We are a family-run firm covering London since 2013, with SW1 among the areas we attend most. That covers Westminster, Victoria, Pimlico and Belgravia.
What we cover in SW1
The area we cover in SW1 spans Westminster, Victoria, Pimlico and Belgravia, part of City of Westminster. As we also attend the adjoining areas, a run crossing a boundary needs only one contractor.
Westminster, Victoria, Pimlico and Belgravia are largely stucco terraces and mansion blocks, much of it listed. Deep basements and lightwell gullies mean surface water and foul waste often meet in confined space below street level.
Common causes in SW1
The bulk of the jobs in SW1 comes down to a short list:
- A build-up that has been narrowing the pipe for a while, completed by a downpour
- A cracked or displaced section holding back solids
- A blockage on pipework shared with neighbours
- Surface water overwhelming a combined sewer
Signs worth reporting
The symptoms worth reporting when you ring:
- Water sitting in a drain outside hours after the last discharge
- Several fittings draining slowly at once, rather than a single sink
- A glugging noise from a plughole when the bath is let out
- A drain smell outside that keeps coming back
How the visit works
Finding the cause comes before clearing it:
- Make the property safe on arrival
- Locate the blockage by working through the chambers
- Remove the obstruction with jetting or rods
- Tell you what we found and whether the pipe needs more than clearing
Before we arrive
Useful steps before we arrive:
- Hold off on taps, showers and appliances, including the washing machine and dishwasher
- Keep people and pets away from any standing waste water
- Make sure the chambers can be reached
- Note which fittings are affected so we arrive prepared
Who pays for the repair
The first question on a shared drain is whose it is. Pipework inside your boundary serving only your property is yours; beyond that, and on anything shared, it is generally the water company’s. We put that in writing after the visit.
What it costs in SW1
Drain unblocking starts at a fixed £120 plus VAT, with no call-out charge at any hour. Prices are fixed rather than hourly, which means a stubborn blockage costs what we said.