We work constantly in new-build flats throughout the capital, and the causes rarely surprise us.
How new-build flats are drained
Recent developments use plastic pipework, engineered falls and, in taller or riverside buildings, pumped systems and basement chambers rather than simple gravity runs.
What goes wrong
Faults tend to sit in shared stacks, pump chambers and car park drainage rather than in a garden run, and misuse by one occupier affects the whole stack.
Our approach
Most developments require a permit and an escort. We arrange that at booking so the engineer is not waiting in reception while the problem gets worse.
Signs worth reporting
- Water standing in an outside gully when nothing is running
- More than one appliance backing up, which points at the shared run
- Bubbling in the pan as another appliance drains
- Foul odour around a chamber that keeps coming back
Before we arrive
- Keep water use to nothing, especially washing machines
- Move children and pets away from the affected area
- Make sure the chambers can be reached
- Jot down what is draining and what is not when you ring
Who pays for the repair
Before anyone invoices you, it is worth knowing where the fault sits. Your own run up to the boundary is your responsibility; past the boundary it is normally Thames Water. We record it so you have something to act on.
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.