Ordinary drain cleaning in Los Angeles costs about $100 to $300 for a single sink, tub or toilet, and about $200 to $600 when the blockage sits in the main line. One published guide for the city puts the whole spread at $175 to $600 with a typical bill near $325. Hydro jetting and sewer repair cost more and are priced separately below.
The sections here run from the cheapest job to the most expensive, so you can find the one that sounds like yours. If you want one specific method, the home page lists every service we arrange.
How much does it cost to have someone clean your drains?
For one fixture, plan on $100 to $300. That covers a plumber arriving with a hand auger or a small machine, clearing the clog, and running water to check the flow. Several fixtures backing up together, or a drain that gurgles, points deeper and moves you into the next tier at $150 to $500.
Here is the menu as Los Angeles businesses publish it:
| Job | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sink, tub or shower drain | $100 to $300 | Hair and grease are the usual causes |
| Toilet clog | $175 to $300 | Higher if the toilet has to be pulled |
| Several fixtures at once | $150 to $500 | A branch line or the main is likely involved |
| Main line clearing | $200 to $600 | Through an existing cleanout, less than through a vent |
| Hydro jetting | $350 to $900, heavy jobs up to $1,100 | Heavy grease, scale or roots |
| Camera inspection | $150 to $350 | Often discounted when bundled with cleaning |
Treat these as a guide, not a quote. The price on your quote depends on the pipe, the access and the hour.
How much does it cost to clean your drains if the problem keeps coming back?
A clog that returns within weeks usually means the first visit cleared a hole through the blockage without removing it. Expect to pay again at a higher tier, often $350 to $900 for jetting, because you are now paying to clean the pipe wall rather than punch through the middle.
One Los Angeles guide describes the pattern. A simple clearing cost about $150, the clog came back, and a camera found grease buildup and early root intrusion. Hydro jetting brought the second bill to between $500 and $900. A camera pass at the start would have shown the cause on the first visit. That is why many plumbers suggest the inspection when the same drain has been cleared before.
How much does a drain cleaner cost per hour or per visit?
Most drain work is quoted per visit, not per hour, but the hourly rate sits behind it. Published rates for plumbers in Los Angeles run from about $95 to $200 per hour, among the highest in the country. A flat price for a standard clog is normal. Large or unclear jobs may be quoted by the hour.
Ask which one you are getting before work starts. Flat quotes for simple jobs are easy to compare. Hourly quotes need a stated minimum and a cap, so a stubborn clog does not turn into an open-ended bill. Our guide on what plumbers charge to snake a drain goes deeper on the cheaper machine.
How much does it cost to jet wash drains?
Jet washing, or hydro jetting, costs $350 to $700 in most Los Angeles price lists, and up to about $1,100 for heavy buildup or roots. Water at high pressure scours the pipe wall, so it suits grease, scale and roots that a cable would only poke through. It is priced above a standard clearing for that reason.
Older pipe changes the advice. Homes from before about 1970 may have clay or Orangeburg lines that high pressure can damage, so a camera look first is sensible. See hydrojet drain cleaning prices for the full breakdown.
How much does it cost to have your sewer line cleaned out?
A main sewer line cleaning usually runs $200 to $600 in Los Angeles. Reach through an existing outdoor cleanout and you land at the low end. Reach through a roof vent or by pulling a toilet and the time and risk go up. Published figures put the average around $600 for a main clog, with most homes paying between about $200 and $1,000.
If the line has no cleanout, installing one costs more than the cleaning does, roughly $500 for a simple one in soil up to a few thousand dollars under concrete, but it makes every future visit cheaper. Our main sewer line clog guide and sewer drain cleaning guide cover this tier.
How much does it cost to repair, reline or replace a sewer line?
These are the jobs drain cleaning cannot fix. Spot repair of one failed section runs about $1,500 to $5,000. Lining or bursting costs roughly $80 to $300 per foot, and a whole-lateral replacement lands between $5,000 and $15,000. These are far above cleaning prices, which is why a camera inspection before you spend matters.
As a worked example for the "cost to replace 50 feet of sewer line" search: at $80 to $300 per foot, 50 feet comes to about $4,000 to $15,000 before permits and surface repair. Details and the method comparison are in our sewer line replacement cost guide and repair cost guide.
What makes drain cleaning cost more in Los Angeles?
Location, pipe age and timing do most of it. Labor rates here are high. Many older homes carry cast iron or clay lines that corrode or take roots, which makes clogs return faster. Hillside lots mean longer, steeper runs. After-hours and emergency service adds a surcharge, commonly $50 to $300.
Warning signs that a job will cost more than the base price include:
- slow drainage in more than one fixture
- gurgling when another fixture runs
- sewage smell near a floor drain
- a clog that returns within weeks
- backups in the lowest fixture in the house
The lowest fixture backing up first is the classic sign of a main-line problem. Be wary of $49 or $89 headline prices. Some add fees for cleanout access, extra footage or equipment, so ask for the total.
How do you choose a drain cleaning service and keep the price fair?
Ask for a price before the work starts, ask what is included, and ask whether a camera is part of it. The cheapest quote is not always the lowest bill. For jobs beyond a simple clog, a written quote that names the method and the stopping point protects you.
Cheap drain cleaning near me searches turn up low advertised prices, and the honest ones are fine for single fixtures. For anything involving the main line, compare the total, the access method and whether the visit includes a run of water and a check. The price comes to you in writing before a visit is booked. Use the price request form and describe which fixtures are affected.
Questions people ask
How much should drain cleaning cost for one clogged sink?
Between $100 and $300 in Los Angeles, with most kitchen and bathroom sinks near $150 to $250. A hand auger and about an hour of work is typical. If the plumber must open the trap, pull the disposal or reach the vent, the price rises. Ask for the total before they start.
Is there a low cost drain cleaning option?
Yes, for a single fixture with an accessible clog. Some businesses advertise flat prices below $100. The risk is added charges for access, footage or equipment, so ask what the total will be. If the same drain has clogged before, a cheap clearing may only buy a few weeks.
What about French drain, storm drain and basement drain cleaning costs?
We did not find reliable published Los Angeles prices for French drains or storm drains, and they are usually quoted per job after a look. Basement and floor drains that connect to the sewer are usually priced like main line cleaning, about $200 to $600. A camera run shows what is involved.
Does sewer line jet cleaning cost more than a cable?
Yes. A cable clears a path and costs about $200 to $600 on a main line. Jetting cleans the wall of the pipe and runs $350 to $900, and up to about $1,100 for heavy buildup. For grease, scale and roots, jetting often lasts longer. For a simple one-time clog, the cable is usually enough.
Who pays for drain cleaning, me or the city?
You do, for your own lateral. Los Angeles County says the lateral is entirely owned by the property owner it serves, including blockages and backups on that line, from the building to the main. The public mainline in the street is the city's or county's. If the clog is in the main, the agency handles it.
Sources used
- Los Angeles County Public Works, Sewer: owner responsibility for the lateral
- Published prices of drain cleaning businesses and cost guides covering Los Angeles, checked November 2026
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