Gauteng · Vetted local plumbers
Blocked drains in Johannesburg and across Gauteng
A drain that has properly blocked does not clear itself, and the longer it sits the worse the mess. We get you a plumber with the rods or the jetter to clear it and tell you why it happened.
Get a plumber's quote
A plumber near you phones you and quotes before any work starts. Nothing to pay to be put in touch.
What this usually involves
Worth separating two problems: a single slow fixture is usually a local blockage, while several fixtures backing up at once, or a gully overflowing outside, points at the main line. The second one needs proper equipment, not a bottle of drain cleaner.
Recurring blockages in the same place normally mean something structural - roots into a cracked pipe, or a section that has dropped and holds water. A camera inspection settles it, and stops you paying for the same clearing three times a year.
Also: Drain camera inspections
How it works
- 01
Tell us what is wrong
WhatsApp us what is wrong, with a photo if you can, or use the form. No account, no sign-up.
- 02
We put it to a local plumber
We pass your job to a plumber near you, and we speak to them before we do. They phone you themselves.
- 03
You get a price first
They work out what is actually needed and quote before anything gets opened up. You pay them directly.
What we mean by vetted
- We speak to them firstEvery plumber we refer you to has had a real conversation with us before a single enquiry goes their way. That is a different thing from the IOPSA register on this site, which is a public list of accredited companies and most of the companies on it have never heard of us.
- We check their public recordTheir existing reviews, their trading history and whether the business is who it says it is. If we cannot find any of it, we do not refer to them.
- We stop referring to anyone who lets you downTell us what happened. If they let you down, we stop sending them work.
That is the whole list. We are not going to show you a badge for something we have not done, and we are not going to call a company vetted because it appears on somebody else's register.
- Reala person reads your message
- Locala plumber near your suburb
- Pricedquoted before work starts
- Freenothing to pay to be put in touch
Plumbers24 is not a plumbing company. We are a Gauteng referral service that puts you onto a vetted local plumber and stays out of the way. You deal with them directly and pay them directly.
What decides the price
Nobody can price a plumbing job off a phone call, and anyone who gives you a firm number before seeing it is guessing. What they can do is tell you what moves it. This is what actually decides the figure on your quote.
| Geyser | Which part failed. A dead element, thermostat or pressure valve is a repair; only a cylinder that has rusted through is a replacement, and the difference between those two is most of the price. After that: the size, whether it is in the roof or a cupboard, and whether the tray, vacuum breakers and pipework have to be brought up to SANS 10254 while they are in there. |
|---|---|
| Blocked drains | Whether it clears with rods or a drain machine, or whether it needs a camera down the line and something dug up. Those are different jobs at different prices, and a good plumber will tell you which one he is on before he starts the second. |
| Burst and leaking pipes | Where the pipe runs. An accessible joint is quick; a pipe in a wall or under a slab means opening something up and making it good again, and the making-good is often the larger half. |
| Leak detection | Whether it is found acoustically or with a pressure test, or whether flooring has to come up. Ask for the finding and the fixing to be priced separately, so you are not agreeing to the second before anyone knows what it is. |
| Pressure pumps | Which part failed. A pressure switch or recharging the pressure vessel is a small job; a new pump is not. Ask which part it is before agreeing to a replacement. |
| Anything after hours | A Sunday night call-out costs more than a Tuesday morning one, everywhere, always. If it can wait until the morning, say so and ask what that saves. |
Worth asking, before you say yes
- Is the call-out charged separately, and does it come off the bill if I go ahead?
- Is that including VAT?
- Is this a fixed quote or an estimate that can move once you open it up? If it can move, by how much?
- Are you supplying the parts, and what is the guarantee on them?
- Will I get a Certificate of Compliance, and is it in the price?
What it costs: How much does it cost to unblock a drain?
Rather fill in a form than WhatsApp? Get a plumber's quote at the top of this page.
Questions people ask
Should I use drain cleaner on a blocked drain?
On a slow sink it may help. On a drain that is fully blocked it usually just sits there, and it makes the job harder and less safe for the plumber who has to open it. If you have already used some, say so when you message us.
Why does my drain keep blocking?
A drain that blocks in the same place again and again usually has something structural wrong with it: roots in a cracked pipe, or a section that has dropped and holds water. A camera inspection shows which, so you stop paying for the same clearing.
Are you actually a plumbing company?
No, and we would rather say so upfront. Plumbers24 is a referral service. We take your details, pass the job to a vetted plumber near you, and they contact you directly. You deal with them and pay them, not us.
What does it cost me?
Nothing to be put in touch. You pay the plumber for the work, at the price they quote you before they start. We are paid by the plumber, not by you.
How fast can somebody get to me?
Honestly, it depends who is free. For an emergency like a burst pipe or a geyser coming through the ceiling we start looking the moment you message, and we tell you what we actually find, including when the real answer is first thing tomorrow. We do not put a time on this page that somebody else has to keep.
Why are other plumbers listed on this site?
Because IOPSA's register is public and useful: it lets you check a company before you let it into your house. We show the registered companies near you. It is not a list of who we recommend, and most of them have never heard of us. We do not show their phone numbers. If you want a plumber, WhatsApp us and we look for one near you who is free. Any company on the register can have its entry taken off this site for free by sending one message.
Do you cover my area?
All of Gauteng: Johannesburg, Pretoria, Ekurhuleni and the East Rand, the West Rand, the Vaal and the areas in between. We look for a plumber near you, and if nobody is close enough to be worth your time, we tell you so. Outside Gauteng? Send a message anyway and we will tell you honestly whether we can help.
What happens to my details?
They go to the plumber who is going to phone you, and nowhere else. We do not sell contact details on to marketing lists. If you want your details removed, message us and they are gone.