Drain & Sewer Clearance
Request quotes for blocked drains, drain surveys, repairs and relining, and septic tanks. Choose your job and describe it in a few short steps.
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Overview
Drains, sewers and septic tanks
This page covers drains, sewers and off-mains drainage: blocked drains, CCTV surveys and investigations, drain repair, relining and installation, soakaway clearance, sewage pumps, septic tanks and waste water treatment plants.
Pick the nearest job from the list in the form. If yours isn't there, choose the closest and explain what you need in the description.
Jobs you can request
Typical drainage jobs
Choose one of these in the form, or pick the closest and describe what you need.
Blocked Drains
A blocked outside drain, gully or inspection chamber cleared.
CCTV Surveys for Drains
A camera sent through the drains to find blockages, cracks or roots.
Drain Repair
A cracked, broken or displaced section of drain pipe repaired or replaced.
Drain Relining
A new lining fitted inside a damaged drain pipe, without digging it up.
Septic Tank Emptying
The sludge pumped out of a septic tank and taken away by tanker.
Septic Tank Installation
A new septic tank put in, with its pipework and drainage field.
Just posted
Recent drainage jobs
Drain Repair
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Sewage Pump Maintenance
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Blocked Drains
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Worth knowing
Worth checking before work starts
A few rules and checks that apply to this kind of work.
Whose drain is it?
In England and Wales, drains serving only your home, inside its boundary, are yours to repair. Shared pipes, and your drain past the boundary, became the water company's in October 2011 if they joined a public sewer.
Emptying a septic tank
In England, the sludge in a septic tank or treatment plant should be removed at least once a year, or as the manufacturer's instructions say, by a registered waste carrier.
New septic tanks
In England, a new septic tank or small sewage treatment plant needs building regulations approval, and may need planning permission too.
Septic tanks and rivers
In England, if a septic tank discharges straight into a watercourse, such as a river or stream, you must connect to a sewer, replace it with a treatment plant, or install a drainage field.
Questions
Drainage questions
My job isn't in the list. What should I choose?
Choose the closest job, then explain what you need in the description step.
What jobs can I request quotes for here?
Blocked drains, CCTV drain surveys, drain investigation, repair, relining and installation, soakaway clearance, sewage pumps, septic tanks and waste water treatment plants. The full list is in the form's first step.
What if I'm not sure whether a blockage is in my drain or the sewer?
In England and Wales, ask your water company, and keep a record, in case it says the blockage is private and you later find out it wasn't.
Can I request quotes to empty a cesspit?
Yes. Choose Septic Tank Emptying and say it's a cesspit in the description.
How much does a new septic tank cost?
It depends on whether you need a septic tank or a treatment plant, its size for your household, the ground and digging, the drainage field, and access for the machines. Ask each installer to quote for the same system, so the quotes compare.
How much does septic tank emptying cost?
It depends on the tank's size, how far the tanker's hose has to reach, how easy the tank is to get to, and how often it is emptied. Ask each company to quote for the same tank.
Ready to describe your job?
Four short steps: the job, when you'd like it done, a description and your details.