Drain Clearance Cost Guide
If you’ve got a blocked drain, you know it’s not a pleasant thing to live with. If you’ve tried unclogging it yourself or used drain cleaners and the blockage won’t budge, you’ll need to hire a professional to help. Read our drain clearance cost guide to find out how much it will set you back.
How much does it cost to unblock a drain?
On average, it costs £280 to unclog a drain with rods and jets. Generally, the cost of drain unblocking includes a call-out charge and the following work they carry out. How much it costs will depend on whether the job is an emergency, will require a survey, or needs a specialist. It also depends on where you are in the country - HaMuch has a large database of hourly and daily rates for jobs based on your location, but these are the average costs:
|
Service |
Average Cost |
|
Call-out charge |
£60 |
|
Emergency call-out charge |
£180 |
|
Drain rodding |
£280 per job |
|
Camera survey |
£275 per job |
|
Drain specialist |
£40 per hour |
|
Drain lining |
£100 per metre |
Are blocked drains covered by house insurance?
Blocked drains may be covered by house insurance - it usually depends on the cause of the blockage. If it’s caused by tree roots or other accidental damage (that wasn’t caused by your negligence), it should be covered, but it’s important to check your policy. Some insurance companies offer drainage cover as an add on, which may cover the cost of finding and clearing the blockage.
Do plumbers unblock drains?
Plumbers do unblock drains - but typically they will specialise in drain clearance. You may have heard of companies like Dyno or Metro Rod, who provide these specialist services. There are lots of local companies that offer drain unblocking, so it’s important to get a range of quotes to ensure you get the best price.
How long does it take a plumber to clear a drain?
How long it takes a plumber to clear a drain depends on the cause of the blockage and how easy it is to locate, but on average it takes 1-2 hours. There are a few steps involved when a drain specialist clears a drain:
- The plumber will locate the blockage, which could be in a sink, toilet, appliance or in the drains outside. If the toilet itself is blocked, read our unblocking a toilet cost guide for more information.
- If the blockage is in an appliance, they will disconnect it then use a drain snake to dislodge it. If the blockage is outside, they will feed drain rods into the drain. Usually this means that they need to connect lots of sections of rod together to push the blockage as far down as they can to break it up.
- Once the blockage is broken up, the plumber will use high-pressure jets to wash everything away.
- To check that the drain is clearing properly, the specialist will continue to pour water down it and assess how well it drains. If they haven’t solved the problem, they may put cameras down the drain to see if they can find the cause. Often this is where they find tree root ingress, or cracks or collapses in old ceramic drains.
Can I rod my own drains?
It is possible to rod your own drains. You can buy drain rods for as little as £35, but that doesn’t mean you should do it yourself!
Drain rods come in 1 metre lengths and screw together to make a long, flexible rod that you can push into the drain to dislodge the blockage. There are also different fittings you can put on the end, depending on what you think is causing the blockage.
The main concern with trying to clear your own drains with rods is that the rods detach inside your drain and block it further. If this happens, you’ll have to spend money on a drain specialist anyway - and it might cost even more if they have to excavate the drain.
Can blocked drains cause subsidence?
Yes, blocked drains can cause subsidence. If your drains have collapsed due to tree roots or another blockage, over time water can seep into the soil and wash away the foundations of your home, making it less stable. If a leak is left for years, you may notice a visible slump in the ground or large cracks on external walls.
It’s important to get a blocked drain sorted before it becomes a much bigger problem. Make sure you get quotes from a range of local and national drain clearance companies to ensure you’re getting a fair price.
Estimates for common drain specialist jobs;
| Job | Estimate |
| Cost to unblock a drain | £400 |
| Cost to reline a drain | £170 square meter |
| Cost for a CCTV drain survey | £275 |