If its a stud wall, anything behind it will probably have a decent amount of give as well.