Blocked Drains Perth: We Find the Cause, Not Just the Blockage
Blocked drain specialists based in Swan View, working across the Perth hills and Perth's south east.
A plunger and a bottle of drain cleaner will shift a slow sink. They will not shift a root mass sitting in a cracked earthenware pipe under your front lawn, and in Swan View, Greenmount and Stratton, that is what most blockages turn out to be.
No call out fee to quote
A fixed price before any work starts, so you know where you stand first.
Not urgent? Send us the job details
- Licensed plumbers and gas fitters, fully insured
- Fixed price before work starts
- Mon to Fri 7am to 5pm
5.0 from 36 Google reviews
Why Perth homeowners call Lush for blocked drains
- No call out fee to quote
- Fixed price before work starts
- Licensed for plumbing and gas
- Jetting and relining, no dig where possible
- Local business, ABN 94 669 189 011
Our drain services
Blocked Drain Services Across Perth
Blocked Toilets
Water rising to the rim, draining slowly, or gurgling when you run a tap elsewhere. Often wipes or sanitary products, sometimes something further down the line.
Blocked Kitchen Sinks
Cooking fat cools and sets on the inside of the pipe, then catches everything after it. The most common blockage we clear, and the easiest to prevent.
Blocked Showers and Floor Wastes
Hair bound together with soap scum. Standing water in the base is the first sign, a smell from the floor waste is the second.
Tree Root Intrusion
The hills classic. Gum and jarrah roots find a hairline crack, follow the moisture in, and keep growing. We see this constantly in the older parts of Swan View.
CCTV Drain Inspection
A camera down the line shows the exact blockage, its distance from the access point, and the condition of the pipe. It's a separate, priced service, and you get the footage, not just our word for it.
High Pressure Water Jetting
Cuts through roots, fat and debris and scours the pipe wall clean. Far more thorough than an electric eel, which punches a hole and leaves the rest behind.
Pipe Relining
A resin liner cured inside the damaged pipe forms a new pipe within the old one. No trench, no ruined lawn or driveway, and a job that lasts decades.
Excavation and Pipe Replacement
When a line has collapsed, relining is not an option. We dig, replace the failed section, and reinstate the ground properly.
Stormwater Drains and Soakwells
Drains that back up only in heavy rain, with clear water, point to the stormwater line or a soakwell rather than the sewer.
Blocked Sewer Lines
Several fixtures slow at once, or an overflowing gully trap, means the main sewer line. We clear it, then tell you whether a camera inspection is worth doing.
Hot Water
We also repair and replace hot water systems. On a replacement we take away your old hot water unit, so nothing is left sitting beside the house.
Straight up pricing
No Call Out Fee to Quote, and a Fixed Price Before We Start
No call out fee to quote
We come out, find the access point, look at what the drain is doing and give you a fixed price before any work starts. If the job turns out to be bigger, such as roots through a cracked pipe or a collapsed section, we stop, show you what we found and price the options before anything else happens.
Drain camera
Find the Cause With a Drain Camera
Clearing a drain tells you it's flowing again. It doesn't tell you why it blocked. For a line that keeps blocking, or one that clears and slows again while we're still on site, a camera inspection is the only honest way to know what you're dealing with.
The camera shows the exact blockage, its distance from the access point and the condition of the pipe. You watch the screen with us, you get the footage, and you find out whether this is a ten minute clear or a section of pipe at the end of its life. CCTV drain camera inspection from $200 + GST, and we tell you before we run it.
Methods compared
How We Clear It, and What Each Method Is For
| Method | Best for | Digging? | How long it lasts |
|---|---|---|---|
| High pressure jetting | Fat, sludge, hair, fine roots in sound pipe | No | Years, if the pipe is intact |
| CCTV inspection | Finding the cause of repeat blockages | No | Diagnostic, not a repair |
| Pipe relining | Cracked or root damaged sections still holding shape | No | Decades |
| Excavation and replacement | Collapsed or badly misaligned pipe | Yes | Full service life of new pipe |
Local knowledge
Why Drains Block So Often in the Perth Hills
Swan View, Greenmount, Boya and Helena Valley sit on shallow soil over granite and clay, and the housing stock is old enough that a lot of it still runs on earthenware sewer pipe laid in short sections with mortar joints. Those joints move. Once one opens up by a millimetre, every gum and jarrah root within reach heads for it, because in a Perth summer that pipe is the wettest thing in the ground.
