Clearing a blocked drain in Dubai costs AED 150 to AED 350 for a simple snaking job in an apartment, and AED 1,500 to AED 3,000 for a main sewage line in a villa — and the gap between those two numbers is exactly where homeowners get fleeced in 2026.
Here is the problem. You have water rising in your kitchen sink, a foul smell from the bathroom floor drain, or a toilet that gurgles every time the washing machine runs. You call the first number you find. A van shows up. Forty minutes later you are holding a quote for AED 2,400 to "replace the whole pipe line" — for a clog that a drain snake would have cleared in fifteen minutes.
This guide gives you the real numbers, what each price actually buys, the hidden costs that turn a small job into a big one, and the red flags that mean you are being upsold. Read it before you let anyone open your drain.
Drain cleaning prices in Dubai at a glance
💡 The one rule that saves you money
A blocked drain is a small job until proven otherwise. The honest sequence is snake first, jet only if snaking fails, and dig or replace pipe only after a CCTV camera proves the pipe is actually broken. Anyone who skips to the expensive step without showing you why is selling, not fixing.
What each method is — and what you actually pay for
Manual snaking / rodding — AED 150–350
A flexible steel cable (the "snake") is fed into the drain and rotated to break up or pull out the blockage. This clears the vast majority of everyday clogs — a slow kitchen sink, a backed-up shower, a sluggish bathroom floor drain. It is the right first move for nearly every apartment blockage and most single-fixture villa problems.
What's included: call-out and labour, snaking the affected line, a flush test to confirm flow, and basic clean-up. A fair provider quotes this as a flat fixture rate, not "per hour."
Hydro-jetting — AED 500–1,200
A high-pressure water jet (around 3,000–5,000 PSI) scours the inside of the pipe, blasting away grease, scale and sludge that a snake only punches a hole through. It is the correct tool when a line keeps re-blocking, when grease has coated the pipe walls, or when hard-water scale has narrowed the bore. It is overkill for a one-off clog.
What's included: machine setup, jetting the full length of the affected line, and a post-jet flow test. On longer or heavily fouled lines, expect the upper end of the range.
Main line / sewage clearing — AED 1,500–3,000
This is the big one — clearing the main soil or sewage line that carries waste away from an entire villa. It usually means jetting from an external manhole or cleanout, often with a heavier machine and more cable. The wide range reflects pipe length, depth, and how badly the line is fouled.
What's included: on-site assessment, locating the cleanout, high-pressure clearing of the main run, and a flow confirmation. For a villa, a CCTV inspection afterwards is money well spent to confirm the line is actually clear and not just temporarily flowing.
CCTV camera inspection — AED 600–1,500
A waterproof camera is pushed through the pipe so you can see the blockage, a cracked section, root intrusion, or a collapsed run on a screen. This is the only honest way anyone can claim your pipe needs replacing. If a provider wants to dig or re-pipe without showing you camera footage first, you have no proof the work is needed.
What's included: the camera run, on-screen viewing, and ideally a recorded clip or photos you keep. Insist on seeing the footage yourself — not a verbal summary.
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The hidden costs that turn AED 200 into AED 2,000
The quote you are given on the phone is almost never the number you end up paying. Here is where the extra money disappears — and why each one matters.
⚠️ The recurring blockage trap
A snake punches a hole through a clog so water flows again — but if the pipe is coated in grease or scale, it re-blocks within weeks. You pay the call-out fee again, and again. If your drain has blocked twice in a few months, you are paying for snaking when you needed one proper hydro-jet.
Root or grease build-up. Older villa lines in established communities can have root intrusion or years of grease. Clearing it properly costs more than a quick snake — but pretending a snake fixed it just means you pay twice.
A genuinely broken pipe. Sometimes the line really is cracked or collapsed. That is real, and it is expensive. But it must be proven with a camera before anyone quotes a replacement — never on a hunch.
Call-out and "minimum charge" add-ons. Some firms advertise AED 99 then add a separate call-out fee, a parts surcharge, and a "disposal" charge. Always ask whether the headline price is all-in before the van leaves the depot.
Why drains block in Dubai specifically
Dubai drains fail for reasons that are unique to this climate and city. Knowing the cause tells you which fix you actually need.
- Cooking grease. The single biggest cause of kitchen-line blockages. It pours down warm and liquid, then cools and hardens inside the pipe.
