PRICE GUIDE · PLUMBING & HEATING · 2026–2027
Drain Unblocking cost in the UK
£80–£250 per job. Typically £180.
Unblocking a drain in the UK costs £80–£250 in normal hours, with £180 typical for rodding a simple blockage. Grease, scale and roots that need high-pressure jetting push the price up, as do out-of-hours call-outs and blockages deep in a long drain run.
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HOW MUCH IT COSTS
How much does drain unblocking cost in the UK?
| Low end | £80 | a simple blockage cleared with rods in working hours |
|---|---|---|
| Typical | £180 | what most people pay |
| High end | £250 | jetting grease or roots, or an out-of-hours call-out |
Locufy guide prices for 2026–2027. Updated 2026. A national range, not a quote — enter your town above for real prices from the plumbers and heating firms near you.
What moves the price
- Type of blockage — a simple gully blockage clears with rods, while grease and roots need jetting
- Where the blockage sits — a blocked sink trap is quicker than a blockage deep in the main drain
- Out-of-hours call-outs — evenings and weekends cost more for an emergency drain unblocking
- CCTV check — a camera survey after clearing shows whether the drain is damaged
- Access — buried or seized manhole covers slow the drain engineer down
- Shared drains — when the drain unblocking is needed in a sewer serving several homes, the water company normally pays
Plumbing and heating prices in the UK are up 6% over five years (ONS Consumer Price Inflation, Services for maintenance and repair, to 2026 August). Five years ago a typical drain unblocking would have cost about £115 — an estimate from today's guide price and that index, not a recorded price. Source: ONS MM23 D7DO →
WHAT YOU GET
What a drain unblocking booking includes
Takes: Under an hour for a simple blockage, one to two hours for jetting. Not included: Drain repairs, relining and full CCTV surveys with reports are priced separately from drain unblocking — see the related guides below.
WHAT PEOPLE BOOK
Common drain unblocking jobs
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Drain Unblocking near you, with prices shown
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How to pay less
- Keep fat, wipes and food scraps out of drains, which causes most domestic blockages
- Check whether the blocked drain is shared, as the water company may clear it free
- Book drain unblocking in normal hours unless the blockage is causing flooding
Before you book
- Find out whether the blocked drain serves only your home or is a shared sewer before paying
- Ask whether the drain unblocking price is fixed or charged by the hour
- Check whether your home insurance covers blocked drains or accidental damage to pipes
- If blockages keep returning, ask for a CCTV survey rather than paying for repeated clearing
Drain Unblocking cost: questions people ask
£80–£250 per job, about £180 typical. A simple blockage cleared with rods costs least; jetting grease or roots, or an out-of-hours call-out, costs the most.
Under an hour for most simple blockages. Jetting a stubborn blockage usually takes one to two hours.
Drains serving more than one property, and the public sewer, are usually the water company's responsibility. Call them first if the blockage is outside your boundary.
Jetting clears grease, scale and roots more thoroughly. Rodding is fine for simple blockages and usually costs less.
Repairs to damaged pipes, relining and full CCTV surveys with written reports are separate.
They are Locufy guide prices for the UK, read from published UK blocked drain costs — a national range, not a quote. The blockage and the timing set your price.
MORE GUIDES