FAQ: 13 Honest Answers to Your Drainage Questions

For emergency callouts across South East England, we aim to have a qualified drainage engineer at your property within 60 minutes of your call. In many areas — particularly in and around Croydon, Sutton, and central Surrey — response times are often shorter.

We operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including bank holidays. A blocked drain at 2am is treated with the same urgency as one at 2pm. When you call, you speak directly to someone who can despatch an engineer immediately — not an answering service that passes a message on.

Our 24-hour emergency drain unblocking service covers London, Surrey, West Sussex, East Sussex, Hampshire, and Kent. No call-out fee, ever.

No. There is no call-out fee for any job across South East England — not for evenings, not for weekends, not for bank holidays. Every job is quoted at a fixed price before work begins, so you know exactly what you will pay before we lift a single drain cover.

This is a firm policy, not a promotional offer. We believe the customer should never be surprised by the bill — so we quote upfront and that price is what you pay. If the job is more complex than anticipated, we discuss it with you before proceeding.

Yes. If our engineer attends your property and cannot resolve the drainage problem, you will not be charged for the work. Full stop. We find that in practice this reassures customers that we are not just guessing — if we agree to take the job, we are confident we can do it.

We also back every completed job with a workmanship guarantee. If the same blockage returns within the guarantee period, we come back and address it at no additional cost.

The cost depends on several factors: the severity and location of the blockage, the method required (rodding, high-pressure jetting, or mechanical clearance), and whether it is a daytime appointment or an out-of-hours emergency call.

We always provide a fixed price before any work starts. The fastest way to get an accurate estimate is to call us on 07771 200075 — describe the problem and we will give you a clear figure over the phone, with no obligation to book.

See our drain unblocking service page for a full breakdown of what is included.

Most blockages we attend fall into one of five categories:

• Grease and fat — cooking oil poured down the kitchen sink solidifies inside the pipe, gradually narrowing the channel until it is completely blocked. The most common cause of kitchen drain problems.
• Hair and soap scum — hair binds with soap residue in bathroom drains to form a dense, sticky mass that builds up surprisingly quickly.
• Wet wipes and sanitary products — even products labelled "flushable" do not break down in drainage systems. They are among the most common causes of emergency sewer backup problems.
• Tree root ingress — roots seek moisture and can penetrate even small cracks in underground pipework. Many older properties in South East England have clay drainage that is particularly vulnerable.
• Scale and debris build-up — mineral deposits, silt, and general debris accumulate in older pipes over time, reducing the effective diameter year by year.

A slow drain, gurgling sounds after flushing, or unpleasant smells from plug holes are early warning signs. Catching it early is almost always cheaper than an emergency callout.

A CCTV drain survey passes a small waterproof camera through your drainage pipework to inspect the internal condition of the pipes in real time. The camera transmits live footage to a monitor above ground, and the full inspection is recorded for your reference.

A CCTV survey is worth considering if:

• Your drain keeps blocking again after clearing — the underlying cause has not been fixed
• You are buying or selling a property and want to know the drain condition before exchanging
• You suspect root ingress, pipe collapse, or cracking but cannot locate the problem without opening up the ground
• You want to plan a drain repair and need to know exactly what you are dealing with

It is the most accurate non-invasive diagnostic method available — and it prevents unnecessary excavation when the cause is not immediately obvious.

In many cases, yes. We use no-dig repair techniques — including patch lining and full pipe relining — that allow us to fix cracked, fractured, or deteriorating pipes from the inside. No excavation needed in most situations.

These methods are typically faster and less disruptive than traditional digging, and there is usually no mess left behind once the work is complete. Where no-dig methods are suitable, you would not know we had been unless you looked at the drain.

After a CCTV survey, we will advise which repair method is most appropriate for your specific situation. In some cases — for example, a completely collapsed pipe section — excavation may still be the only realistic option, and we will always explain why before proceeding.

High-pressure water jetting is safe for the vast majority of drainage systems when carried out by a trained engineer using the correct equipment and pressure settings. It is one of the most effective methods for clearing stubborn blockages and for a thorough high-pressure flush of the pipe interior.

Before jetting, our engineers assess the age and condition of your pipework. For older clay pipes or systems showing signs of deterioration, we may recommend a lower-pressure approach or an alternative technique to avoid placing further stress on vulnerable joints or walls.

If there is any doubt about suitability, a CCTV inspection first removes the guesswork entirely — and means we go in knowing exactly what we are dealing with.

Yes. We work on both domestic and commercial properties throughout South East England. Our team has handled drainage systems of all sizes — from single-bedroom flats to restaurants, offices, retail units, schools, and large industrial sites.

For commercial clients, a drainage fault can directly impact trading and operations. We prioritise fast response, minimise disruption wherever possible, and provide written reports, photographs, and itemised invoices for every job — useful for insurance purposes or compliance records.

Ask us about monthly drainage maintenance plans — a cost-effective way for businesses to manage drainage proactively rather than reacting to emergencies.

We serve the whole of South East England. Our core coverage spans London, Surrey, West Sussex, East Sussex, Hampshire, and Kent — including drain unblocking in Croydon, Purley, Sutton, Mitcham, Epsom, Redhill, Crawley, Horsham, Brighton, Worthing, and Eastbourne.

The fastest way to confirm coverage for your postcode is to call 07771 200075 or email support@drainage-plumbing.co.uk. We will confirm immediately. See our full local areas page for a complete list.

Four things that genuinely help:

• Stop using the affected drain — avoid running taps, flushing the toilet, or using the shower if the blockage is connected to the soil pipe. Adding more water makes it worse.
• Turn off the water supply if needed — your stopcock is usually under the kitchen sink or in the utility room. If water is overflowing, this limits the damage until we arrive.
• Contain any overflow — lay old towels or place buckets to limit water spread while you wait.
• Avoid chemical drain cleaners — these can damage pipework and create hazardous conditions for our engineer, especially when combined with high-pressure jetting. Leave the pipe alone and let us handle it properly.

If the situation deteriorates rapidly, call us back on 07771 200075 — we can advise further over the phone while the engineer is on the way.

Most blocked drains are preventable. These five habits make a real difference:

• Use a sink strainer in the kitchen and bathroom to catch food particles, hair, and debris before they reach the drain.
• Never pour cooking fat or oil down the sink — allow it to cool and dispose of it in the bin. Even a small amount of grease solidifies inside pipes over time.
• Only flush the three Ps: pee, poo, and toilet paper. Wet wipes, cotton wool, and sanitary products belong in the bin, even if the packet says "flushable."
• Run hot water through kitchen drains for 30 seconds after washing up to help flush residual grease before it settles.
• For properties with mature trees nearby, an annual CCTV check catches root ingress early — before a hairline crack in a clay joint becomes a collapsed pipe.

If you notice slow drainage anywhere in your property, address it early. A drain clean when a blockage is partial is almost always cheaper than a full emergency callout once it is completely blocked.

Yes. We work with landlords, property managers, and letting agents across South East England on both reactive emergency callouts and planned maintenance programmes. We understand that a drainage fault in a tenanted property needs resolving quickly — for the tenant’s comfort and to limit the landlord’s liability.

We provide written reports, photographs, and itemised invoices for every job, useful for insurance claims, landlord records, or demonstrating compliance with repair obligations. We are also happy to liaise directly with tenants on a landlord’s behalf to arrange access and keep communication straightforward.

If you manage multiple properties, ask about a planned maintenance agreement — it gives you priority response times and a consistent point of contact for all your drainage needs.