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Water draining slowly is the earliest warning. Watch for gurgling sounds from the toilet or sink when you run water elsewhere, a smell of sewage around drains or in the yard, water pooling around outdoor grates, or the toilet level rising and falling on its own. If multiple fixtures are slow at once, the blockage is in your main sewer line rather than a single pipe, and that needs a plumber straight away.
Most straightforward blockages cost between $89 and $250 to clear. The price depends on where the blockage sits, what's causing it, and whether we can reach it through an existing access point. Tree root removal and jobs needing a CCTV camera inspection cost more. We quote before we start so you'll have a written price in your hand before any work begins, and the callout is $0 so you're not paying just to have someone look.
Sometimes, for minor blockages. A plunger or a drain snake from the hardware shop will handle a simple sink or shower clog. What we'd avoid is caustic drain cleaner as it can damage older pipes, it rarely clears a proper blockage, and it makes the job hazardous for whoever opens the pipe afterwards. If the blockage is in your main line, keeps coming back, or involves more than one fixture, DIY won't fix the cause and you risk pushing the problem further down the line.
Most jobs are done in one visit, typically 1–2 hours. A simple blockage close to an access point can be cleared in under an hour. Tree roots, a collapsed pipe, or a blockage deep in the main line takes longer and may need a camera inspection first to find exactly where the problem is. We'll tell you the likely timeframe when we quote, not after.
As the property owner, you're responsible for the pipes on your property up to the connection point at the boundary. Your water authority Yarra Valley Water, South East Water or Greater Western Water depending on where you are look after the main sewer beyond that. If a blockage affects several properties, it's likely in the main and the authority will handle it at no cost. If it's yours alone, it's on you. We can identify which side of the boundary the problem sits on and tell you straight.
Yes, unless the pipe is repaired. Clearing roots removes the blockage, but the crack that let them in is still there and roots will find it again usually within 12 to 24 months. For a permanent fix you need the damaged section relined or replaced. We'll show you the camera footage so you can see the condition of the pipe and decide whether to clear it now and monitor, or repair it properly.
It's a waterproof camera fed down the drain so we can see exactly what's inside. You need one when blockages keep returning, when we suspect tree roots or a collapsed pipe, or before you buy a property with mature trees and old plumbing. It takes the guesswork out and instead of clearing blindly and hoping, we locate the exact spot and cause. You get to see the footage too.
It is if sewage is backing up into your home, if the toilet is overflowing, or if you've lost use of your only bathroom. Raw sewage is a genuine health risk and needs dealing with immediately. A slow-draining sink can wait until business hours. We're available 24/7 so if you're not sure how urgent it is, ring us and we'll tell you honestly whether it can wait until morning.
Keep fat and oil out of the sink and pour it into a container and bin it once it's set. Only flush the three Ps: pee, poo and paper. Wet wipes, sanitary products and paper towel all cause blockages regardless of what the packet says. Fit drain strainers in showers and basins to catch hair. If you've got large trees near your sewer line, a CCTV inspection every couple of years will catch root intrusion before it becomes a backup.


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