Typical 2026 quotes
How much does drain unblocking cost?
A standard callout to unblock a drain runs £80–£150. High-pressure jetting is £150–£250. A CCTV survey to find the fault is £150–£350, and digging up and repairing a collapsed run starts around £600 and can pass £2,500. Nights and weekends cost more. And if the blockage is in a public sewer, it is the water company's job and you should not be paying anyone. Tell us the problem and local drainage engineers will price it properly.
What happens next
- Tell us what the drain is doing, how urgent it is and where the property is. A minute, no account.
- We pass your details to local drainage engineers who cover your postcode, and to nobody else.
- They call you with a real price for your job. Compare, book, or walk away.
Drain Prices is a free introduction service operated by Ellul Solutions Ltd; we pass your details to relevant local drainage engineers who price the work directly. We may receive a fee from providers; you pay nothing and are under no obligation. We are not a drainage contractor and nothing here is professional or legal advice; cost figures are typical 2026 quote ranges that vary by region, access and complexity.
What drain work costs, 2026
Last updated
Typical quote ranges for domestic drain work across the UK in 2026. These are not fixed prices: access, depth, the cause of the blockage and your postcode all move the number, and London sits at the top of every range. Before paying anyone, check whose drain it is, because blockages in public sewers and lateral drains are cleared by the water company at no cost to you.
Ranges reflect typical quotes for domestic drainage work observed across the UK market in 2026; they vary by region, access, depth and cause. The out-of-hours premium is expressed as an uplift because firms apply it differently, some as a higher callout, some as a multiplier. Excavation figures assume a single repair point; long runs, deep drains and work under driveways or floors cost more. Get exact prices for your job via the form above.
| Job | Typical price (2026 quotes) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Callout, unblock with rods or plunger | £80–£150 | Most one-off sink, toilet and gully blockages end here |
| High-pressure water jetting | £150–£250 | Grease, scale, silt and stubborn blockages; often priced by the hour |
| CCTV drain survey | £150–£350 | Finds the fault; the sensible step before any repair quote |
| Patch lining (no-dig repair) | £300–£1,500 per patch | Seals cracks and holes without digging; needs a survey first |
| Excavation and repair | £600–£2,500+ | Collapsed or badly damaged runs; depth and surface reinstatement drive the price |
| Out-of-hours emergency premium | Often 50–100% on top | Nights, weekends, bank holidays; ask the rate before they set off |
- A standard drain unblocking callout typically costs £80–£150 in 2026 quotes; high-pressure jetting typically £150–£250 (varies by region and access).
- Since 1 October 2011, lateral drains beyond the property boundary and shared sewers have belonged to the water and sewerage companies, which clear blockages in them at no cost to the householder.
- Excavation drain repairs typically start around £600 and commonly pass £2,500 where pipes are deep or under hard surfaces (typical 2026 quotes).
Cite this page
“What drain work costs, 2026”, Drain Prices, https://drainprices.co.uk/ (updated 2026-08-14). Ranges reflect typical quotes for domestic drainage work observed across the UK market in 2026; they vary by region, access, depth and cause. The out-of-hours premium is expressed as an uplift because firms apply it differently, some as a higher callout, some as a multiplier. Excavation figures assume a single repair point; long runs, deep drains and work under driveways or floors cost more. Get exact prices for your job via the form above.
Worth knowing
Every figure sourced and dated.
- Drain unblocking cost: 2026 prices and what changes them
Drain unblocking costs £80–£150 for a standard visit and £150–£250 for jetting. What is in the price, what counts as extra, and when you should not pay at all.
- Blocked drains: who is responsible, you or the water company?
Since October 2011, lateral drains beyond your boundary and shared sewers belong to the water company. How to tell whose blockage it is before paying anyone.
- Is a CCTV drain survey worth it? When £150–£350 saves you thousands
A CCTV drain survey costs £150–£350. Worth it before any excavation quote, for repeat blockages and older houses. When to pay for one and when to skip it.
The questions we get
How much does drain unblocking cost?
Typical 2026 quotes: £80–£150 for a standard callout with rods, £150–£250 for high-pressure jetting, £150–£350 for a CCTV survey, and £600–£2,500+ where a collapsed drain has to be dug up and repaired. Out-of-hours emergencies commonly add 50–100%. Ranges vary by region and access.
Who pays to unblock a drain, me or the water company?
You pay for the drain that serves only your property inside your boundary. Lateral drains beyond the boundary and any pipe shared by two or more properties have belonged to the water companies since 1 October 2011, and they clear those at no charge. Check before booking anyone.
Is drain jetting worth the extra over rodding?
For grease, scale, silt and compacted blockages, yes: rods punch a hole, jetting cleans the pipe wall, so the blockage is less likely to re-form. For a simple soft blockage, rodding at £80–£150 usually does the job. A firm that quotes jetting for everything should be able to say why.
What does an emergency drain callout cost?
Expect the standard price plus 50–100% at nights, weekends and bank holidays (typical 2026 quotes). Always ask the out-of-hours rate on the phone before anyone sets off, and if sewage is not actually entering the property, waiting for the day rate is usually the cheaper call.
Why does my drain keep blocking?
Repeat blockages almost always have a physical cause: root ingress, scale, a displaced joint, a bellied pipe holding water, or a partial collapse. Paying for clearance visit after visit treats the symptom. A CCTV survey at £150–£350 finds the cause and tells you what fixing it actually involves.
Is this price service really free?
Yes, free to you, no obligation to book anyone. We pass your details only to relevant local drainage engineers, who price the job directly; we may receive a fee from those firms, which is how the service is funded.