A large share of our work is in converted flats throughout the capital, and the faults repeat.
How converted flats are drained
Houses divided into flats usually keep the drainage they were built with, even though they now serve three or four kitchens and bathrooms instead of one.
What goes wrong
Kitchens and bathrooms moved during conversion leave long waste runs with very little fall, which collect residue quickly and block repeatedly.
Our approach
Establishing whether the fault is in your demised pipework or the building’s shared run matters as much as clearing it. Camera evidence settles that conversation quickly.
Signs worth reporting
- Water sitting in a drain outside when nothing is running
- More than one appliance backing up, which points at the shared run
- A glugging noise from a plughole when something else empties
- Foul odour around a chamber that keeps coming back
Before we arrive
- Stop using water in the property, including the washing machine and dishwasher
- Keep people and pets away from any standing waste water
- Move bins or planters off the inspection covers
- Note which fittings are affected so we arrive prepared
Who pays for the repair
Whose pipe it is matters as much as what is in it. Since 2011, most shared drains and lateral drains in England belong to the water company, which means a fault beyond your boundary is theirs to fix. We work out where the fault is and say so, even where it means there is no job in it for us.
What we charge
Every price is fixed before work starts and there is never a call-out charge, at any hour:
- Blocked Drains – Outside drain clearance is a fixed £144 plus VAT.
- Blocked Toilets – A blocked toilet is normally cleared at the fixed £120 plus VAT rate.
- Blocked Sinks – Clearing a blocked sink is a fixed £120 plus VAT.
- Drain Unblocking – Drain unblocking starts at a fixed £120 plus VAT, with no call-out charge at any hour.
- CCTV Drain Surveys – A CCTV drain survey is a fixed £300 plus VAT, footage and written summary included.
- Trenchless Drain Repairs – Trenchless repairs are quoted after a survey, because the length and condition set the price.
- Drainage Installation – Installation work typically runs from £600 to £2,500, fixed after a site visit.
- French Drains – French drain installations are quoted after a site visit.