Clogged drains and who is best to call is a dilemma faced by many people each year. It is always best to try a few easy steps to see if you can clear the clog out of the drain before calling anyone. Try disassembling the drain pipes if you can on sinks, removing stoppers and strainers on tubs and showers, and plunging toilets. Frequently stoppages on sinks tubs and showers are hair or, other debris that can be cleaned out and in some cases removed with tools such as a mechanics parts retriever, Zip-It, or, Turbo Snake. Once the accessible section of the drain has been determined to be clean and clog free, or it has been determined that multiple drains are affected by the same clog, you are probably best served by calling in a pro to clean the drain. You can try drain-cleaning chemicals or, snaking the drain yourself but generally the results are not very good and in addition to poor results the chemicals actually make the work environment for whomever you do eventually call a lot more hazardous.
When you look in the phonebook, or on-line for sewer-cleaners or, plumbers you will be faced by a large amount of listings and ads ranging from a single line and phone number to multiple page color ads. The listings will include everyone from small one-man shows that are local, to large corporations that may even have international operations, and franchises. What they may offer can include everything from a handyman that cleans drains, sewer and drain cleaning companies, and plumbers that also clean drains. Who is best to call has no real clear answer but is more dependent on your needs.
Large corporations and franchises tend to have much higher rates because they tend to have higher overhead costs heavy with large corporate staffs, large amounts of advertising, large amounts of techs on the road to make sure all the calls receive service and in some cases high franchise fees. But, for the larger fees you are pretty sure of a fast response with the ability to call them for service wherever you are located. Which can be a benefit if you are a property manager with service needed in multiple states.
A small local company tends to have less overhead, smaller ads and more word of mouth advertising, so their rates are often lower but you may also have to wait for service if they are tied up on jobs.
Handymen tend to not charge as high a rate yet they may not be all that good at any one task seeing as they cover a wide array of work. They tend to be a “Jack of All, Master of None.” One problem with handymen is in the event of a collapsed line or worn out pipe in many areas they would not be allowed to make repairs.
Sewer and drain cleaning companies are generally very good at cleaning drains and are prepared to go to the next level if repairs are needed. However most sewer and drain companies tend to be the large corporations or, franchise operations which brings in the higher price rates which they will not give over the phone and the only way you can get the price is to have the tech in your home delivering the price in a smooth pitch.
Plumbers vary in what they do. Some plumbing companies really want nothing to do with drains, yet if you called them a plumber would come out with a hand snake play around dump some drain cleaning chemicals in the drain charge you and say they can’t do it. Yet other plumbing companies have plumbers that really are equipped and good at drain cleaning.
As you can see there is no real one best answer but is more dependent on your needs and who best meets them.