Water is pooling in the shower, the kitchen sink is draining slowly, or the gully trap outside is gurgling, and you want to know what a plumber is likely to cost before you ring. The answer depends on what is blocking the drain and where, which is why a blocked drains plumber in Brisbane will want to look at the problem before naming a number.
What's The Damage, an independent cost guide, publishes Brisbane ranges for both a standard clear and a stubborn blockage, set out below. They are not Brigs Plumbing prices. A quote is the way to know your real cost.
Brigs Plumbing is a licensed plumber (QBCC 15161521) based in Thorneside, serving homes across Brisbane and the Redlands.
How much does a blocked drain cost in Brisbane?
What's The Damage, an independent cost guide, puts a standard blocked drain clear in Brisbane at $150 to $500 per job, typically $320, and a stubborn blockage needing a CCTV camera and hydro-jetting at $350 to $1,100 per job, typically $700 (October 2026). These are market ranges, not Brigs Plumbing prices; the real cost depends on the job.
| Job | Published range | Typical figure | When it applies | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard blocked drain clear | $150 to $500 per job | $320 | A straightforward blockage that can be cleared without further investigation | What's The Damage, Brisbane, October 2026 |
| Stubborn blockage needing a CCTV camera and hydro-jetting | $350 to $1,100 per job | $700 | A blockage that does not clear easily, or one where the cause has to be found on camera | What's The Damage, Brisbane, October 2026 |
These are published market ranges, not Brigs Plumbing prices. The real cost depends on the job, and the gap between the low and high end of each range is wide for good reason: two blocked drains that look the same from the sink can be very different problems underground.
What makes a blocked drain cost more?
What's The Damage lists the following as the things that change a drain price in Brisbane:
- Where the blockage is
- What caused it (fat, wipes, tree roots, a broken pipe)
- Access
- Whether a camera inspection is needed
- After-hours timing
Each of these can move a job from the lower end of a range towards the upper end, or from the standard clear into the stubborn-blockage category.
Where the blockage is
What's The Damage lists where the blockage is as one of the things that changes a drain price. If the trouble is in the wider drainage system rather than one fixture, the drainage plumber page explains how Brigs Plumbing approaches it.
What caused it
Fat, wipes, tree roots and a broken pipe are the four causes What's The Damage names. They matter because the cause decides what has to be done. A build-up of fat or wipes is a different task from roots growing into a pipe, and a broken pipe is a repair problem, not just a clearing problem.
Whether a camera inspection is needed
A CCTV camera is one of the reasons a job lands in the stubborn-blockage range. If you want to know what the inspection involves, see the CCTV drain inspection page.
What do call-out and after-hours visits cost?
After-hours timing is one of the things What's The Damage says changes a drain price.
Some of what you pay is not the clearing itself. What's The Damage, an independent cost guide, puts a plumber call-out or service fee in Brisbane at $60 to $150, typically $120 (October 2026). The same guide puts an emergency or after-hours visit in Brisbane at $250 to $700, typically $450 (October 2026).
These are market figures, not Brigs Plumbing prices. If a blockage cannot wait, Brigs Plumbing does emergency work, and the emergency plumber page explains how to get in touch.
When does a standard clear become a stubborn blockage?
A standard clear is the simpler end of the market: a blockage that responds to ordinary clearing. A stubborn blockage is one that needs more, and What's The Damage describes that category as needing a CCTV camera and hydro-jetting.
What if the camera finds a broken pipe?
Sometimes a camera shows that the problem is not a blockage at all but damage to the pipe. At that point the question changes from clearing the drain to repairing the pipe. Pipe relining is one way to repair a damaged pipe from the inside, usually without digging up the yard, driveway or garden. The pipe relining cost page explains what drives a relining price. A CCTV camera inspection comes first, and the quote follows from the footage.
Want a firm price for your job?
We look at the job and quote before any work starts, so you know the cost up front.
Why is a quote the only reliable answer?
A published range is useful for judging whether a figure you have been given is in the right territory. It cannot tell you what is wrong with your drain. The location, the cause, the access and the need for a camera all vary from one property to the next, and each one can move the price.
Brigs Plumbing quotes every job before work starts, so the way to know your cost is a quote. Treat any online figure, including the ones above, as a guide to the market and nothing more.
Frequently asked questions
Why do some blocked drains need a camera inspection?
Some blockages do not clear in the usual way, or the cause is not obvious. A camera lets a plumber see what is happening inside the pipe, such as roots or a broken section, instead of guessing. What's The Damage lists whether a camera inspection is needed as one of the things that changes a drain price.
Does an after-hours blocked drain cost more?
Yes, on published market figures. What's The Damage, an independent cost guide, puts an emergency or after-hours plumber visit in Brisbane at $250 to $700, typically $450, and an after-hours hourly rate (excluding call-out) at $150 to $300 an hour (October 2026). These are market figures, not Brigs Plumbing prices.
Does the cause of a blocked drain change the price?
Yes. What's The Damage names fat, wipes, tree roots and a broken pipe as the causes that affect the price of a blocked drain job. Which one applies to your drain decides what work is needed.
How do I get a firm price for my drain?
Ask for a quote. Brigs Plumbing quotes every job before work starts. Call 0435 040 590 or use the contact page.
More on drain costs and causes
Get a quote for your blocked drain
The ranges above show what the market looks like, but your drain is the only one that matters. Brigs Plumbing quotes every job before work starts. To ask about yours, phone 0435 040 590 or send the details through the contact page.
