How Much Does Drain Cleaning Cost?

The cost of drain cleaning depends mostly on where the clog is and how it has to be cleared. A single clogged sink is a short job with a drain snake. A main line full of roots may need hydro jetting and a camera inspection. At Plumbing Doctor you get a flat price before we start, after a $49 service call.

What changes the price?

• Which drain. One sink, tub or toilet costs less to clear than the main sewer line that serves the whole house.
• How it's cleared. A drain snake handles most single-fixture clogs. Hydro jetting, which scours the pipe walls with high-pressure water, takes more equipment and time, and it keeps the line clear much longer.
• Access. A main line with a reachable cleanout is quicker to clear than one where we have to pull a toilet or find a buried cleanout first.
• A camera inspection. If a line keeps clogging, a sewer camera shows why: roots, a sag, a crack. It adds to the visit but can save you paying to clear the same line every few months.
• Time of day. Nights, weekends and holidays add our $250 after-hours fee.

Snaking or hydro jetting?

Snaking is usually the cheaper option for a simple clog near a fixture. Hydro jetting costs more upfront but cleans grease, scale and roots off the whole pipe, so it's often the better value for kitchen lines and main lines that clog again and again. Mike explains the difference in Should I have my pipes snaked or hydro jetted?

What about drain cleaner from the store?

It's cheap, but it often eats at older pipes and clears only a small channel through the clog. The drain backs up again, and the chemicals make the next visit less pleasant for everyone. Mike covers this in No, Coca-Cola won't clean your drains.

How to avoid paying for it twice

• Keep grease, coffee grounds and fibrous food out of the kitchen sink.
• Use hair catchers in tubs and showers.
• Flush only toilet paper. "Flushable" wipes clog lines.
• If the same drain clogs twice in a few months, ask for a camera inspection instead of another clearing.

How Plumbing Doctor quotes

You get a flat price before any work starts, and it doesn't change once we begin. Every repair comes with 1 year on parts and labor. See our drain cleaning page or call 908-873-6686.