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Get a fair quoteBy Our research team · Last verified · 10 jobs priced · Methodology
Clogged drain, snake / auger (any one drain). The full price list is below.
How we get this data$100–$350 to snake a sink, tub or shower drain, and $200 is typical. A main line clog with a camera inspection and hydro-jetting runs $425–$2,150, typical $950.
Prices verified November 2026 · Cross-referenced against 50+ American pricing sources · See methodology
A single clogged drain is usually a snake job at $100–$350. Main line work costs more because it needs bigger machines and often a camera.
| Job | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen sink drain, snakedper job | $100 | $160 | $220 |
| Bathroom sink, tub or shower drain, snakedper job | $100 | $175 | $250 |
| Toilet clog clearedper job | $100 | $175 | $275 |
| Laundry drain clearedper job | $150 | $200 | $250 |
| Clogged drain, snake / auger (any one drain)per job | $100 | $200 | $350 |
| Main line snaked (cable machine)per job | $125 | $300 | $550 |
| Sewer camera inspectionper job | $125 | $300 | $650 |
| Hydro-jetting, main lineper job | $300 | $650 | $1,500 |
| Tree root removalper job | $150 | $400 | $1,000 |
| Main line clog: camera inspection + hydro-jettingper job | $425 | $950 | $2,150 |
US prices, November 2026. Low is a simple job in a low-cost area; high is a bigger job or a high-cost city.
Yes. The same job costs more where labor and rent cost more. Here's how plumber prices in the biggest US metros compare with the US typical of $100/hr.
Labor, rent and demand move every job on this page in the same direction. Open your city's guide for its full local price list.
A snake (auger) punches through a clog in one drain. It is the right tool for a slow sink, tub or toilet, and costs $100–$350.
Hydro-jetting scours the whole pipe with high-pressure water. It clears grease, scale and roots that a snake only pokes a hole in, so it suits main lines and repeat clogs — $300–$1,500 on its own.
A camera inspection ($125–$650) shows what is in the pipe: roots, a sag, a crack or a collapsed section. Ask for one before jetting an old line, and before anyone quotes you a sewer line replacement.
Many companies sell the camera and the jetting together, at $425–$2,150. Ask to see the footage and keep a copy.
Where the clog sits matters most: a sink trap is quick, a main line far from a cleanout is not. No cleanout can mean pulling a toilet to get in. Roots, grease build-up and old cast iron or clay pipe add time.
Timing matters too. The same clog after hours costs $300–$800 to snake.
Keep grease, wipes and food scraps out of the drains, and fit hair catchers in showers. If the same drain clogs every few months, a camera inspection is cheaper than paying for the snake again and again.
Be wary of a jump straight to jetting or pipe replacement without camera footage. Hydro-jetting can damage pipe that is already cracked or badly corroded, which is another reason to look first.
Where the clog sits sets the price. These signs tell you which kind you have.
| What you see | What it usually means | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| One sink, tub or shower is slow. Everything else drains fine. | A clog in that drain or its trap | $100–$350 |
| The toilet won't flush, but other drains work. | A clog in the toilet or just past it | $100–$275 |
| Flushing the toilet makes the tub gurgle or the shower fill up. | The main line is blocked | $125–$550 |
| Water comes up in a floor drain or the lowest shower when the washer drains. | The main line is blocked | $125–$550 |
| The same main line clogs every few months. | Roots, grease or a sag in the pipe | $425–$2,150 |
Many single-drain clogs clear in a few minutes. Stop if water starts to rise in other drains. That means the main line, and a plumber.
A sample bill for a backed-up main line with tree roots. The plumber snakes it, runs a camera, then jets it.
Sample numbers only. Our US range for camera plus jetting is $425–$2,150. Ask whether the snaking fee counts toward the jetting. Ask for a copy of the camera footage.
Each tool fits a different clog. Paying for the wrong one wastes money.
| Tool | What it does | Best for | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hand or drum snake | Pushes a cable through one clog | One sink, tub or shower | $100–$350 |
| Cable machine | A bigger powered cable for the main line | A main line backup | $125–$550 |
| Sewer camera | Shows roots, cracks, sags or a collapsed pipe | Repeat clogs, old lines, and before any dig-up quote | $125–$650 |
| Hydro-jetting | High-pressure water scours the whole pipe | Grease, scale and roots in pipe that is still sound | $300–$1,500 |
| Root cutter | A cutting head on a cable machine | Roots growing in through pipe joints | $150–$1,000 |
Grease is a common cause of clogs and sewer backups. Cities such as Columbus, Ohio and Cambridge, Massachusetts tell residents never to pour fats, oils or grease down a sink or toilet. Let it cool, wipe the pan with a paper towel or pour the grease into a can, and put it in the trash.
The pipes in your home are yours to fix. The pipe from your house to the street can be yours too, in whole or in part. Rules differ by city, so call your sewer utility if you think the clog is in the public sewer.
Standard home insurance usually does not cover a sewer backup unless you added backup coverage, AAA says. Check your policy before you need it.
Most drain jobs are honest and quick. Watch for these.
A cleanout is a capped pipe, often outside near the house, that opens straight into the main line. Tell the plumber if you have one. Without it, they may have to pull a toilet to get in, which adds time and cost.
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$100–$350 for one sink, tub or shower drain, typical $200. A main line snaked from a cleanout is $125–$550.
For main lines, grease and roots, often yes: $300–$1,500 cleans the full pipe instead of punching a hole in the clog. For one slow sink, a $100–$350 snake is enough.
$125–$650. It costs less with an outdoor cleanout and more when a toilet has to be pulled to reach the line.
Grease, hair, wipes or roots are the usual causes, and a snake only clears a path through them. Repeat clogs in the main line call for a camera inspection and usually hydro-jetting.
It can, if the pipe is already cracked, collapsed or badly corroded. That's why a camera inspection should come first on older lines.
$100–$220, typical $160. Grease and food are the usual causes. If the disposal is dead, a new one installed is $250–$850.
$100–$250, typical $175. It is usually hair, so try pulling it out first.
$125–$550 to snake it from a cleanout. With a camera inspection and hydro-jetting, it is $425–$2,150.
Usually not, unless you added water or sewer backup coverage to your policy. Damage from tree roots or poor upkeep is often left out even then (AAA). Check your own policy.
No. The grease cools and sticks inside the pipe further down. Let it harden, then put it in the trash.