Blocked Drains
Blocked Drains in Adelaide
Get matched with three CBS-licensed Adelaide plumbers in your area. Each quote is itemised, with hydro-jet, CCTV inspection, and root removal priced separately. No $1,500 surprises.
When you need a blocked drains plumber
Blocked drains are the single most common plumbing job in Adelaide. They are also the job most prone to overcharging - one viral Reddit thread shows a $5,000 quote for what was ultimately a $480 hydro-jet. We match you with three CBS-licensed local plumbers so you can see real Adelaide prices before you commit.
Signs you need this service
- Water backing up in the shower, sink, or toilet.
- Bad smell from drains or sewer point in the yard.
- Slow draining sinks and gurgling pipes.
- Recurring blockages even after a recent clear.
What a matched plumber does
- Diagnostic visit with a fixed call-out fee (often waived if you book the job).
- Hydro-jet clearing for grease, scale, and most root intrusions.
- CCTV camera inspection so you can see the actual condition of the pipe.
- Quote for permanent fix (relining or section replacement) if the drain is collapsing.
Blocked Drains - indicative cost
Indicative$220 – $1,400
Typical Adelaide job: $480
Indicative range drawn from real Adelaide jobs. Your 3 matched plumbers quote the exact fixed price before any work starts.
Plumber Cost Adelaide guideHow the matching works
1. Tell us the job
One short form, about two minutes. Add photos if you have them.
2. Get 3 local matches
CBS-licensed independent plumbers who cover your Adelaide suburb.
3. Compare and choose
Three itemised quotes, side by side. No obligation, no fee to you.
What to know about blocked drains in Adelaide
Most blocked drains in Adelaide fall into one of four categories: kitchen waste line (grease and food), bathroom waste line (hair and soap scum), toilet (wet wipes and sanitary products), or main sewer line (tree roots in older clay pipework). The right tool depends on the type of blockage. Hand augers and electric eels handle most domestic blockages; hydro-jet is the modern standard for grease and roots; CCTV inspection is needed only when a recurring blockage means there's likely a structural problem in the pipe.
When a network plumber arrives, they should diagnose with a camera before they quote anything over $500. If a plumber quotes $1,500+ without a camera inspection, that is a red flag - get a second opinion. Our network plumbers itemise quotes: call-out (often waived if you book the job), labour, hydro-jet hire, CCTV inspection, and disposal. You can compare line items across the three quotes.
Drainage work on your property side of the inspection point is licensed plumbing work under the SA Plumbers, Gas Fitters and Electricians Act 1995. Network plumbers are SA Water-accredited for any work that connects to the public sewer.
South Australian regulation
Drainage work on your property side of the inspection point is licensed plumbing work under the PGE Act 1995. Network plumbers are SA Water-accredited for work connecting to the public sewer.
Blocked Drains in Adelaide - questions
Most single-blockage residential jobs land between $220 and $480 for a standard machine clear. Hydro-jet plus CCTV inspection typically runs $650 to $1,400. Anything quoted at $1,500 or more usually means the plumber has found a collapsed section or root mass that needs lining or replacement - get a second opinion before you commit.
Three big culprits: tree roots in older clay pipework (common in homes built before 1980), grease and food in kitchen waste lines, and wet wipes plus sanitary products in toilet lines. Our matched plumber will tell you which one you've got.
Modern blocked drain work is mostly no-dig. A licensed plumber uses electric eel or hydro-jet through an existing inspection point. Pipe relining is also no-dig. Excavation only happens when the pipe has collapsed badly enough that lining is not viable.
If only one fixture is affected and you have alternatives (another bathroom, another sink), it can wait. If sewage is backing up, multiple fixtures are affected, or there is risk of overflow inside the house, treat it as an emergency - book through our emergency plumber page.
Every plumber in our network holds a current SA Plumbing Contractor's licence under the Plumbers, Gas Fitters and Electricians Act 1995. Drainage work on your property side of the inspection point is licensed plumbing work. You can verify any plumber's licence on the CBS public register before they start.
Related plumbing services
Compare 3 free quotes for blocked drains in Adelaide
Tell us the job once. We match you with 3 independent local plumbers within 24 hours. No call centres, no obligation, no nasty surprises.
Every plumber CBS-licensed under the SA PGE Act 1995