That is why a drain that gets cleared every spring keeps blocking. Rodding the roots out removes this year's growth and leaves the crack. Until the pipe is repaired or relined, the roots come back, usually on a fairly predictable annual cycle.
Newer estates in the south east, from Canning Vale to Gosnells, mostly run PVC, so roots are less common there. The usual culprits are fat, wipes and builder's rubble left in the line, and those respond well to jetting.
Stormwater or sewer
Stormwater or Sewer? The Distinction That Decides the Bill
Most Perth properties run two separate underground systems. The sewer takes everything from toilets, sinks, showers and the laundry. Stormwater takes roof and surface runoff to soakwells. They are not connected, and confusing them wastes money.
If a drain backs up only during heavy rain and the water is clear, you are looking at a stormwater or soakwell problem. If it backs up regardless of weather, or the water is dirty, it is the sewer. Telling us which on the phone often saves an hour on site.
Early warning signs
Signs Worth Acting On Early
Several fixtures draining slowly at once usually means the main line, not the fixture. Gurgling from a floor waste when the washing machine empties means air is being pushed past a partial blockage. A patch of lawn that stays green through February, or a sudden smell outside, can mean the line is leaking before it blocks completely.
Keeping it clear afterwards
- Scrape fat and oil into the bin, never down the sink. It sets solid as it cools in the pipe.
- Put a hair catcher in the shower waste. It costs a few dollars and prevents the most common bathroom blockage.
- Only flush the three things that belong in a toilet. Wet wipes labelled flushable do not break down in a sewer line.
- If you have mature gums or jarrah within about ten metres of the sewer line, budget for a camera check every couple of years rather than waiting for the next blockage.
Before you call
What You Can Safely Try First
Three things are worth trying on a single slow fixture. None of them will hurt the pipe.
- Boiling water down a kitchen sink. Fat is the usual culprit and heat shifts a thin coating. Do not do this on a toilet, because thermal shock can crack the pan.
- A proper plunger, with the overflow blocked. Cover the overflow hole with a wet cloth first, or you are just pushing air in a circle.
- Check the gully trap outside. If it is full to the brim, the blockage is in the main line, and nothing you do indoors will help.
Please don't tip caustic drain cleaner down a line that is already fully blocked. It sits in the pipe, it does not touch tree roots, and it makes the job hazardous for whoever opens the drain next.
Still blocked? Call Luke on 0424 827 526 and tell him what you found.
How it works
What to Expect When You Call
1. You talk to the plumber
Tell us which fixtures are slow and whether the gully trap is overflowing.
2. We book a time
Often same day. We give you a window rather than a vague morning or afternoon, and there's no call out fee to quote.
3. Fixed price before work starts
We find the access point, often an inspection opening near the boundary or under a garden bed, and give you a fixed price to clear it. If a camera inspection makes sense, we tell you why and what it costs first.
4. Drain flowing again
Most straightforward clears are finished within the hour. If we find roots, a fracture or a collapse, you get the options with prices attached: repair, reline or replace. Relining and excavation are booked as a return visit once you've decided.
Reviews
What Customers Say
5.0 from 36 Google reviews
Ali form Lush Plumbing & Gas did an excellent job replacing our damaged sewer line. He removed the old terracotta pipe that had been damaged by tree roots and installed a new PVC sewer line. The team was professional, efficient, and left everything clean and tidy. Highly recommend them for any plumbing work.
Excellent service from Luke. He was honest, courteous, and reliable. When I texted him in the morning, he responded promptly with his availability. He explained the work clearly and completed it swiftly. On top of that, he cleaned up afterward and removed all the faulty items.
It's refreshing to deal with someone so professional and trustworthy. I highly recommend Luke and Lush and would not hesitate to use their services again. Thank you, Luke!
