How much does drain cleaning cost in Virginia?

The short answer: it depends on the drain

Drain cleaning is priced job by job, so the useful number is a written quote for your house. Four things move it: which drain is blocked, how the plumber gets to the blockage, when they come, and what happens after the line is clear. Knowing those before you call lets you compare quotes properly and spot one that leaves something out.

What sets the price

One fixture or the whole line. A single slow sink or tub is the smallest job, and often one you can clear yourself with a plunger. When several drains are slow, or the lowest drain in the house backs up, the blockage is usually in the main line or the sewer lateral, the pipe that carries waste out to the public sewer. In Spotsylvania County, sewer laterals, the pipes that carry waste from a home to the public sewer main, are typically 4 to 6 inches in diameter,^[3] and clearing one takes a powered drain machine and more time.

How the plumber gets in. Spotsylvania County describes a cleanout this way: a cleanout is a vertical pipe from the underground lateral to the surface, usually 4 inches in diameter with a tight-fitting steel or plastic cap.^[3] If you cannot find yours, you either do not have one or it is buried under dirt, and a plumber can help locate it.^[3] Fairfax County notes of laterals: "Most can be cleaned by accessing the sanitary cleanout."^[2] Without one, the plumber often has to work through a fixture, such as pulling a toilet, which adds time.

When they come. Many plumbers charge more for nights, weekends and holidays. If water is not actively backing up, a weekday appointment is often cheaper.

What follows the cleaning. When a line keeps clogging, a camera inspection is usually the next step. Fairfax County says: "The best way to assess the condition of a lateral is by Closed Circuit Television Video (CCTV) examination."^[2] If the camera finds roots or a break, the repair is a separate, larger job. In Fairfax County, a repair or replacement on private property needs a plumbing permit from the county, a repair in the public street needs a state permit as well, and repairs are inspected by the county's Building Inspections Branch.^[2] Fairfax County's Department of Code Compliance also says: "A plumber must be certified, licensed and bonded to make any repairs."^[2]

Your pipe or the utility's

Before you pay anyone, find out whether the blockage is yours. The public sewer main is usually the utility's to clear, but where its part starts varies, so ask your own city or county utility. In Fairfax County: "If the problem is in the county sewer, the county will take corrective action."^[1] There, the owner is responsible for blockages in the service line from the house to the county sewer, including the connection to the sewer.^[1]

Where your part ends depends on where you live. In Spotsylvania County, the owner is responsible for cleaning and repairing the private sewer lateral from the house to the property line.^[3] In Colonial Heights, a home without a city cleanout at the property line owns the whole lateral from the building to the main; with an approved cleanout there, the city claims ownership from the cleanout to the main and is responsible for its maintenance and repairs.^[4] The city's utilities department installs those cleanouts on single-family homes for a one-time fee.^[4] Ask the city for the current amount.

If the problem is affecting multiple buildings, Salem tells residents to call the city water department; if it appears to be one building, a licensed plumber is recommended.^[5] Fairfax County's rule: "Always call the county prior to calling a plumber when you experience a sanitary sewer backup and you feel that the problem is in the county sewer main line."^[1]

Insurance and local programs

A backup that floods a basement costs far more than the cleaning. In Salem, the water department warns that most homeowners' insurance will not pay for damage unless specific sewer backup coverage has been added to the policy.^[5] Fairfax County says backup coverage "may be an optional coverage and can generally be added to a policy if requested."^[1] Read your policy for a sewer backup rider.

If approved by the Director of the Water Department, Salem reimburses part of the cost of installing a sewer backwater valve on the owner's lateral.^[5] Ask your own city or county utility whether it has a similar program or a cleanout program like Colonial Heights'.

What to ask for in a written quote

Virginia's Board for Contractors advises: "It is advisable to get at least three written bids or estimates using identical plans and specifications so you can compare prices and contractors."^[6] It warns that a bid substantially lower than the others probably means the contractor made a mistake or left out work the others included.^[6] For a repair, it notes: "Virginia law requires all licensed contractors to provide a written contract for residential work."^[6] Its rule of thumb for a down payment is an initial deposit of no more than 10% of the total price or $1,000, whichever is less.^[6]

Ask each plumber:

• Is it a flat price for the job or by the hour, and is there a trip, after-hours or minimum charge?
• Which access point will you use, and what if the cable cannot clear it?
• Is a camera inspection included, and do I get the recording?
• If a repair is needed, does the quote include the permit and inspection?
• What happens if the clog comes back within a few weeks?

Stop and call a pro if

• A backup happens only when other fixtures are used. Fairfax County says: "If the backup occurs only when facilities (such as toilet, tub, washer or sinks) are used, it is possible that you need a plumber."^[1]
• Drains clog again and again, you smell sewage, or the basement backs up in heavy rain. Fairfax lists those as the signs a lateral may need repair: frequently clogged drains, odor of sewage, and basement backups during rain.^[2]
• Sewage is coming up through a floor drain or tub. Stop running water and call the utility or a plumber.

Getting quotes on Loclis

On Loclis you describe the job once and licensed local plumbers quote it. A plumber who needs to see the line first can offer an estimate visit, and a paid visit's fee comes off the price of the work. Loclis's own fees are on the pricing page. You can also browse drain cleaning, look up plumbers in Salem, try unclogging a bathtub drain yourself, or read when to call a plumber for a clog.