The Short Answer
On our estimates, a typical blocked drain costs £80 to £150 to clear and takes 1 to 2 hours. Rodding is £75 to £150, jetting £100 to £250, and both together £180 to £400. Emergency call-outs cost more.
Before you pay, check whose drain it is. You're usually responsible for the drains inside your boundary, but the water company looks after shared drains and sewers, so a blockage there isn't yours to pay for.
Drain unblocking prices
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Typical unblock | £80 to £150 |
| Toilet unblocked | £50 to £70 |
| Sink or bath unblocked | £50 to £70 |
| Rodding | £75 to £150 |
| High-pressure jetting | £100 to £250 |
| Rodding and jetting | £180 to £400 |
| CCTV drain survey | £150 to £400 |
| Drain relining, per metre | £85 to £150 |
We estimate an emergency call-out at about £180, against about £60 in working hours. If water isn't backing up into the house, I'd wait for a weekday slot.
Whose drain is it?
Citizens Advice sets out who pays in England:
- You are usually responsible for the drains inside your property boundary that only serve your home (private drains). You pay for the work and can choose any company, or be insured for it.
- The sewerage company (your water company) is responsible for lateral drains, usually outside your boundary under the pavement or road, and for most sewers.
- Shared pipes: if the drain under your property also serves a neighbour, it's a sewer or lateral drain, so you don't maintain or repair it.
A drain carries waste from one building; a sewer collects it from several. A few private or unadopted sewers still exist. Citizens Advice also suggests checking with your buildings insurer, and notes the council's environmental health team can order the owner to improve or replace a private drain that causes problems, and can do the work and charge for it.
I'd lift the manhole covers first. If yours is clear and the blockage is further down, towards the road or a shared run, call the water company before you call anyone else.
What to try yourself
A single slow sink or bath is often worth a go yourself: drain rods cost about £15 to £140 to buy, and sink unblockers and drain cleaners cost a few pounds. If the whole house is backing up, or water is rising in an outside manhole, I'd call a drain engineer.
If it keeps blocking
For a drain that blocks again and again, I'd pay for a CCTV survey (£150 to £400) to see what's going on inside it; one with a written report costs more than a basic look. If the pipe is damaged, relining it from the inside costs about £85 to £150 per metre on our estimates.
Rats can come up from the drains, and tracking them can mean a CCTV drain survey; if you've seen both, mention it. See rat control.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to unblock a drain?
On our estimates, £80 to £150 for a typical blockage, £100 to £250 if it needs jetting.
Who is responsible for a blocked drain?
In England you're usually responsible for private drains inside your boundary that serve only your home. The water company looks after lateral drains, shared drains and most sewers.
Can I unblock a drain myself?
A single sink or bath is often worth a try with an unblocker or rods (about £15 to £140). I'd call a drain engineer if the whole house is affected or an outside manhole is filling up.
How long does it take to unblock a drain?
Usually 1 to 2 hours.
Does home insurance cover blocked drains?
Check your buildings policy; Citizens Advice suggests asking your insurer before paying for drain work.
How we priced thisView sources (1, 1 official)
Rules come from the legislation and official guidance, read at source. Prices are our estimates: we check them against trade price data, retailer shelf prices and specialists' price lists, then build them up from their parts so the totals add up. Below are the sources behind the page; the trade price guides we only compare against aren’t listed. Where sources disagreed, we've said so. More on our method.
- OfficialWho is responsible for repairing drains and sewers (England), Citizens Advice. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
