Blocked Drain
Water drains slowly or not at all from a sink, bath, or shower, often with an unpleasant smell.
What Is Causing This?
- 1Build-up of hair, soap scum, and grease
- 2Foreign object lodged in the trap
- 3Tree roots growing into underground pipes
How Urgent Is This?
This should be fixed in the coming weeks. Leaving it may allow the problem to worsen and cost more to repair.
What Needs to Be Done
A plumber will clear the blockage using a plunger, drain snake, or high-pressure water jet. For deeper blockages, a CCTV survey may be needed.
How Much Will It Cost?
National average estimate
Labour: £246 – £620 | Materials: £200 – £830
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Prices are estimates based on typical UK rates. Actual costs depend on the specific issue, accessibility, and your location. All quotes from tradespeople on Tradesfolk are completely free.
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Ask a QuestionHow to Prevent This
Use drain guards to catch hair and debris. Run hot water through drains weekly. Never pour cooking fat or oil down the sink.
Related Problems
An external drain or manhole cover with standing water, overflowing, or draining very slowly.
Bath or shower water taking a long time to drain away, sometimes backing up around the plughole.
Drains making gurgling or bubbling sounds when water runs out of sinks, baths, or toilets.
Water takes a long time to drain from the bathroom sink, sometimes backing up when running the tap.
Other Plumber Problems
A tap that drips constantly, wasting water and causing staining around the sink or basin.
Water comes out slowly from taps or the shower, making everyday tasks frustrating.
Water continuously runs into the toilet bowl after flushing, often with a hissing or trickling sound.
Hot water taps run cold or lukewarm despite the boiler or immersion heater being switched on.