Drain cleaning service price in California

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Typical California range: $150–$500

Published by Clément Lacaille, Tech-Bharat · Updated · How we research

Research page, not a site visit. Plumber Comparator is not a plumbing contractor and its editor is not a licensed plumber. Figures below are typical ranges and cited public data; your job needs a written quote from a CSLB-licensed C-36 contractor.

Clearing one clogged fixture drain typically costs $150–$300; clearing the main sewer line through a cleanout typically costs $250–$500. Many companies quote standard clogs at a flat rate. The price rises with difficult access, after-hours calls and clogs that keep coming back.

Drain cleaning prices

JobTypical price
Kitchen sink, bathroom sink, tub or shower drain$150–$300
Main sewer line through an accessible cleanout$250–$500
No cleanout: pulling a toilet or going through a roof ventAdds to the base price
Night, weekend or holiday call1.5–2× the standard rate
Hydro jetting instead of cabling$300–$800
Camera inspection to find the cause$150–$600

Typical California ranges, not quotes. Where you live changes labor rates: see your city page.

One slow drain or the whole house?

Why clogs come back: grease plus wipes

Kitchen grease does not stay liquid. In sewers it reacts with minerals and hardens into deposits on the pipe wall. Yadav and Pramanik studied how sanitary waste changes these deposits in the lab: deposits formed with wipes were the most viscous of the mixtures they tested. In plain terms, grease and "flushable" wipes together make the toughest blockages. If a line clogs again within months of being cabled, the snake probably punched a hole through a deposit without cleaning the wall; that is when jetting or a camera look makes sense.

What not to do

Getting a fair price

Drain Cleaning price table — California (2026)

JobTypical price
Single fixture drain (kitchen or bathroom sink, tub, shower)$150–$300
Main sewer line cleared through a cleanout$250–$500
Extra access work (pulled toilet or roof vent)Adds to the base price
After-hours / weekend call1.5–2× standard rates

Typical California ranges for information only — never a quote. Where your job lands depends on scope, access and your local labor market (see the regional rates below, or the plumbing cost calculator for your city).

Labor rates by California region

RegionHourly rateService call fee
San Francisco Bay Area$150–$250/hr$90–$150
Los Angeles metro$100–$200/hr$75–$125
Orange County$105–$200/hr$75–$125
San Diego County$100–$195/hr$75–$120
Inland Empire$95–$165/hr$60–$100
Central Valley$95–$160/hr$50–$95
Sacramento area$100–$175/hr$60–$110
Central Coast$110–$200/hr$75–$125
Northern California$90–$160/hr$50–$95
Desert regions$95–$170/hr$60–$110

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Frequently asked questions

How much does drain cleaning cost?

In California, typically $150–$300 for a single sink, tub or shower drain and $250–$500 for the main sewer line through a cleanout. After-hours calls commonly cost 1.5 to 2 times more.

Why does my drain keep clogging after it was cleaned?

Usually because the snake opened a path through a grease or scale deposit without cleaning the pipe wall, or because of roots or a sag in the line. A camera inspection shows the cause; hydro jetting cleans the full pipe diameter.

Are flushable wipes safe for my pipes?

It is safer not to flush them. Laboratory research found that grease deposits formed with wipes were the most viscous of the mixtures tested, which is what makes blockages hard to clear.

Sources

  1. Yadav, S. S., & Pramanik, B. K. (2024). Elucidating the impact of sanitary waste on the formation of fat, oil and grease deposits in sewer systems. Chemosphere. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142183 — laboratory study
  2. CSLB — check a contractor license

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