Quick answer
Drain unblocking clears a blockage that has already formed. Drain jetting uses high-pressure water to scour the inside of a pipe. Drain cleaning is the wider term, and it can mean either job. Because the words overlap, ask any engineer which method they plan to use and why.
Why the three terms get mixed up
Most people search for "drain cleaning" when a sink or gully stops draining. Engineers and cost guides use more exact words. As a result, two quotes for "cleaning" may describe quite different work.
The simplest way to compare is to ask what the job is meant to do. One job removes a blockage now, while another clears build-up from the pipe wall. A third looks at why the drain keeps failing. Each of these has a different method and a different price.
What drain unblocking means
Drain unblocking is a response to a blockage. Water is backing up, or draining slowly, and something is in the way. The aim is to clear that one obstruction and get the flow moving again.
Engineers use several tools for this. For example, drain rods are flexible lengths that push or pull a blockage along the pipe. A plunger or a drain auger may be enough for a sink or toilet. See the drain unblocking service for how a request works, and the pages on external drain unblocking and internal drain unblocking for the two main cases.
What drain jetting means
Drain jetting sends water through a hose at high pressure. The nozzle fires jets backwards and pulls itself along the pipe. This scours grease, scale and silt from the pipe wall. It can also break up a stubborn blockage that rods cannot move.
Jetting suits build-up over a length of pipe better than a single plug of debris. It is not right for every pipe, although old or damaged pipes need care, as the post on whether jetting is safe for old pipes explains. The drain jetting service page covers domestic and commercial work.
Rods or jetting: how an engineer chooses
Both methods can clear a blockage. The right choice depends on the pipe, the cause and the access. A soft plug close to a gully may need only rods. However, hard grease along a long run may call for jetting.
The post on drain jetting versus drain rods compares the two in more detail. Because every drain is different, the engineer who attends should explain the choice before starting. If a blockage returns soon after, that points to a cause that cleaning has not fixed. A CCTV drain survey can then show the condition of the pipe.
What UK cost guides say
Price guides are only a starting point, since they come from marketplace sites, not from regulated data, and the figures are UK-wide. Book A Builder says London and the South East run 15 to 30 per cent above the national average.
For basic unblocking, MyJobQuote gives about £80 to £150 for an outside drain. Book A Builder gives £80 to £150 as well. For jetting, MyJobQuote lists £70 to £175 for a complete job, while Book A Builder lists £120 to £250. These are whole-job figures, not call-out fees. Treat them as a guide and ask for a written quote.
Signs that a drain needs more than unblocking
A drain that clears and then blocks again is telling you something. The cause may sit further down the pipe than the first attempt reached. It may also be a fault in the pipe itself, such as a crack or a root.
Other signs include repeated slow drains, gurgling and smells. Since these signs can have many causes, the post on drain smells and gurgling explains what each can mean. In these cases, a camera check is often more useful than a second clear. The survey shows the cause, so the next job can target it.
Questions to ask about the method
A short set of questions makes quotes easier to compare. Specifically, ask which method the engineer plans to use, and why. Ask what the quote includes, and whether a camera check is extra. Ask whether the price covers a repeat visit if the blockage returns.
Some of these answers decide the final cost. For example, a quote for rodding may look cheaper than one for jetting, yet the two may not solve the same problem. Compare the work described, not just the number. Written quotes make this much easier.
Where to start in your town
The method matters less than the cause, yet it still helps to know the options. If you are in Aldershot, the drain unblocking page for Aldershot explains what to include in a request. For a long run of greasy pipe in Fleet, see drain jetting in Fleet. In Camberley, the drain unblocking page for Camberley covers the same ground.
When to send a request
If a drain is blocked or slow, you can send a request through the contact page. Describe what you can see and which fixtures are affected. Say whether the problem is inside or outside the house.
The site passes the request on so an engineer can respond. The engineer who takes your job runs a separate business, so the engineer sets the price and the arrival time. Ask what the quote covers, whether there is a call-out charge and what cover applies afterwards. Agree these before work starts.