What it costs to unclog a garburator, by situation
Prices are for Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, during regular hours (9 to 5, Monday to Friday) unless the row says otherwise. Outside those hours, every price is double.
| The situation | What it takes | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Jammed: it hums but does not turn | Plate freed by hand and the object removed. | From $299 |
| It runs but the sink will not drain | Trap and discharge line cleaned, line cleared with a drain machine. | From $299 |
| Either job outside 9 to 5, Monday to Friday | Same work, at the after-hours rate. | From $598 |
| The motor is burnt out or the body is leaking | The unit cannot be repaired and needs replacing. | Ask for a price |
| Other drains are backing up too | This is the main line. Cleared from a cleanout with a large drum machine. | From $649 |
| You want to see what caused it | Camera inspection of the line, with the video sent to you. | + $249 |
| Another slow drain in the house | A second drain cleared on the same visit. | + $149 |
| Drain cleaner has been poured in | Protective gear, and the water vacuumed out and contained before work starts. | + $50 if you tell us |
| The drain will not clear within 2 hours | Something is wrong with the pipe itself. You get a written estimate for what it needs. | The fee still applies |
“From” is the price when the job goes the way it usually does, and it covers up to 2 hours on site. If it turns out to need more, you get the new price before the extra work starts, and you can say no.
What changes the price
| Jammed or blocked | A jam is freed at the unit. A blocked discharge line needs a drain machine. |
|---|---|
| Condition of the unit | A seized motor or a leaking body means replacement, which is quoted separately. |
| The dishwasher connection | A blocked garburator often backs up into the dishwasher line, which needs clearing too. |
| Drain cleaner in the line | If drain cleaner has been poured in, the plumber needs protective gear and has to remove the water safely first. That adds $50 if you tell us, $100 if we find it on site without being told. Always tell us. |
| Time of day | Regular hours are 9 to 5, Monday to Friday. Outside those hours, every price is double. |
One drain, or the main line?
It is the question that decides the price. A single drain is a small job. The main line is a bigger one, and it gets worse with every tap you run.
Your answer appears here.
A guide, not a diagnosis. The plumber checks before starting work.
What causes it
| A jammed grinding plate | A bone, a fruit pit, a bottle cap or a piece of cutlery wedged between the plate and the wall. The motor hums and nothing turns. |
|---|---|
| Stringy and starchy food | Celery, corn husks and onion skins wrap around the plate. Potato peel, rice and pasta turn to paste that sets in the trap. |
| Grease | It coats the inside of the unit and the pipe after it, and holds on to everything else. |
| Not enough water | Run dry, the ground food never leaves the pipe. It settles in the trap and the discharge line and builds a blockage. |
| A plug left in on a new install | A new garburator has a plug inside the dishwasher inlet. If it was not knocked out, the dishwasher has nowhere to drain. |
Try this first
- Switch it off at the wall. Never put your hand inside the unit.
- Fit the hex key into the socket underneath and work it back and forth to free the plate.
- Press the red reset button on the bottom, run cold water and try the switch again.
Stop and call a plumber if
- It hums and trips the reset every time
- Water is leaking from the body of the unit
- The sink won't drain even with the unit running
Call 1-800-604-0631, any hour.
What the plumber does
- Switch off the power and check the chamber with a light and a tool, never a hand.
- Free the plate from underneath with a hex key, or from above with a jam wrench, and take out what caused it.
- Press the reset, restore power and run the unit with water.
- If it runs but will not drain, take off the trap and discharge pipe, clean them, and clear the line into the wall with a drain machine.
- Check the dishwasher hose, then run a full sink through and look for leaks at the mount and the body.
What the $299 covers
- Coming to you and working out whether it is a jam or a blockage
- Freeing a jammed plate and removing the object
- Cleaning the trap and discharge pipe
- Clearing the line with a drain machine if it needs it
- A full-sink test and a leak check
- A new garburator, or fitting one
- Electrical work on the switch or outlet
- Replacing corroded pipework under the sink
- A camera inspection, unless you add one
The price covers up to 2 hours on site, and we prove the drain works before we leave. If it will not clear in that time, the fee still applies and you get a written estimate. There is no guarantee against a new clog. Unclog a garburator is booked through Unclog.it and done by a Pure Mechanical Group plumber.
Why is that other quote $99?
You will see drain specials advertised for $99 or less. Before you compare one with the price on this page, ask what it covers.
| What is included? | Many specials cover a set length of cable through an existing cleanout, on one drain, and nothing else. |
|---|---|
| What if it does not clear? | This is where the price changes. Ask what the next step costs before anyone arrives. |
| What does it cost tonight? | An advertised price is a daytime price. Ask for the evening and weekend rate. |
| Is the price in writing? | A price you were told on the phone and a price on the invoice should be the same number. |
It is hard to send a licensed plumber, a stocked truck and a drain machine to your door for $99 and cover the cost on the clearing alone. Often the visit pays for itself on what is sold once someone is inside. Our price is higher because it is the price of clearing the drain. You know it before we come, and anything beyond it is quoted before it is done.
Stop it happening again
- Run cold water before you switch it on, while it grinds and for 15 seconds after.
- Feed it a little at a time.
- Keep out grease, bones, pits, coffee grounds, and anything stringy or starchy.
- Scraps belong in the green bin. The garburator is for what is left on the plate.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to unclog a garburator in Metro Vancouver?
With Unclog.it it starts from $299 during regular hours (9 to 5, Monday to Friday) and from $598 outside them. That covers freeing a jammed unit or clearing the drain line after it.
My garburator hums but will not spin. What is wrong?
It is jammed. Switch it off at once, because a humming motor that cannot turn overheats and trips. Use the hex key in the socket underneath to work the plate back and forth, then press the red reset button.
It makes no sound at all. Is it dead?
Not necessarily. Press the red reset button on the bottom, check the breaker, and check that the plug under the sink has not been knocked out. If it still does nothing, the motor or the switch has failed.
Water is dripping from the bottom of the unit. Can that be fixed?
A leak from a connection can be. A leak from the body itself means the internal seal has gone, and the unit needs replacing.
Garburator installationIs it safe to reach inside to free it?
No, not even with the switch off. Use tongs or pliers, and a light. The switch can be bumped, and the plate is sharp enough without power.
Should I repair or replace it?
A jam or a blocked line is worth fixing on any unit. A garburator that leaks from the body, trips every time, or is around ten years old is usually better replaced.
What if the drain will not clear?
The price covers up to 2 hours on site. If the drain will not clear in that time, it almost always means the pipe itself is damaged or something is lodged that a machine cannot move. The fee still applies, because the plumber, the truck and the equipment were there doing the work, and you get a written estimate for what it needs next.
Is there a guarantee if it clogs again?
No. We run water and prove the drain is working before we leave, and you see it for yourself. After that we cannot control what goes down it. If it blocks again, call us and we will come back and take a look. If there is a new blockage to clear, that is a new job at the full price.
