The Real Cost of a Blocked Drain in Melbourne (and What Drives It Up)

A blocked drain in Melbourne can cost anywhere from $180 to $12,000. That is not a typo. The price depends almost entirely on what is causing the blockage, where it is, and what state the underlying pipe is in. Here is what actually drives the bill.

Baseline: a simple blockage

A single blocked sink, basin, or toilet caused by hair, fat, or a foreign object - cleared with hand tools or a small electric eel - typically lands at $180 to $350 plus GST. Same-day service, no excavation, often resolved within an hour.

Deeper blockages need more equipment

A blockage in the main sewer line, accessed through an inspection point, usually needs an electric eel or high-pressure water jetter. Expect $350 to $750. If the blockage repeatedly returns within weeks, the underlying issue is rarely just debris - it is almost always pipe damage or tree roots.

CCTV inspection: the diagnostic spend that saves you money

A camera survey of the affected line is $250 to $500 in Melbourne. It tells you exactly what is wrong, where, and how deep. This single spend is the difference between repeatedly paying $400 every six months to clear roots and paying once for a proper fix. Highly recommended in clay-soil suburbs like Burwood, Box Hill, Blackburn, Mount Waverley, and Glen Waverley.

When pipe damage drives the cost up

If the CCTV shows cracked or collapsed pipe, the options scale fast. Spot pipe relining (one short section) typically runs $1,800 to $3,500. Full pipe relining for a 10-15m sewer run runs $4,500 to $9,000. Full excavation and replacement runs $6,000 to $15,000+ depending on depth, surface (concrete driveway, retained garden), and council requirements.

Melbourne Water (melbournewater.com.au) handles the trunk sewers, but anything from your house to the boundary is your problem.

After-hours and emergencies

Overnight and weekend callouts typically add 30-60% to the base rate. If you can wait until business hours, you usually should. The exception is sewer water actively coming up through indoor fixtures - that is a public health issue and needs to be stopped immediately.

What a fair quote should include

Clear scope (what is being cleared, what equipment will be used). Hourly or fixed-fee structure clearly stated. Whether a Certificate of Compliance is required (most drainage work over $750 requires one - see vba.vic.gov.au). Whether CCTV is included or extra. Disposal of any waste. GST broken out.

FAQ

Why is my drain blocked again three months after clearing?

Almost always tree roots or pipe damage. A CCTV inspection will confirm.

Is a $99 blocked drain ad too good to be true?

Usually. The $99 is often a callout fee; the actual clearing is quoted on site at significantly higher rates.

Can I claim a blocked drain on insurance?

Generally no - blockages are considered maintenance. Sudden collapses sometimes are.

Does Newton Plumbing do CCTV in my suburb?

Yes - across Burwood, Box Hill, Blackburn, Vermont, Mount Waverley, and Glen Waverley.

Phone Newton Plumbing - +61 414 951 362. Licence #107733.

Internal links: blocked drain Burwood, blocked drain Box Hill, blocked drain Mount Waverley, blocked drain Glen Waverley.

External links: melbournewater.com.au, vba.vic.gov.au, standards.org.au, consumer.vic.gov.au.