Blocked drain
A blocked drain might clear with a machine, or it might be a broken pipe, tree roots or a collapsed section. Those are different invoices. This page does not publish a call-out fee.
Ask the plumber what the visit includes before they arrive, and ask them to stop and show you if the job turns into digging.
This guide does not publish a dollar figure. We only print a price when a government agency, industry body or manufacturer has published a rate we can link to. Use the factors and the questions when you compare quotes.
What changes the price
- Symptom. One slow basin is not the same as sewage at the overflow relief gully. Describe what you can see.
- Access. An inspection opening in the yard is simpler than a drain under a slab.
- Clear versus repair. A clear might be temporary if the pipe is broken. A camera inspection tells you which.
- After hours. Nights and weekends are often a different rate from a planned visit. Ask.
- Who is licensed. Drainage work is licensed. The quote or the invoice should carry the licence.
Questions to ask
- What does the call-out include, and what starts a variation?
- Will you camera the drain if it will not clear?
- Is digging and reinstatement excluded until I approve it?
- Are after-hours rates different?
- What licence covers this drainage work?
- What should we stop using until you arrive?
Common questions
Why not list a typical call-out fee?
Published call-out menus from private businesses are not a government or industry rate, and they change. We would rather you ask two licensed plumbers the questions above.
Is a blocked stormwater drain the same job?
Not always. Sewage and stormwater are different pipes. Tell the plumber which one you think it is, and let them confirm.