Blocked Drains in Edinburgh
We keep a van on this side of City of Edinburgh specifically so Edinburgh calls do not sit in a queue behind city work. Confined-space and high-pressure jetting tickets are held by every engineer on the vans.
Where this leaves you: a fixed price agreed up front, blocked drains completed by NRSWA and confined-space trained engineers, and photographs of the finished Edinburgh job. Reports written for Edinburgh landlords, factors and insurers where needed.
- 1You ring and speak to an engineer, not an answering service.
- 2We tell you honestly when we can be with you in Edinburgh and what it is likely to cost.
- 3We jet or rod the drain, clear it, then show you the cause on camera before we leave.
Drainage in Edinburgh
Edinburgh tenements share soil stacks and back-court drainage between multiple flats, so we jet and camera the full shared run rather than clearing one property and leaving the cause in place.
Basement and lower-ground flats sit below the sewer line, so a backup shows up inside before it shows outside. It changes which tool comes off the van first, and that is usually what decides how long a job takes.
Ages of pipework vary street to street in Edinburgh; shared tenement stacks and Victorian back-court drainage rarely share the same material even where they share a boundary. Two properties on the same street can still need completely different approaches.
Edinburgh work splits between flat owners, factors, restaurants, pubs, and we cover Gorgie and Leith commercial strips as part of the same round. That keeps the price for Edinburgh the same as anywhere else on our patch.
Parking near the property is the only real constraint here — the run in from the A720 city bypass takes no time. Edinburgh sits in the round we cover daily, so this is routine rather than a special trip.
Edinburgh is our largest coverage area and we work across it daily, from EH1–EH17 addresses in the centre out to the ring-road suburbs. Hose reach is around 60 metres from the van, which covers all but the longest runs.
A blocked drain rarely fixes itself. We locate the blockage, clear it with jetting or rodding, then run water through the system to prove it is flowing properly again.
Most of the blockages we clear come down to fat, wipes or root ingress rather than anything structural — but we always confirm which it is before quoting further work. Older and newer property in Edinburgh fail in different ways, and the fix follows the cause.
Why Edinburgh customers trust us
- Over 20 years of drainage work in and around Edinburgh, all under the same family ownership. It is why we quote after looking, not before, on Edinburgh jobs.
- Confined Spaces certified for deep chambers and interceptors. Knowing the cause is what stops you paying for the same visit twice.
- Street Works (NRSWA) qualified, which matters on the Edinburgh jobs that touch adopted roads and footways. The camera settles it either way, and the footage is yours to keep.
- Over 20 years of drainage work in and around Edinburgh, all under the same family ownership. It is why we quote after looking, not before, on Edinburgh jobs.
Common causes we find in Edinburgh
- Wet wipes, sanitary items and kitchen fat
- Root ingress through cracked or open joints
- Silt and debris in gullies and interceptors
- Collapsed or displaced sections of pipe
- Undersized or poorly laid private drainage
How we do the work in Edinburgh
Root cutting uses a rotating chain or milling head rather than chemicals, so nothing goes into the watercourse. Catching it at that stage is the difference between a clearance and a repair.
On Edinburgh jobs we start at the lowest chamber and work back up the run, which stops debris being pushed further into the system. That keeps the price for Edinburgh the same as anywhere else on our patch.
When Edinburgh customers call us
- Roots suspected after a mature hedge or tree was planted near the run
- A shared City of Edinburgh run where two neighbours disagree about the cause
- A buyer or seller who needs the drainage condition confirmed in writing
- An insurance claim that needs camera footage and a written cause of damage
- Roots suspected after a mature hedge or tree was planted near the run
How a Edinburgh job runs
- 1
Locate
We lift covers, trace the run and identify which chamber the blockage sits between.
- 2
Clear
High-pressure jetting or rodding, chosen to suit the pipe material and condition.
- 3
Prove
We flush the system through and check flow at every chamber before we finish.
- 4
Advise
If the cause is structural we camera it and give you a clear written recommendation.
What's included
- Blocked toilets, sinks, baths and showers
- External drains, gullies and manholes
- High-pressure water jetting
- Sewer and soil pipe blockages
- Fat, grease and root removal
- 24/7 call-outs with no call-out charge
If we can talk you through a fix over the phone in Edinburgh, we will — it costs you nothing to ask. Out-of-hours calls in Edinburgh go straight to an engineer, not an answering service.
Edinburgh drainage FAQs
How quickly can you get to Edinburgh?
We're based in Pumpherston and reach Edinburgh via the A720 city bypass. Most call-outs are attended the same day and urgent jobs usually within a couple of hours. Ring 07427 195142 for a realistic arrival time before you book. Most people in Edinburgh ask this, so you are not alone.
Do you work on shared tenement stacks in Edinburgh?
Regularly. Basement and lower-ground flats sit below the sewer line, so a backup shows up inside before it shows outside. We adjust the method — jetting pressure, rodding or no-dig repair — to suit the pipe we find. Ring 07427 195142 if you want that checked before booking.
Can you attend out of hours in Edinburgh?
Yes, and at no extra rate. Nights, weekends and public holidays are charged the same as a Tuesday morning in EH1–EH17. It is worth mentioning when you describe the problem to us.
Will you need to dig up my garden or driveway?
Only as a last resort. In Edinburgh we survey first and use patch lining or relining wherever the pipe allows, which avoids excavation entirely on most jobs. Most people in Edinburgh ask this, so you are not alone.
How quickly can you attend a blocked drain?
We operate 24/7 and aim to attend urgent blockages the same day, usually within a couple of hours depending on where our nearest van is.
Do you charge a call-out fee?
No. There is no call-out charge — you are quoted for the work itself.
What if the blockage comes back?
Repeat blockages point to a defect. We will camera the run and show you exactly what is causing it before recommending any repair.
Nearby areas we also cover
Edinburgh sits inside our core City of Edinburgh patch, so the same van covers these neighbouring areas on the same run:
Talk to a Edinburgh engineer
Other services in Edinburgh
Need help with a drainage problem?
Professional drainage services designed to resolve drainage issues quickly and efficiently. From emergency drain unblocking and blocked drains to CCTV surveys, drain repairs, and commercial drainage services, Curran Drainage Services provides dependable support for homes and businesses throughout Central Scotland.