GRB-03Find your stopcock and check for cables and pipes before drillingBefore you drill anything, find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns freely, so you can shut the water off fast if you hit a pipe. Run a cable and pipe detector over each marked fixing point, but don't rely on it completely — detectors can miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, or outside the usual safe zones, and old render sometimes hides metal lath that confuses cheap detectors. Doorsteps often have buried feeds for outside lights, doorbells or alarm sensors nearby, plus waste pipes, so drill slowly and stop straight away if you feel unusual resistance, hear a hiss, or see damp dust. If you have any doubt at all, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before drilling, and know exactly how to shut the water off at the stopcock before cutting into anything that could carry water.