Blocked Drains & Drain Cleaning in Cape Town
Slow drain, gurgling, or water backing up - cleared properly, not just pushed along
T‑Rex Plumbing has cleared blocked drains across Cape Town since 2011, based in the Southern Suburbs, with confirmed recent work in Claremont.
Is This a Municipal or a Private Property Problem?
If the blockage is inside your own property - a slow kitchen sink, a gurgling toilet, water backing up in a shower - that's a private plumbing job, and we can help.
If it's a public sewer line in the street, or a manhole overflowing outside your property, that's a City of Cape Town matter. Report it directly to the City's service request line rather than calling a private plumber - it'll get resolved faster.
Signs and Causes of a Blocked Drain
A slow-draining sink, a gurgling sound from a drain when another fixture runs, water backing up, or a bad smell from a plughole are all signs of a blockage forming. Most often it's grease, hair, or foreign objects; in older homes it's sometimes tree roots or a shifted pipe.
Our Core Drain Services
Drain Unblocking
Cleared properly, finding the actual cause instead of just pushing the blockage further down the line.
Drain Cleaning & Hydro Jetting
For stubborn grease, scale and root build-up, we clear the line with high-pressure hydro jetting.
CCTV Drain Camera Inspections
A camera down the line shows exactly what is causing the blockage, so we fix the real cause instead of guessing.
Pipe Relining
We repair cracked and root-damaged drains from the inside, without digging them up.
What It Costs, and What Moves the Number
There's no single price for clearing a blocked drain - the real cost depends on how accessible the blockage is, how far down the line it is, and whether it's a simple clear or needs a camera inspection first.
As a guide: clearing a drain with rods typically costs R1,300 to R2,200, and mechanical augering starts at R2,500 and goes up depending on the job. Our call-out fee is R400, and you get a written quote before any work starts.
How the Job Runs
We've kept the process simple on purpose.
- Call, Text, or WhatsApp: Tell us what's going on and we'll find a time to come take a look.
- We Inspect the Drain: We find where the blockage actually is before we start clearing it.
- We Give You a Quote: You'll know what the job involves before we start any work.
- We Clear and Test: We make sure water's flowing properly before we leave.
Get a Price on Drain Work
Fair pricing and a clear quote before any work starts. Tell us what's going on and we'll take it from there.
Get a Quote
Areas in Cape Town We Cover
Areas we cover: Claremont, Rondebosch, Kenilworth, Bishop's Court, and Wynberg in the Southern Suburbs, our home base, plus Hout Bay, City Bowl, and the Waterfront.
What Our Cape Town Customers Say
Geyser repair
Excellent service! My geyser was pulling around 24 units of electricity a day and he came out and diagnosed and fixed the issue. He spent over two hours here making sure everything was sorted. Very professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely lovely to deal with. I really appreciated the time and care he took to get everything right. Highly recommend!!
Phumla NinelaGoogle reviewHeat pump installation
Trex Plumbing did an excellent job installing our heat pump. The team was professional, punctual, and their workmanship was of a very high standard. The installation was neat, efficient, and everything was explained clearly. We are extremely happy with the service and would highly recommend Trex Plumbing to anyone looking for reliable plumbing and heat pump installation. Thank you for a great job!
Leon E AdendorffGoogle reviewSaturday call-out
The most incredible service from Trevor. I contacted him on Saturday morning and he was at our property shortly thereafter. Professional, extremely reasonably priced and exceptionally helpful. I cannot recommend him more
Kelly DillonGoogle review
Frequently Asked Questions About Blocked Drains in Cape Town
Clearing a drain with rods typically costs R1,300 to R2,200. Tougher blockages that need mechanical augering start at R2,500 and go up depending on the job. You get a written quote before we start.
Most often it's a build-up of grease, hair, or foreign objects, or tree roots getting into an older pipe. Sometimes it's a sign the pipe itself has shifted or cracked.
A plunger or a drain snake can clear a simple blockage. If it keeps coming back, that usually means the real cause is further down the line than a DIY tool can reach.
If the blockage is in the public sewer line rather than on your own property, that's a City of Cape Town matter, not something a private plumber can resolve - report it directly to the City's service request line.
Yes. We do CCTV drain camera inspections to see exactly what is causing a blockage or where a pipe is damaged, so it gets fixed properly the first time.