Beacon Plumbing
Call now Straightforward clear
$150–$400
Kitchen, bathroom, or toilet that just needs clearing — including a simple eel. No camera, no repair.
Jetset 2026 blocked-drain guide · What’s The Damage Brisbane, Aug 2026
Blocked drains Brisbane
Blocked drain Brisbane — not flooding? Camera, then clear.
Slow shower, thinking toilet, gurgling. Roots, wipes, grease — not a new house.
Same-day? Leave your mobile. We ring you.
Three fields. We’ll lock a window for today if we can.
Already have camera footage? Stick that in what’s broken — we won’t start from scratch.
Signs it’s a blocked drain
Slow water
Shower, sink, or floor waste that takes its time.
Gurgling
One fixture complains when another is used.
Smell
Drain breath that does not leave with a candle.
Backing up
Water where it should not be. Overflowing or sewage: emergency page.
What usually causes it
Grease, hair, wipes
Kitchen, bathroom, toilet. Clearing is often enough.
Tree roots
They find clay joins. Clearing roots is not a repair if the pipe is open.
Broken or collapsed pipe
Camera first. Then reline or dig — not another eel.
Leaves, sand, storm junk
Stormwater is a different line. Same honesty.
How we clear it
- See it. CCTV when it’s not obvious, keeps coming back, or we suspect damage.
- Clear it. Jetting for grease, sludge, roots. Mechanical when that’s enough.
- Only reline if it’s cracked. Clearing is not a repair. Broken pipe = separate quote.
Good = clear it. Better = clear it + camera. Best = that plus a repair quote if the pipe is the problem. You pick. We do not upsell a reline for a wet wipe.
Overflowing or sewage? Emergency plumber first. Need a look first? CCTV drain inspection. Camera shows a cracked pipe? Pipe relining.
Jet vs eel (and why we look first)
A jet scours grease and scale off the pipe wall. An eel (mechanical cable) is for a small local clog — hairball, wipe, a short run you can feel. We look first when it isn’t obvious, keeps coming back, or we suspect the host pipe. Camera decides. Not a brand war.
Stop it coming back
No fats down the kitchen
Grease cools in the pipe. Bin it, don’t wash it.
No wipes
Even the ones that claim they flush. They don’t.
Hair catcher
Shower and basin. Cheap. Works.
Trees vs clay joins
Don’t plant on the line. Roots find old clay. Chemicals still no.
Queenslander vs a modern slab
Older inner-Brisbane clay joins are not PVC under a new slab. Access is different. Don’t plant on the line. Camera is more useful on clay; a clear may not be a repair if the join is open. Need a look first? CCTV drain inspection. Overflowing or sewage? Emergency plumber.
Gurgle, slow, not flooding? Leave your mobile.
Name, mobile, what’s broken. Quote on site. Cost cards below are third-party ballparks, not our book.
Call nowWe’ll ring this mobile.
Know the price before we start
We look, we say the number, you approve, then we clear. No $0 call-out badge. No $198 special we cannot keep. Cards below are other people’s 2026 ballparks, labelled as such.
What it usually costs in Brisbane (2026)
Not Beacon quotes. Public third-party ranges so you have a ballpark. On-site price depends on access, cause, and whether the pipe itself is broken.
High-pressure jetting
$300–$600
Grease, sludge, roots that a cable won’t finish.
CCTV inspection
$130–$450
Sources disagree: WTD $130–$300 · Jetset $250–$450. We quote the visit.
Both listed — see drains FAQ below
CCTV + jetting
$350–$900
Typical around $550. Camera plus a proper clear.
Tree-root removal
$400–$800
Clearing roots is not a repair. If the pipe is cracked, that’s a reline conversation.
Jetset maintenance page
National averages (not Brisbane-only) — hipages 2026: unblock $100–$200 · emergency $300–$500 · roots $385–$600 · jet $300–$500. hipages cost guide (updated 2 Jan 2026).
Relining is a repair, not a clear. WTD mentions $1,500–$4,500 per section / $400–$800 per metre — that’s on the relining page after a camera. Beacon does not have a live price book yet; we will not print a made-up “from $”.
Sewer vs stormwater vs laundry
Kitchen
Grease and food. Jetting beats another bottle of caustic.
Bathroom
Hair and soap. Check the main if more than one fixture is sulking.
Toilet
Wipes, paper, toys. Overflowing = emergency page.
Laundry
Floor waste that sulks when the washer drains. A real Brisbane call — not a kitchen job with extra bubbles.
Sewer
Roots, clay joins, wipes in the main. Camera first if it keeps coming back.
Stormwater
Leaves, silt, a different line. Same honesty. Don’t pour the sewer problem into the stormwater.
Frequently asked questions
What are the signs of a blocked drain?
Slow water, gurgling, smell, water backing up. Overflowing or sewage in the house: emergency page.
How much to unblock a drain in Brisbane?
Indicative 2026 third-party range for a straightforward clear is about $150–$400 (Jetset and WTD). CCTV + jetting more like $350–$900 (WTD, Aug 2026). Not our quote.
Do you charge a call-out fee?
No public price book yet. We quote on site before we start. We will not print a fake $0 call-out or a $198 special.
Can you clear it the same day?
Often, if it is slow and not flooding. Lime button. Overflowing: emergency page.
Do I need a camera every time?
No. Recurring, roots, or we have had three plumbers — yes.
Will clearing it fix a broken pipe?
No. That is a reline or a dig. Separate quote.
Can I pour drain chemicals?
No. They rarely move a root ball and they can wreck the next visit.
Can I plunge it or snake it myself?
One fixture, hairball, no sewage: try a plunger. Recurring, more than one fixture, or sewage: stop. Don’t pour caustic into old clay.
Jetting or an eel — which one?
Depends what we see. Jet scours grease and scale. An eel is for a small local clog. Camera decides when it isn’t obvious. We’ll say before we start.
The drain keeps blocking after the last plumber.
That’s a camera job, not a stronger eel. CCTV page.
Where do you get into the pipe?
Inspection opening, overflow relief gully, or a fitting we won’t wreck the garden for. If it’s under a slab, we say so before tools.
How long does a clear take?
A simple fixture is a short visit. A main line with roots is not. We’ll give a window on the call — not a 30-minute badge.
Older clay pipes on a Brisbane block — does that change anything?
Often. Chemicals are worse on clay. Camera is more useful. A clear may not be a repair if the join is open.
Who pays — tenant or landlord?
We are not the tenancy tribunal. Owner or agent usually for the pipe. Tenant when it’s misuse (wipes, grease, toys). We quote the job; they sort who pays.
Will tree roots come back after a clear?
Often yes, if the join is still open. That’s a reline or a repair, not a stronger eel.
Why is my toilet gurgling when another fixture runs?
Usually a shared line that’s not breathing or not draining. Stay on this page if it’s slow. Overflowing: emergency page.