Your drain is clogged and your natural at-home remedies aren’t working. You’re in need of a plumber. So, you find yourself asking the question: how much does a plumber cost to unclog a drain. A basic search could give you a range of estimates, but here’s an example of why a plumber may charge $1,600 to unclog an old drain. Read or click on video below to see Eddie explain why and how much does a plumber cost to unclog a drain.

On a visit to a rental property, Heil Plumbing DMV ended up using a snake to unclog a sink drain. However, another plumber wanted to charge $1,600 and it could have been a fair price, and here’s why…

How Much Does a Plumber Cost to Unclog a Drain – The Age of Your Plumbing Could Determine Everything

Tubular traps are typical in plumbing. Old traps, however, are typically thin-walled and using a snake to unclog an old trap can easily result in the pipe breaking leading to a bigger issue than a mere clog. A broken pipe requires pipe replacement and pipe replacement requires tying the new pipe into your home’s plumbing, a connection which can require you to cut the plaster or drywall. The reality is that fixing old, outdated plumbing is a game of dominoes and can get expensive, quickly.

All this to say, a plumber, who promises a quick drain cleaning on a sink with old plumbing, a task they know could very likely result in the trap breaking, may be promising something that they cannot deliver on. In other words, such plumbers are not managing client expectations well. And, clients rightfully react when their expectation of a moderately priced “simple” drain cleaning turns into a “super expensive” replumbing of their sink fixture. So, what is the solution?

Reasonable plumbers think ahead and try to save their customers the headache of a broken pipe on top of a clogged sink. Reasonable plumbers quote solutions that they know will address a customer’s issue while minimizing the risks associated with unmet client expectations. How much does a plumber cost to unclog a drain then if they’re reasonable? It could very well be $1,600 if you have old plumbing.

Great plumbers, however, will at times, manage client expectations, not by attempting to eliminate all risks, but by giving their clients options and clearly communicating the risks associated with each option. A great plumber might communicate that old sink plumbing needs to be updated while telling their customer that there is a chance that they could defer such costs to a later date. In other words, a great plumber might assess the same situation and communicate that the cost could be anywhere from a few hundred dollars to $1,600 if replumbing is necessary.

Ready to upgrade your plumbing before your next drain clog? Connect with a plumber in Laurel, MD today for drain cleaning in Baltimore County or sewer line repair in Baltimore County and the surrounding areas.

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Heil Plumbing is a family-run company owned by a third-generation master plumber. We can help you with a full range of plumbing services, including toilet installation and repair, leak detection and pipe repair, water heater repair and installation, faucet repair and installation, drain cleaning, water treatment, and more.