Emergency Plumbing & Boiler Repair · Fulham, London
Blocked Drains in Fulham
The first sign is usually a sound. A gurgle from the bath when the washing machine empties, a toilet that takes two flushes, a gully in the yard that stays full after rain. By the time water is rising in a lower-ground shower tray it has become an emergency. Emergency Plumber Fulham takes the call on 07898 117754 at any hour and sends a partner drainage company with rods, a jetter and, where needed, a CCTV camera.
Fulham's drains are old and shared. The Victorian terraces of SW6 and W14 were built with salt-glazed clay pipes running at the back, often with several houses sharing one run before it meets the public sewer, and the sewer network beneath them is largely combined, carrying foul water and rainwater together. Hammersmith and Fulham's own surface-water assessment names an ageing sewer network, overwhelmed in heavy rain, as the borough's principal flood risk.
The history shows underground. Counter's Creek, which ran from Kensal Green to the Thames at Chelsea Creek, was culverted and now survives as a combined sewer beneath West Kensington, West Brompton and Sands End. Thames Water once planned a storm relief tunnel of about 5 km to protect roughly 1,000 basement properties in this area, then dropped it in 2018 after around 1,300 flooding-protection devices had been fitted to private connections. Basement and lower-ground flats remain the places that back up first.
A partner drainage company clears the blockage, shows you what caused it and quotes in writing before any extra work. We handle no payment; the partner invoices you directly, and we text you their name before they arrive. See our leak detection and repair page if you suspect water is escaping rather than blocking, or toilet repair if the problem is a fitting.
What We Do
Drain Problems by Where They Happen
A blocked kitchen sink, a blocked toilet and a flooding yard gully need different tools, and the cause behind each is different too.
Sinks, Baths and Waste Pipes That Drain Slowly
Fat, soap scum and hair build up in a waste pipe until the bore narrows enough to hold water. In older Fulham properties, long shallow runs and awkward bends make this likelier. The partner clears it with a plunger, a snake or a small electric rod, and tells you whether it is a one-off or a sign of a poorly falling pipe that will keep clogging.
Toilets and Soil Pipes That Back Up
A toilet that will not clear after plunging is usually blocked beyond the pan, in the soil pipe or the first stretch of drain. Wipes sold as flushable are a major cause. Partners use drain rods or a jetter to clear it, then check the next manhole to confirm the line is flowing, and quote £100 to £200 for simple toilet unblocking on published 2026 London ranges.
Yard Gullies, Manholes and Whole-Run Blockages
When several fittings back up at once, or the gully outside the back door overflows, the blockage is further down the run. Tree roots seeking moisture, collapsed clay joints and silt are the usual causes. High-pressure jetting, roughly £180 to £350 on published 2026 London ranges, clears debris, and a CCTV survey shows whether a defect needs a repair rather than another clear-out.
The Benefits
Clearing the Blockage and Finding the Cause
A drain that is cleared without anyone looking at why it blocked will usually block again.
CCTV Surveys That Show What Is Down There
A drain camera on a flexible rod gives you a recording of the pipe's condition: cracks, displaced joints, root intrusion, scale or a collapsed section. In a Victorian clay system, that can change a repeat clear-out into a one-off repair. The partner quotes any repair separately and in writing, so you decide with the evidence in front of you.
Right Tool for the Blockage
Hand rods suit a simple blockage near an access point, an electric drum machine suits a longer run, and a high-pressure water jet descales a pipe or cuts roots. Choosing correctly matters because jetting a fragile old clay pipe without a survey can damage it, and the partner will explain why they picked one method.
Written Quote and Clear Responsibility
Since October 2011 many shared and lateral drains beyond your property boundary have been the responsibility of the water company, which is Thames Water in Fulham, while the pipework inside your boundary is yours. The partner can tell you which side the blockage sits on, and a CCTV report helps if Thames Water needs to be called.
Why Us
Fulham Drainage Calls: What Is Different Here
Drains behave according to the ground and the housing above them, and Fulham's are particular.
Basement and Lower-Ground Flats First
Hammersmith and Fulham names basement flats and lower-ground conversions as the properties most exposed to sewer back-up after heavy rain. A non-return valve or a pumped drain is worth discussing after the emergency clear-out, and the partner can quote it separately without pressure.
Leaf Litter and Roots from the Planes and Limes
London planes and limes on the Green and Eel Brook Common, and in Bishop's Park, put leaf and root pressure on nearby gullies and drains each autumn. Clearing yard gullies before the first big rain costs little, and the partner can do it alongside any other visit. See Parsons Green for the local detail.
Older Pipework and Shared Runs
Many Fulham terraces were converted into flats on a single drain run, so one household's blockage can flood the neighbour's. We ask about the building and who shares the run, so the partner can plan access and tell the others affected, which saves an argument at the manhole.