Great communication. Job quoted straight away. Luke arrived about a couple hours after the initial call and resolved the issue. Highly recommended.
Or look through recent jobs in the gallery.
Meet Luke
Your Local Drain Plumber, Based in Swan View
Lush Plumbing & Gas is run by Luke, and Luke still does the work. You're talking to a licensed plumber and gas fitter, not a call centre, and we're fully insured. More about Luke and the business.
We're based at 25 Myles Rd, Swan View WA 6056, and our main supplier is in Parkwood, so the hills and the south east are both part of our working week. Blocked drains are only part of what we do: we also look after hot water systems in Perth, gas fitting and bathroom renovations. See the rest of our plumbing and gas services.
Where we work
Areas We Serve Across Perth
We're based in Swan View and clear blocked drains across Perth, including:
- Swan View
- Midland
- Stratton
- Bellevue
- Greenmount
- Helena Valley
- Mundaring
- Glen Forrest
- Lynwood
- Thornlie
- Canning Vale
- Cannington
- Beckenham
- Gosnells
- Armadale
- Parkwood
Not on the list? Call and ask.
Questions answered
Blocked Drain FAQs
How quickly can you get here?
For a blocked drain we aim for same day attendance across Swan View, the hills and Perth's south east. Call 0424 827 526 and we'll give you a realistic window rather than an optimistic one, and we call before we leave the previous job so you're not waiting around all day.
Do you charge a call out fee?
No. There's no call out fee to come out and quote. We look at the drain, explain what's causing the problem and give you a fixed price before any work starts. A straightforward clear and jet is a fixed price. Relining and excavation are quoted per metre once we know what's in the pipe.
Is a camera inspection really necessary?
Not for every job. For a kitchen sink full of fat, no. For a main line that has blocked more than once, yes, because it's the only way to know whether you're paying to clear the same fault every year. It's a separate service, CCTV drain camera inspection from $200 + GST, and we tell you before we run it.
Can you clear a blocked drain without digging up the yard?
Almost always. High pressure jetting clears the line through an existing access point, and pipe relining repairs damaged sections from the inside, so there's no trench and no ruined lawn or driveway. Excavation is a last resort for pipe that has collapsed or dropped badly out of alignment.
Why does my drain keep blocking in the same spot?
That is the signature of root intrusion or a damaged section of pipe. Clearing it removes the symptom, not the cause. Until the pipe itself is repaired or relined, it will keep recurring, usually on an annual cycle. A camera inspection shows exactly where the damage sits and how bad it is.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. Lush Plumbing & Gas is fully licensed and insured for both plumbing and gas work in Western Australia. The business is run by Luke, who still does the work, so you deal with a licensed plumber from the first call, not a call centre, and you get straight answers about your drain.
What should I do if sewage is backing up into the house?
Stop running water in the house, keep children and pets away from the area and check the gully trap outside. If it's overflowing, the main line is blocked. Don't tip caustic drain cleaner in. Call 0424 827 526. We're on the tools Monday to Friday, 7am to 5pm.
Is it a stormwater or sewer problem?
If a drain backs up only during heavy rain and the water is clear, it's usually the stormwater line or a soakwell. If it backs up whatever the weather, or the water is dirty, it's the sewer. Telling us which one you're seeing on the phone often saves an hour on site.
Can tree roots really block a drain?
Yes, and in the hills they're the most common cause. Gum and jarrah roots find a hairline crack in old earthenware pipe, follow the moisture in and keep growing. Jetting cuts them out, but they return until the pipe is relined or replaced. With mature trees near the sewer line, a camera check every couple of years pays off.
What areas do you cover for blocked drains?
We're based in Swan View and cover the hills, including Midland, Stratton, Bellevue, Greenmount, Helena Valley, Mundaring and Glen Forrest, plus Perth's south east: Lynwood, Thornlie, Canning Vale, Cannington, Beckenham, Gosnells, Armadale and Parkwood. Elsewhere in Perth, call and ask.
Still unsure? Call 0424 827 526
Blocked Drain? Call Luke Now
No call out fee to quote, and a fixed price before any work starts. Licensed and fully insured.
Mon to Fri 7am to 5pm
