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Get a fair quoteBy Our research team · Last verified · 10 jobs priced · Methodology
Main line snaking (cable auger through a cleanout). The full price list is below.
How we get this dataClearing a main sewer line clog costs $125–$550 to snake it, with $300 typical, or $300–$1,500 to hydro-jet it. Roots add $150–$1,000, a camera check $125–$650, and a night or weekend call-out $150–$400.
Prices verified November 2026 · Cross-referenced against 56+ American pricing sources · See methodology
National prices for a house-to-street line, labor included.
| Job | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main line snaking (cable auger through a cleanout)per job | $125 | $300 | $550 |
| Hydro-jetting the main lineper job | $300 | $650 | $1,500 |
| Tree root removal (root cutter, then flush)per job | $150 | $400 | $1,000 |
| Sewer camera inspectionper job | $125 | $300 | $650 |
| Snaking plus a camera passper job | $250 | $600 | $1,200 |
| Emergency call-out (nights, weekends, holidays)per job | $150 | $250 | $400 |
| Pull and reset a toilet for accessper job | $100 | $125 | $150 |
| Outdoor cleanout installationper job | $500 | $1,100 | $2,000 |
| Spot repair if the pipe is brokenper job | $1,000 | $2,500 | $5,500 |
| Sewage backup cleanup (basement, per event)per job | $1,000 | $2,500 | $5,000 |
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 sewer line prices in the biggest US metros compare with the US typical of $7500.
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.
More than one drain backs up at once, water comes up in the tub or floor drain when you flush or run the washer, or toilets gurgle. That points to the main line, and plunging won't fix it. Stop using water and call a plumber.
Access first: a cleanout outside makes it a quick job; no cleanout means pulling a toilet ($100–$150) or going through the roof. Roots need a cutter ($150–$1,000). Nights, weekends and holidays add a call-out of $150–$400, and Angi's Minneapolis figures show weekend rates of $125–$420 an hour.
The cause matters too. Wipes and grease clear quickly. Roots come back. A break or a sag means the line will keep clogging until it's repaired.
A second backup in a year is the time for a camera inspection ($125–$650). It shows whether you have roots in an old joint, a sag that holds water, or a broken pipe. One break can often be fixed for $1,000–$5,500; a failing line is a $4,000–$15,000 replacement for about 50 ft.
Install an outdoor cleanout ($500–$2,000) if you don't have one: every future call gets faster and cheaper. Book weekday visits when you can. If roots are the issue, a yearly jet ($650 typical) is cheaper than emergency calls.
Cleaning up a sewage backup in a basement runs $1,000–$5,000 per event, and it's a health risk. Keep people and pets away, and check what your insurance policy says about sewer backups. A backwater valve ($500–$5,000) can stop it happening again.
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$125–$550 to snake it, or $300–$1,500 to hydro-jet it. Add $150–$400 for a night or weekend call-out.
You can rent a machine snake, but a main line clog in an old pipe can bind the cable or hide a break. If more than one drain is backing up, a plumber with a camera is the safer call.
Usually the city, if it owns that stretch. Have the plumber note the distance where the clog sits and check with your sewer utility; some cities pay to fix the part under the street.
Roots in old joints, a sag that collects waste, grease buildup or a broken section. A camera inspection tells you which, and whether cleaning or repair is the fix.
If sewage is coming up into the house, yes. Stop using water and call. Otherwise, a weekday visit avoids the $150–$400 after-hours call-out.