Keeping Fulham Drains Clear
What to Keep Out of the Pipes
Fat poured down a sink sets in the pipe like candle wax, and wipes sold as flushable do not break up the way paper does. Bin both, use a strainer in the kitchen sink, and put a hair catcher in the shower. In Victorian clay drains with rough joints and shallow falls, those habits make the difference between a drain that runs for decades and one that blocks every winter, and they cost almost nothing to adopt.
Blocked drains and leaks often go together, so see leak detection and repair for water that is escaping, burst pipes for supply faults, and West Brompton for the area's Counter's Creek history. Return to the Main Fulham plumbing page or call 07898 117754.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Fulham drains block so often?
Many Fulham drains are Victorian salt-glazed clay pipes with numerous joints, and the sewers they join are combined, carrying foul water and surface rainwater together. Joints that have shifted catch debris, roots enter through the gaps, and fat and wipes build up on rough surfaces. Hammersmith and Fulham's own assessment names an ageing sewer network as the main flood risk, so repeat blockages are a feature of the area, not bad luck.
Is a blocked drain my responsibility or Thames Water's?
As a general rule, the pipe that serves only your property, from your fittings to the boundary, is your responsibility, while shared drains and lateral drains outside the boundary became the water company's responsibility in October 2011. In Fulham that means Thames Water. A CCTV survey can show where the blockage or defect sits, and the partner can give you a recording if you need to report it. If you are unsure, ring us and we will help you work out who to contact.
How much does it cost to unblock a drain in London in 2026?
Published 2026 London ranges put manual drain clearing at about £100 to £180 and high-pressure jetting at about £180 to £350, with blocked toilets typically £100 to £200. Costs rise for out-of-hours work, difficult access or a CCTV survey. The partner should give you a written quote before starting, so you can see what is included. If a blockage keeps recurring, a survey may save money overall.
What is drain jetting and is it safe for old clay pipes?
Jetting uses high-pressure water through a nozzle to scour the inside of a pipe and cut through grease, silt and roots. It is very effective, but on a fragile or cracked Victorian clay pipe, too much pressure can make damage worse, which is why a competent drainage company checks the pipe first, often with a camera. The partner will choose pressure and nozzle to suit the pipe, and tell you if a repair is needed before jetting.
My toilet is blocked and I have no other toilet. What can I do?
Try a proper flanged toilet plunger, with enough water in the pan to cover it, using firm vertical strokes. Do not use harsh drain chemicals, which can damage pipes and make a plumber's job unpleasant. If it does not clear after a few tries, ring us and we will send a partner who can rod or jet it. Say on the call that you have no other toilet, as that shapes how urgent it is.
Why does my basement shower fill when it rains?
In a combined sewer system, heavy rain can overload the network and push water back up through the lowest drain connections, which are often basement or lower-ground showers, toilets and floor gullies. Hammersmith and Fulham's own flood work identifies basement flats as particularly vulnerable to sewer back-up. A non-return valve, a pumped system or a flood alarm can reduce the risk, and you should report back-ups to Thames Water.
Can tree roots really block my drain?
Yes. Roots grow towards moisture and enter drains through tiny gaps at old clay joints, then thicken and catch paper and fat until the pipe blocks. Fulham's London planes and limes, and the larger garden trees of Victorian terraces, are common culprits. Jetting or a root-cutting head can clear them, but unless the joint is repaired they return, so a CCTV survey is worth having if roots are the problem.
Do you also clear a blocked gully or gutter downpipe?
Yes, partner drainage companies deal with yard gullies, rainwater downpipes that discharge to drains, and manhole chambers. Gullies near trees fill with leaves and silt every autumn, and a blocked one can send water against the house wall or into a basement door. Clearing before heavy rain is far cheaper than dealing with a flood. Tell us what you can see on the call, and we will match the right partner.
What stops the same drain blocking again?
Finding the cause. A camera survey shows whether there is a defect such as a displaced joint, a sag in the pipe or root intrusion, and the repair can be quoted properly. Habits help too: bin cooking fat rather than pouring it away, avoid flushing wipes, and use a hair catcher in the shower. If the same drain has blocked more than once in a year, it is almost certainly worth a survey.
Do you cover Sands End and West Brompton as well as central Fulham?
Yes. We cover Fulham, Sands End, Imperial Wharf, Parsons Green, West Kensington and West Brompton, and the drainage conditions vary between them. West Brompton and Sands End sit along the line of the buried Counter's Creek, now a combined sewer, so basement back-up is a particular consideration there. Tell us your postcode and whether you are in a flat or house, and we will send the right partner.
Drain Backing Up? Get It Cleared Today
Partner drainage crews sent day or night. Call 07898 117754 for a written quote.
07898 117754