- Wet wipes and "flushable" products. They do not break down and are the leading cause of toilet and main-line clogs across the city's apartments.
- Hard-water scale. Dubai's hard water leaves mineral deposits that slowly narrow pipes, so blockages form faster and recur sooner.
- Sand and dust. Fine desert dust washes off balconies, floors and shoes into floor drains, settling into a gritty sludge that chokes the line.
- Hair and soap scum. The standard culprit behind slow showers and bathroom drains in every building.
Apartment vs villa: very different jobs
Apartments. Most blockages are a single fixture — a sink, shower or toilet — and clear with snaking for AED 150–350. Note that anything in the shared stack or building riser is usually the responsibility of the building management or your landlord, not you. Before you pay, check whether the blockage is inside your unit or in the common line.
Villas and townhouses. You own more of the system, including the run out to the main sewage line, so problems can escalate from a simple snake to a full main-line clear. Villas are also where hydro-jetting and CCTV inspections earn their keep, because the lines are longer and the consequences of a missed crack are bigger.
✅ Renting? You may not owe anything
For many leaks and blockages, repairs inside a rented property are the landlord's responsibility unless your tenancy contract says otherwise. Before paying a plumber yourself, message your landlord or management — you may be entitled to a refund or they may arrange it directly.
Red flags: how to spot a drain-cleaning upsell
How to get a fair drain-cleaning quote
- Describe the symptom precisely. One slow sink is a different job from every drain in the villa backing up. The clearer you are, the harder it is to inflate the quote.
- Ask for the method, not just the price. "Will you snake first?" tells you whether you are dealing with a fixer or a seller.
- Get the all-in number in writing. Call-out, labour, and any disposal or parts fees — confirmed before work starts.
- Demand camera proof for any big job. No CCTV footage, no replacement. Full stop.
- Use a verified provider. A RightPro-verified plumber on TaskRight has a checked DET trade licence and a real track record — so the quote you get is the price an honest tradesperson would charge, not a number invented for a panicking homeowner.
⚡ The honest-pricing test
A trustworthy plumber is happy to explain why each step costs what it costs and to start with the cheapest method that could work. The moment someone resists that — and jumps to the most expensive job first — you are the product, not the customer.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to unblock a drain in Dubai?
A simple single-fixture blockage cleared by snaking costs AED 150–350. Hydro-jetting a recurring or grease-coated line runs AED 500–1,200, and clearing a villa's main sewage line costs AED 1,500–3,000. Most apartment blockages sit at the lower end.
Is hydro-jetting worth it over snaking?
For a one-off clog, no — snaking is cheaper and usually enough. Hydro-jetting is worth it when a line keeps re-blocking, because it cleans the full pipe wall of grease and scale instead of just punching through the clog. Pay for the jet when the problem repeats, not the first time.
Do I really need a CCTV inspection?
Not for a routine clog. You need one before agreeing to any pipe replacement or excavation, because it is the only way to prove the pipe is genuinely damaged. For a villa main line, it is also a smart way to confirm the blockage is fully cleared.
Who pays for a blocked drain — me or my landlord?
It depends on your tenancy contract, but many leases make the landlord responsible for plumbing repairs unless the blockage was caused by misuse. Blockages in a building's shared stack are typically the management's responsibility, not yours. Check before you pay.
Why does my drain keep blocking?
Usually because the pipe was snaked but never properly cleaned — grease, hard-water scale or sand sludge is still coating the walls and the clog rebuilds. A recurring blockage is the clearest sign you needed a hydro-jet, not another snake.
Can I clear a blocked drain myself first?
For a minor slow drain, a plunger and hot water often help, and a hand auger can clear shallow hair clogs. Avoid harsh chemical drain cleaners — they damage pipes and rarely fix the real cause. If it does not clear quickly or keeps returning, call a verified plumber.
Get it cleared once — at an honest price
A blocked drain is stressful enough without wondering whether the person fixing it is inventing a problem to match the bill. The fix is simple: use a plumber whose licence and track record have already been checked, who starts with the cheapest method that works, and who proves any big job before quoting it.
That is exactly what RightPro verification on TaskRight gives you — and because our providers pay zero commission, the price you are quoted is the price an honest tradesperson charges, not a number padded to cover a platform's cut.
👉 Find verified plumbers in Dubai →
Prices reflect 2026 averages and may vary by provider, scope, and season.
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