What Causes a Blocked Drain? A Guide to Causes & Clear Pricing

The Usual Suspects Behind a Blocked Drain

Most blocked drains we attend are caused by a handful of common issues. Understanding these helps you prevent future problems and gives you a clearer idea of the work our engineers might need to do. The cause directly influences the method and tools required, which is why we always provide an itemised quote after a CCTV survey. You'll know the price for each part of the job before we start.

From Kitchen Sinks to Sewer Lines: Common Culprits

In kitchen drains, the primary offender is fat, oil, and grease (FOG). When poured away, it cools, solidifies, and sticks to pipe walls, slowly catching food scraps until the flow stops. We clear these with high-pressure water jetting, and our quote will clearly separate the survey, jetting, and any necessary follow-up inspection costs.

In bathrooms, hair combined with soap scum creates stubborn clogs. Non-flushable items like wet wipes, cotton buds, and sanitary products are a major problem, even if labelled 'flushable'. These often require mechanical extraction or jetting. For recurring blockages, a CCTV drain survey is the only honest way to see the root cause, and we price this as a standalone, upfront diagnostic service.

Outside, blocked gullies and drains are often filled with leaves, silt, and garden debris. Property drainage systems can be invaded by tree roots seeking moisture, which crack pipes and cause major blockages. Root removal is a specific job, often needing cutting heads on our jetting equipment or even excavation if the pipe has collapsed. We will always explain the options and their associated costs transparently.

Why Knowing the Cause Matters for Your Quote

We believe in price transparency because the job cost should match the problem. A simple sink unblock with a handheld auger is a straightforward, lower-cost fix. A suspected collapsed pipe under a garden patio is a different matter entirely. That's why our process is clear: we diagnose, we quote an itemised price, and you approve. You won't get a vague estimate; you'll get a breakdown for the survey, labour, equipment use, and any parts. This honest approach means you pay for the work you need, not a guess at what it might be.

General wear and tear, like ground movement causing pipe misalignment, also leads to persistent issues. Tackling this effectively requires the right tool for the job. Whether it's high-pressure water jetting to scour a pipe clean, electro-mechanical cleaning for tougher blockages, or a CCTV survey to provide video evidence, each service has a published price. This allows you to understand exactly what you're investing in to solve the problem for good.