The drain unblocking cost in the Netherlands depends on where the blockage is located, how severe it is, which equipment is required and when the work takes place. For a straightforward indoor blockage cleared in one visit, the reference range is about €80 to €175 per job. Amounts exclude VAT. Whether VAT is added depends on the contractor: one using the small-business scheme (KOR) charges none. Some providers quote that as a fixed price; others charge an hourly rate instead.
By Arek
Updated September 10, 2026 · 14 min read
Drain or toilet unblocking (indoor, one visit)
Camera inspection, hydro-jetting and extra metres separate; materials and call-out per provider
€80 – €175 per job
planned, daytime · excl. VAT · VAT depends on the provider
National reference range, not a measured city price.
Amounts exclude VAT. Whether VAT is added depends on the contractor: one using the small-business scheme (KOR) charges none.
The table below gives a practical overview of the reference figures used on this site. A local sink or shower blockage is usually cheaper than a blockage in a shared pipe or the main sewer.
| Type of work | Indicative price (excluding VAT) |
|---|---|
| Standard indoor blockage: sink, shower or toilet, one visit | €80–€175 per job |
| Main house drain or garden sewer, up to the property boundary | €100–€300 per job |
| Daytime starting charge: minimum per visit | €60–€120 per visit |
| Call-out fee, where charged separately | €20–€40 per visit |
| Plumber labour rate, planned daytime work | €45–€85 per hour |
| Plumber labour rate, urgent same-day daytime work | €90–€130 per hour |
| Evening, weekend, night or public holiday work | €100–€150 per hour |
| CCTV drain inspection | Quoted per project, separately or included by agreement |
Amounts exclude VAT. Whether VAT is added depends on the contractor: one using the small-business scheme (KOR) charges none. These are indicative reference ranges, not an offer, not a guaranteed price and not your budget. They do not bind any contractor, and the final quote for your drainage system may be lower or higher.
Unblocking one indoor drain is priced per job, not per hour. An hourly rate belongs to the plumber's labour, and it does not always include travel or equipment. A fixed price for the job does not always include camera inspection, high-pressure jetting, pipe repair or work on a second blockage. Compare the complete scope rather than the headline amount.
The final blocked drain cost is influenced by the cause, location, access and method required. Two homes with the same symptom can receive different quotes because the obstruction may be in a different section of the drainage system.
A blockage close to a sink trap is often easier to reach than one deep inside a floor pipe or main sewer. Kitchen drains commonly contain grease and food residue. Bathroom drains often contain hair, soap and mineral buildup.
A blocked toilet may involve paper or a foreign object. If several fixtures back up at the same time, the problem may be in a shared pipe or the main sewer, which is priced as sewer work rather than as an indoor drain.
A soft buildup may be removed with a plunger, drain snake or mechanical spring machine. Hard deposits, root intrusion, a collapsed pipe or a lodged object can require more time and specialist equipment.
Repeated blockages may indicate:
Clearing the blockage restores water flow, but it does not repair a damaged pipe.
The price may rise when the pipe is difficult to reach. Crawl spaces, fitted kitchens, apartment risers, underground sections and limited access can increase working time.
In an apartment building, the obstruction may involve a shared pipe. Contact the landlord, property manager or homeowners’ association when responsibility is unclear.
A plumber or drain specialist may use a hand tool, drain snake or powered spring machine. This method is common for local blockages caused by hair, paper, food particles or grease.
Ask whether use of the machine is included in the labour rate or charged separately.
High-pressure jetting can remove grease, sludge and deposits from a longer section of pipe. It may cost more because specialist equipment is required, but it can clean more of the pipe than simply opening a narrow channel through the blockage. Jetting and extra metres of pipe usually sit on top of the unblocking job rather than inside it.
A camera inspection can identify cracks, collapsed sections, root intrusion and recurring obstructions. It is often considered when several drains are affected or when the blockage keeps returning.
