For the service itself, see high pressure water jetting, or interceptor cleaning for commercial kitchens.
What drain jetting actually is
Jetting sends water at high pressure through a hose with a nozzle on the end. Jets point backwards to drive the hose along the pipe and outwards to scour the wall. Unlike rods, which push through a blockage, jetting cleans the full bore of the pipe, stripping fat, scale, silt and fine roots. That is why it is often used after a blockage has been cleared, to stop it coming straight back. The difference between the two methods is covered in our guide on drain jetting and drain rodding.
The factors behind the price
Most quotes for drain jetting are built from the same few things, whoever you ask.
- Length of drain to be cleaned, from chamber to chamber
- Pipe size, from a kitchen waste to a main sewer line
- What is in the pipe: silt, fat, scale or roots
- Access points and how far the van can get
- Whether a CCTV check is needed before or after
- Domestic or commercial premises, and time of day
Length, size and what is in the pipe
A short run between two chambers in a back garden is quick to jet. A long run to the boundary, or a shared drain serving several houses, takes longer simply because there is more pipe. Larger pipes need more water and a different nozzle. And the deposit matters as much as the distance. Loose silt flushes out easily; years of hardened fat from a kitchen, scale in an old cast iron stack or a mat of roots through a joint take repeated passes and specialist heads. Sewer jetting on larger commercial lines is a heavier job again.
Access and the site
Jetting needs a way into the pipe and room for the hose. A drain with chambers at each end is straightforward. One with no chambers, a buried cover or access only through a toilet pan takes more time. Distance from the van matters too: long hose runs through a house or up a close add set-up time. If a cover has been paved or tarred over, finding and lifting it is part of the job.
Do you need a camera too?
If the drain keeps blocking, jetting alone may only treat the symptom. A camera survey before or after shows whether the cause is a cracked pipe, a dip in the run or roots coming through a joint. That adds to the cost of the visit but can save paying for jetting again in a few months. Where the drain blocked once and clears cleanly, a camera is not always needed. Ask what the jetting is meant to achieve and how you will know it worked.
Domestic and commercial jetting
Commercial work is usually priced differently. Kitchens, pubs and food premises tend to have longer runs, heavier fat deposits and the need to work around service. Planned jetting on a schedule is often cheaper over a year than waiting for an emergency in the middle of a busy night. For a house, a single visit is more common, with planned cleaning only where a drain has a known weak point.
Comparing quotes
When you compare drain jetting prices, check what each one covers. Is it a fixed price for a stated length, or an hourly rate? Does it include clearing the blockage first, a flow test afterwards and any footage? Is there an extra charge for evenings or weekends? A low headline figure that excludes the camera or the second run can end up costing more than a fuller quote.
Buying a drain jetter yourself is another option some people look at. Small pressure-washer attachments can clear a light kitchen waste, but they are not built to scour an underground drain and can push a blockage further along.
Want a professional to handle it?
Ask us about your drain
Questions we get asked
How much does drain jetting cost?
It depends on the length and size of pipe, what is coating it, access and whether a camera is needed. A fair quote states what is included before the work starts.
Is water jetting more expensive than rodding?
It can be, because it needs more equipment and cleans the whole pipe wall. For a drain that keeps blocking, it is often better value than repeated rodding.
How often should a drain be jetted?
Most house drains only need it when there is a problem. Commercial kitchens and drains with a known defect may benefit from planned jetting.
Can jetting damage an old drain?
Pressure and nozzle are matched to the pipe, so a sound drain is not harmed. A badly cracked or collapsed pipe should be checked on camera first.