Inside the home
Sinks, baths, showers and toilets that are slow or blocked, gurgling plugholes and water backing up.
Blocked Drains in Reading
Sink, toilet or outside drain blocked, slow or smelling? Compare quotes from up to 3 vetted plumbers and drain engineers in Reading.
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Drain problems we can help with
Outside drains
Overflowing gullies and manholes, standing water, and bad smells around the house.
Repeat blockages and damage
Drains that keep blocking, tree roots, and cracked or collapsed pipes found with a CCTV survey.
Before you book, it's worth finding out where the blockage is. If only one sink or shower is slow, the problem is usually in its trap or waste pipe, and a plunger or cleaning out the trap may clear it. If several fittings are slow, or the toilet water rises when you run a tap, the blockage is further down the line. Lift the cover of your inspection chamber (the manhole nearest the house). If it's full, the blockage is downstream of it. If it's empty, the blockage is between the house and the chamber.
Who pays depends on where the blockage is. Since October 2011, drains in England that are shared with neighbours, or that sit outside your property boundary, have been the water company's responsibility. In Reading, that's Thames Water. You're responsible for the drain that serves only your home, inside your boundary. If the blockage is in a shared drain or the public sewer, report it to Thames Water, which clears it at no charge. If it's in your own drain, that's a job for a plumber or drain engineer.
The most common causes are fat and cooking oil poured down the sink, wet wipes flushed down the toilet, and, in autumn, leaves and silt washed into outside gullies. Many of Reading's Victorian terraces still have their original clay drains, where joints can crack and tree roots can get in. A blockage that keeps coming back usually means damage like this. A CCTV survey shows the inside of the pipe, so you can see whether it needs a patch repair or a liner rather than digging up the garden.
Engineers clear most blockages with drain rods or high-pressure water jetting. Ask whether the quote is a fixed price per visit or hourly, whether a CCTV report is included, and whether the work is guaranteed. Don't mix drain-cleaning chemicals, and tell the engineer if you've used any.
If sewage is coming up inside the house, stop using water, keep children and pets away, and say so when you post your job. Reviews on Trade Pilot come from real, invoiced jobs, so you can see how other homeowners rated an engineer's work.
Typical prices
| Job | Typical UK range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Unblock a sink, bath or shower | £60–£150 | Often a fixed price per visit |
| Unblock a toilet | £60–£150 | More if the blockage is further down the drain |
| Clear an outside drain or gully | £80–£200 | Rods or high-pressure jetting |
| CCTV drain survey | £100–£300 | Usually includes a written report |
| Drain patch repair or relining | £300–£1,500 | Depends on length and access |
Typical UK ranges; your quotes depend on the job and access.
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How Trade Pilot helps you hire in Reading
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Frequently Asked Questions
Clearing a blocked sink, toilet or outside drain usually costs £60 to £200, often as a fixed price per visit. A CCTV survey to find the cause of repeat blockages is usually £100 to £300.
You're responsible for the drain that serves only your home, inside your boundary. Since October 2011, drains shared with neighbours and those outside your boundary have been the water company's responsibility. In Reading, report those to Thames Water.
Fat, oil and wet wipes are the usual causes. If blockages keep returning, the pipe may be cracked, sagging or invaded by tree roots. A CCTV survey will show what's going on inside.
They can help with a slow sink, but they rarely clear a full blockage and can damage some pipes. Never mix different products, and tell the engineer if you've used any before they start.
A camera is fed into the drain to show its condition. It's worth having for blockages that keep coming back, before buying a house with older drains, or before agreeing to any digging.
Clearing a blockage usually isn't, but damage to drains, and home emergency cover, sometimes are. Check your policy before you book.
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