There is no reference range for a drain survey on this site, so it is quoted per project. Confirm whether the inspection, video, report and diagnosis are included in the quoted CCTV drain survey cost.
Drain specialists can charge by the hour, by a starting period or with a fixed price for one defined blockage. Each model can be reasonable when the scope is clear.
An hourly rate is common when the provider cannot estimate the duration in advance. It is the plumber's labour rate rather than a drain-specific tariff, and the reference figures are:
| When the work is done | Indicative labour rate (excluding VAT) |
|---|---|
| Planned, during the day | €45–€85 per hour |
| Urgent, same day, during the day | €90–€130 per hour |
| Evening, weekend, night or public holiday | €100–€150 per hour |
Amounts exclude VAT. Whether VAT is added depends on the contractor: one using the small-business scheme (KOR) charges none. Materials are separate and a call-out fee depends on the provider.
Ask:
A fixed price can be easier to compare, and it is how an indoor unblocking job is most often quoted: about €80 to €175 per job for one indoor blockage cleared in one visit, or about €100 to €300 per job for the main house drain or garden sewer up to the property boundary. Amounts exclude VAT; whether VAT is added depends on the contractor, and one in the KOR small-business scheme charges none.
Check whether the price covers:
Many providers will not send a van for less than a set amount. A minimum charge of about €60 to €120 per visit covers the trip and a first block of labour, while a separate call-out fee, where it is charged at all, is commonly about €20 to €40 per visit. Amounts exclude VAT; whether VAT is added depends on the contractor, and one in the KOR small-business scheme charges none. Ask which of the two applies, because some providers bundle both into a single starting charge.
Evening, weekend and urgent work is usually more expensive: about €90 to €130 per hour when the work is urgent and done the same day during the day, and about €100 to €150 per hour outside normal hours, with night and public-holiday work at the top of that range or above it. Amounts exclude VAT; whether VAT is added depends on the contractor, and one in the KOR small-business scheme charges none. The provider may instead apply a higher starting charge or a percentage surcharge.
Ask for the full expected amount before the provider travels to the property. SkilledContractors does not guarantee immediate attendance or 24-hour availability. Timing depends on the individual provider.
These examples explain how scope can change the drain cleaning cost. They are indicative reference figures, not quotes, and they do not bind any contractor.
A local blockage that can be reached with a drain snake or mechanical machine sits in the indoor unblocking range of about €80 to €175 per job for one visit. Amounts exclude VAT; whether VAT is added depends on the contractor, and one in the KOR small-business scheme charges none. The total can be lower or higher depending on call-out charges, materials and working time, and hydro-jetting or extra metres of pipe are charged separately.
A simple toilet blockage is the same indoor one-visit job and falls in the same €80 to €175 per job range; a very quick call may land at the minimum charge for a visit, about €60 to €120. Amounts exclude VAT; whether VAT is added depends on the contractor, and one in the KOR small-business scheme charges none. The price may increase when a foreign object is involved or when the obstruction is located in a shared or deeper pipe.
Main sewer work is generally more expensive than clearing one sink, shower or toilet drain. For the main house drain or a garden sewer up to the property boundary the reference range is about €100 to €300 per job. Amounts exclude VAT; whether VAT is added depends on the contractor, and one in the KOR small-business scheme charges none. High-pressure jetting, camera inspection and pipe repair can increase the total, and beyond the property boundary the municipality is responsible for the sewer.
When a drain repeatedly blocks, a camera survey may be recommended. There is no reference range for a survey on this site, so it is quoted per project and can be charged separately from the unblocking. If the camera reveals damage, pipe repair requires a new scope and price agreement.
A clear quote should state what the plumber to unblock a drain will provide.
Commonly included items may be:
Do not assume an item is included merely because it is common. Check the written scope. The reference ranges in this guide exclude VAT, so read the quote to see whether the provider adds it.
