cost of clearing drain

johnd

Registered User
Messages
149
Outside kitchen drain is blocked up, I have tried usual methods but nothing works and I now have to call in the professionals.
Similar problem happened in work and it cost the company €200 to clear 1 sewer drain with well known company. Can't afford that kind of money for 30 minutes work.
Any tradsmen or company recommendations appreciated. Living in Dubin 9.
 
Well just work it out. 2 men probably, a van, fuel and insurance, tools, maybe some electrical equipment, contractors insurance and travelling time. It all adds up in case you didn't realise it
 
Try getting some sewer rods and have a go yourself, it might only need a little push to clear the blockage. Sorry, just read you tried 'usual' methods'!
 
When you say 'usual methods', product wise, are you talking only well known branded stuff? Most of that is not up to much IME.

If you go to a good hardware place you can get these fairly nondescript looking bottles - can't even remember the brand, which just shows you - of acid drain cleaner. Contains something like 90 odd % sulphuric acid. They might do the trick - they alway do with us.

Be careful though obviously.
 
or try caustic soda but watch your hands or any part of you, as it burns severely
 
Thank you Ophelia and Caveat for your helpful suggestions. Yes! did try product from hardwear shop. Very impressive, especially when I poured water down drain after 15 mins, but still blocked alas. Also tried caustic soda but again no joy.
Years ago, before decking was installed I was able to manually do it myself. Messy and dirty but it worked. Short of taking up the decking I'm stuck which is why I was hoping for some recommendations re drain clearing companies.
 
Have you tried putting your hand into gully and having a feel? Most blockages are local. Ensure you let tap run for a while so any chemicals are washed out.
 
Hi Mick1960 - I did lift some boards off the decking but space too confined to lie down and do the work manually as I did before decking.

DavyJones - Used this method before decking was installed. Best method of all if you can do it that is:)
 
A power hose is great tool for blasting a blockage, beware of back splash,and wear goggles! Hope this is some thing that might work in your instance.
 
Can't give you further details on the cost but you can get a semi-rigid
wire reel enclosed in a plastic case for clearing obstructions, quite good at going around bends
(U-bends included) and can be purchased in Atlantic Homecare as I passed by one the other day.

looks like this

[broken link removed]

Should cost circa 30 Euro.

You have to manually feed the wire in (in the one referenced above), despite the fact it looks like you just wind it.

Try that, for domestic greywater that should definitely work.
 
I would think about €175 - €200 incl VAT is the norm for the hire of an operator and high pressure jetting unit. As you've already put acid down the drains, be sure to advise the company you engage - for safety reasons. If you plan on selling the house, you'll have to cut out the decking anyway to get to the access point.
 
Did you put the decking down yourself? If you did, you should have made some part of it removable (eg, a portion that can lift up, like an attic trap-door) for just such a reason. If you didn't leave this access, I'd recommend that you make it now - then try and fix the drain yourself if you can! If a carpenter did the deck for you, you could ask him to come back and remedy it so that you now have this access, cos you need it now, and you're definitely going to need it again sometime! Then fix the drain as above. If you get a drain cleaning contractor in to fix the drain, he may need to get access too, and one way or another, that access will eventually be required, so you may as well start with that! Good luck
 
Thanks everyone for your advice. Took up 3 boards and my wife managed to crawl down and cleaned it herself. No! I didn't force her - she just got fed up with it and decided to do it herself:)
 
Great stuff, well done! Now, before you put them back down again, ...make that hatch! Use some brass screws so that the same boards can come up again, or design and cut a trapdoor, which will take a little more planning.
 
When the showers or sinks in our house show signs of being blocked, I use stuff called "Drain Unblocker." It's absolute dynamite for clearing any kind of blockage but has to be handled with extreme care! It contains min. 95% sulphuric acid. It comes in a plastic bottle inside a box. I think I got it in Atlantic Homecare.
 
Back
Top