Drain unblocking prices: what we charge, and why
The same price list our engineers work from, with what each price covers and what can change it.
These are our drain unblocking prices, and the prices for everything else we do for homes in Dorset and Hampshire. Every job starts with a fixed price agreed before any work starts. If the engineer finds something that changes the job, they stop, show you, and give you a new fixed price. Nothing is added without your agreement.
Blocked drain prices
- Blocked toiletCleared at the pan or in the soil pipe
- Blocked sink, bath or showerOne waste pipe back to free running
- Blocked outside drain, gully or manholeOne drain run on your property
- Emergency unblocking, any hourSee the night and weekend policy below
- High pressure drain jettingFat, scale and silt scoured from the pipe wall
- Most single blockagesThe usual spread once access and time are known
- Time beyond the first hour on siteOnly after you've agreed to it
The from price covers one standard blockage in one toilet, sink, bath, shower or outside drain, cleared within the first hour on site. More on drain unblocking and emergency call-outs.
CCTV drain survey prices
- CCTV drain surveyTypically £150 to £350, depending on the number of runs
- Homebuyer drain surveyCamera survey plus a written report for your purchase
- Camera check after we clear a blockageShown to you on screen before we leave
Survey prices depend on how many drain runs there are, how long they are and how easy the chambers are to open. Written reports arrive within 48 hours. Our guide to CCTV drain survey costs explains the different survey types.
Repair, relining and soakaway prices
- Patch repair (a short liner over one defect)Fixed quote after a camera survey
- Drain reliningFixed quote after a camera survey
- Dig and replace a damaged sectionFixed quote after a camera survey
- Soakaway repair or jettingFixed price on the day or after a survey
- New soakawayFixed quote after a site visit
Why these jobs are quoted after a survey
A blockage is a blockage: we can price it from a phone call and a photo. A damaged pipe isn't. The price of drain relining or a collapsed drain repair turns on the length of pipe affected, its width, how deep it runs, how many defects there are and what sits on top of it. A crack under a lawn and a collapse under a block-paved drive are very different jobs.
So we look first. The engineer runs a camera through the pipe, shows you the footage, then gives you a written fixed quote. For a new soakaway, the quote also tells you whether the ground needs testing to see how fast it absorbs water. You're under no obligation to go ahead.
What every price includes
- No call-out fee. You pay for the work, never for the engineer turning up.
- Time on site. An unblocking price includes the first hour on site with no clock-watching inside that time.
- The camera check. We show you the camera footage before we leave.
- The guarantee. If we can't clear it, you don't pay. On top of that, If the same drain blocks again within 30 days, we come back free. Read the guarantee.
- VAT. All prices include VAT.
- Clearing up. Any mess from the job is cleaned away before the engineer leaves.
What makes a drain job cost more
Five things push a price up. In every case the engineer explains it, shows you where possible, and agrees the new price before carrying on.
Access
A manhole under decking, a chamber buried under gravel, a seized cover or a drain that can only be reached through a neighbour's garden all take longer to get into.
Depth
Deep chambers and pipes need longer rods, more powerful jetting and more time. Depth matters most for repairs that involve digging.
Extra hours
If a blockage takes longer than the first hour on site to clear, further time is £75 per extra hour. You'll be asked before the clock goes past what you agreed.
Tankering
When a chamber is full of sewage that has to be pumped out and taken away, a waste tanker is needed. We price tankering on the phone before it's booked, and only book it with your agreement.
Parts
New manhole covers, rodding points, pipe sections and one-way valves that stop rats climbing the pipe are charged as parts. Each one is priced before it's fitted.
Nights, weekends, bank holidays and VAT
The same price day, night, weekends and bank holidays. We answer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including bank holidays, and the price list on this page doesn't change with the clock.
All prices include VAT. When you compare quotes from elsewhere, check whether VAT is included. A price quoted "plus VAT" is 20% higher by the time the invoice arrives.
How to pay
You pay by card, bank transfer or Apple Pay, once the job is done. For surveys and repairs, the written quote sets out when payment is due.
How our prices compare with typical UK prices in 2026
Cost guides collect prices from tradespeople across the country. They're a fair picture of the going rate, with two catches: none of the guides below says whether VAT is included, and many firms add a call-out fee on top of the job. Several large national drainage firms don't publish prices online at all.
| Job | Typical UK price, 2026 | Source | Our price |
|---|---|---|---|
| General drain unblocking | £80 to £100 | MyJobQuote, Sep 2026 | from £80 |
| Toilet unblocking | £50 to £60 | MyJobQuote, Sep 2026 | from £80 |
| Sink or bath unblocking | £50 to £70 | MyJobQuote, Sep 2026 | from £80 |
| Outside drain unblocking | £80 to £150 | MyJobQuote, Sep 2026 | from £80 |
| Drain jetting | £70 to £175 | MyJobQuote, Sep 2026 | from £150 |
| Call-out fee | £50 to £100, or £100 to £200 out of hours | MyJobQuote, Sep 2026 | No call-out fee |
| CCTV drain survey | £250 on average (£90 to £500) | MyJobQuote, Aug 2026 | from £150 |
| Homebuyer drain survey | £250 to £350 | MyJobQuote, Aug 2026 | from £195 |
| Patch repair | £150 to £300 | MyJobQuote, Aug 2026 | from £250 |
| Drain relining | £80 to £150 per metre | MyJobQuote, Aug 2026 | £80 to £150 per metre |
| Dig and replace | £250 to £650 per metre | MyJobQuote, Aug 2026 | £250 to £650 per metre |
| New soakaway | £660 to £1,210 by size, about £850 on average | MyJobQuote, Jul 2026 | from £850 |
| Soakaway jetting | £100 to £400 | MyJobQuote, Jul 2026 | from £150 |
Our prices sit inside some of these ranges, and above or below others. The clearest case where we cost more is a toilet or sink on its own: we charge one price for any single blockage, so a simple toilet job can cost more with us than the lowest figure a guide quotes. What that price buys is listed above, including the camera check, the guarantee and no charge for the engineer turning up, whatever the hour. We'd rather show you the comparison than claim to be the cheapest on every line.
Drain price questions
How much does it cost to unblock a drain?
With us, one blockage in a toilet, sink, bath, shower or outside drain starts at £80, and most single blockages cost £80 to £200. All prices include VAT. Across the UK, 2026 cost guides put a standard unblock at £80 to £100, often with a separate call-out fee added.
How much is a CCTV drain survey?
Our CCTV drain surveys start at £150 and usually cost £150 to £350, depending on how many drain runs we check. A homebuyer survey with a written report starts at £195. The UK average in 2026 cost guides is about £250.
Do you charge more at night or at weekends?
No. The same price day, night, weekends and bank holidays. A blocked toilet on a Sunday night is priced exactly as it would be on a Tuesday lunchtime, and there's no call-out fee at either time.
What if the job turns out bigger than the agreed price?
You won't find out from the invoice. If the engineer realises the job is bigger than the agreed price covers, they stop, explain why, and give you the new fixed price. Time beyond the first hour on site is £75 per extra hour, added only if you say yes.
Will my home insurance pay for a blocked drain?
Sometimes. Buildings policies often cover accidental damage to underground pipes, such as a collapse, but many treat a simple blockage as maintenance and won't pay to clear it. Check your policy or ring your insurer. If you do claim, our camera footage and written survey report can support it.
Get a fixed price for your drain
Call 0800 246 5347 or send a photo with a callback request, and you'll have a price before any work starts.