External drainage specialists — no call-out fee, fixed prices, 24/7 emergency response
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Blocked Drains in Bournemouth

Overflowing manholes, backed-up gullies and main drains cleared across Bournemouth — usually the same day. We agree a fixed price on site before anything starts, and there's no charge for turning up.

Sewage overflowing right now? Don't fill in a form — call us.

Call 0330 123 4567
First Things First

Is It a Drain Problem or a Plumbing One?

This is the question that decides whether you need us or a plumber — and it's worth thirty seconds before you call anyone, because it'll save you a wasted visit.

Call us — this is the main drain

  • An outside drain, gully or grid is overflowing or standing full
  • A manhole or inspection chamber is backing up
  • Several fixtures are affected at once — toilet, shower and sink all slow or gurgling
  • Flushing the toilet makes water rise in the shower or bath
  • Sewage smells outside, in the garden, driveway or yard
  • Water pooling in the garden with no obvious cause

Several fixtures failing together nearly always means the blockage is downstream of all of them — in the main drain.

You probably want a plumber

  • One sink draining slowly and everything else is fine
  • A single blocked toilet while other fixtures run normally
  • A leak under a sink or behind an appliance
  • Taps, washing machines, dishwashers
  • Internal pipework with everything outside running clear

We only handle the underground drains outside the building. If it turns out to be internal, we'll tell you — and you won't be charged for the visit.

Build note — delete before launch. This section mirrors the qualification logic used by the phone agent, so a caller who reads the page and a caller who phones get the same answer. Worth keeping the two in sync if either changes.
How It Works

What Happens When You Call

No open-ended hourly rates and no work starting before you've agreed the price.

1

You call, we answer

Any hour, any day. We'll ask a few questions to work out whether it's the main drain and how urgent it is, then book you in.

2

We attend and diagnose

The engineer lifts the covers, finds where the blockage sits, and works out what's causing it rather than guessing.

3

Fixed price agreed

You get a price for the work before anything starts. If you'd rather not go ahead, that's fine — there's no charge for the visit.

4

Cleared and checked

We clear the blockage, run water through to confirm the drain's flowing properly, and tidy up. If we think it'll recur, we'll say why.

Common Causes

Why Drains Block in Bournemouth

Some of these are universal. Others we see far more of here than we would elsewhere.

Fat, oil and grease

Cools, hardens and coats the pipe wall until the bore narrows and everything else catches on it. The most common cause we see in shared drains serving flats and converted houses.

Wet wipes and sanitary items

"Flushable" wipes don't break down. They snag on any imperfection in the pipe and build into a mass. Common wherever a single drain serves several households.

Tree and shrub roots

Roots find hairline cracks and old clay joints, then grow into the pipe and trap debris. Jetting clears them, but a survey tells you whether the joint needs repairing before it happens again.

Silt and sand ingress

Where a pipe has cracked, ground material washes in and builds up gradually. The tell-tale sign is a drain that clears easily then blocks again a few months later.

Collapsed or displaced pipework

Old clay and pitch-fibre drains crack, sag or lose alignment at the joints. Debris catches at the fault every time. Clearing helps temporarily; repair is the fix.

Leaves and outside debris

Gullies and yard grids silt up with leaves, grit and moss, particularly in autumn. Often the easiest and cheapest of all these to sort — sometimes on the spot.

While You're Waiting For Us

If a drain is backing up, a few simple things will stop it getting worse before we arrive.

  • Stop running water — no washing machine, dishwasher, showers or baths. Everything you send down has nowhere to go.
  • Avoid flushing the toilet if it's already backing up.
  • Keep children and pets away from any standing sewage, and wash hands thoroughly after any contact.
  • Don't pour drain chemicals down — they rarely shift a main-drain blockage and they make the job hazardous for the engineer.
  • If you can do it safely, lift the manhole cover and look. A full chamber tells us a lot before we arrive.
  • Move cars off the driveway if you can, so we can get the van close to the drain.
Related

If It Keeps Happening

Clearing a drain that blocks repeatedly only buys time. These are the next steps.

FAQs

Blocked Drain Questions

How much does it cost to unblock a drain?

It depends on where the blockage is, what's causing it and how long it takes to clear — which is why we won't quote a figure over the phone and then change it on the driveway. The engineer confirms a fixed price on site before starting, and if you decide not to go ahead there's no charge for the visit.

How quickly can you get here?

For emergencies we aim to attend the same day, often within a few hours. Call rather than using the form — it's quicker, and the phone is answered 24 hours a day. Overnight calls are booked into the first available window next morning.

Will you make a mess?

Drainage work isn't clean, but clearing up is part of the job, not an extra. We wash down afterwards and leave covers seated properly.

Should I try drain rods or chemicals first?

Rods are fine for a gully you can reach. For anything in the main drain they often push the blockage further along or dislodge a joint. Chemical unblockers rarely work on a main-drain blockage and make the job hazardous for whoever comes next — so we'd rather you didn't.

Is it my drain or the water company's?

Drains inside your boundary serving only your property are generally yours. Shared drains and sewers beyond the boundary are usually the water company's responsibility. We'll check and tell you which applies — including when it means you shouldn't be paying us at all.

Can I claim on my home insurance?

Sometimes — particularly where there's damage rather than just a blockage. Insurers generally want evidence, which is where a CCTV survey with footage and a written report matters. We can supply that documentation.

Do you clear blocked drains for businesses?

Yes. Pubs, restaurants, care homes, schools and managed properties, on both emergency call-out and planned maintenance. Commercial customers get priority response because a blocked drain usually means a closed kitchen or bathroom.

Blocked Drain in Bournemouth? We'll Clear It Today.

Call any hour and you'll speak to someone who can book an engineer — no call-out fee, fixed price agreed before we start.

📞 Call 0330 123 4567 — 24/7