The following work is often outside a basic drain-unblocking price:
Ask the provider to stop and obtain approval before carrying out additional work that was not included in the quote.
The best way to control costs is to provide clear information and compare the same scope.
Practical steps include:
You may try a few low-risk steps when the blockage is minor and no wastewater is overflowing:
Avoid repeatedly using aggressive chemical drain cleaners. They may damage some pipe materials and can expose the technician to hazardous chemicals later.
Call a professional when several fixtures are blocked, wastewater backs up, the obstruction returns, there is a strong sewer smell or you suspect damaged pipework.
Use sink strainers, remove hair from shower drains and keep grease, cooking oil and food waste out of the drainage system. Slow drainage and gurgling sounds are early warning signs.
Repeated blockages should be investigated rather than cleared again without checking the cause.
Location affects the total price through travel time, parking, access and regional availability. Work in a city-centre apartment can require paid parking or additional access arrangements.
Before accepting a quote, check:
For rental property, contact the landlord or property manager before ordering expensive work when responsibility is unclear.
Answers to common questions.
For one indoor blockage cleared in a single visit — a sink, shower or toilet drain — the reference range is about €80 to €175 per job. Amounts exclude VAT; whether VAT is added depends on the contractor, and one in the KOR small-business scheme charges none. Some providers quote that as a fixed price; others charge their labour rate, about €45 to €85 per hour for planned daytime work. The final amount depends on the blockage, access, equipment and timing.
A standard kitchen or bathroom blockage is the same indoor one-visit job, so expect about €80 to €175 per job. Amounts exclude VAT; whether VAT is added depends on the contractor, and one in the KOR small-business scheme charges none. Another provider may charge a starting fee plus working time instead of one fixed amount.
Not always. A local obstruction can be straightforward and sits in the same €80 to €175 per job range, excluding VAT. The price rises when a foreign object, shared pipe or main sewer is involved, because that is sewer work rather than an indoor drain.
For the main house drain or a garden sewer up to the property boundary the reference range is about €100 to €300 per job. Amounts exclude VAT; whether VAT is added depends on the contractor, and one in the KOR small-business scheme charges none. High-pressure jetting, camera inspection and pipe repair are usually charged separately and can increase the final cost. Beyond the property boundary the municipality is responsible for the sewer.
That depends on the provider. Some quote one fixed price covering travel, labour and equipment. Others list a call-out fee separately, commonly about €20 to €40 per visit, or apply a minimum charge of about €60 to €120 for the visit. Amounts exclude VAT; whether VAT is added depends on the contractor, and one in the KOR small-business scheme charges none.
Usually yes. Reference labour rates are about €45 to €85 per hour for planned daytime work, €90 to €130 per hour for urgent same-day daytime work and €100 to €150 per hour for evenings, weekends, nights and public holidays. Amounts exclude VAT; whether VAT is added depends on the contractor, and one in the KOR small-business scheme charges none. Ask for the total expected price before the provider travels.
Usually not automatically, and there is no reference range for a survey on this site — it is quoted per project. Ask whether camera inspection, video, diagnosis and reporting are included or charged separately.
Responsibility depends on the cause, tenancy agreement and the part of the drainage system affected. Contact the landlord or property manager when responsibility is unclear.
Aggressive products can create heat, affect some materials and leave hazardous chemicals in the pipe. Stop using them if the blockage persists and tell the provider what was used.
It should identify the provider, describe the work, state the pricing method, say whether VAT is added on top and whether a call-out fee or minimum charge applies, and explain how additional work will be approved.
For the service itself, visit Drain Unblocking. For broader pricing information, read the Plumber Cost Guide. You can also review Plumbing Services. SkilledContractors is a comparison platform. You can describe the blockage, add photos and compare responses from independent professionals. SkilledContractors does not carry out the work, set the final price or guarantee attendance. Confirm the scope, price and timing directly with the provider before accepting an offer.
Read practical guidance on causes, safe checks and when to call a professional.
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