Overview
Drainage work is part diagnosis, part jetting, and sometimes a dig
Drainage calls usually start the same way: water doesn't drain and the customer wants it sorted today. The job that follows could be a 20-minute rod-and-plunger, a half-day jetting session with a CCTV camera, or three days of excavation to replace a collapsed clay pipe under a patio. The contractor doesn't always know which one it is until the CCTV goes in. A quote that just gives a call-out and an hourly rate undersells the diagnostic work, and a quote that gives a fixed price for 'unblock the drain' is committing to a number before the camera has seen anything.
QuoteGenio gives drainage specialists a quoting shape for the unknown. Call-out and CCTV survey as the first line, with a clear note that the quote firms up after the camera. High-pressure jetting by the hour, rooting by run, excavation and repair as a separate priced section if the dig is needed, and disposal as its own line. Send the quote via WhatsApp from the customer's drive, take a deposit on the diagnostic if the customer accepts, and the same record extends with progress invoices as each next stage is signed off. The customer always knows what they are paying for, and the contractor stops absorbing the cost of every nasty surprise.
Who it is for
Who uses QuoteGenio
Built for every type of drainage and sewer services business.
The problem
The quoting headaches every drainage contractor knows
Drainage jobs are messy, fast moving, and quoted under pressure. Your paperwork shouldn't slow you down.
Quoting from the kerb is slow
Standing in the rain trying to write a quote on a notepad while the client watches is no way to win work.
Verbal quotes get disputed
If you didn't write it down, the client remembers a different number. Disputes eat into your margin every time.
Slow quotes lose blocked drains
A blocked drain is an emergency. The first quote in the inbox usually wins, even if it's not the cheapest.
The fix
QuoteGenio makes it simple
A faster, cleaner workflow built around how drainage crews actually work, on-site, in a hurry, and often outdoors.
The payoff
What you get with QuoteGenio
The everyday wins that add up across a year of quoting and invoicing.
Built for drainage work
Line items for call-out, jetting, rodding, CCTV, access, and relining. Everything a drainage quote needs, nothing it doesn't.
Works from your phone
Quote from the side of the van. No laptop, no office trip, no after-hours admin.
Quote in under 2 minutes
A structured workflow that gets you from arrival to sent quote before the kettle boils.
Track payments easily
Know which invoices are outstanding and follow up with one tap. No spreadsheet required.
Built for your trade
Quoting calibrated to how drainage specialists actually work
Pick your trade in Settings and the entire quote flow switches to fit. Line item presets, compliance fields, on-the-quote calculators, and per-m² / after-hours pricing all change to match your industry.
Trade-specific line items
Quick add picker pre-fills the common items your trade quotes. Skip the blank rows.
Brand-specific catalogues
Pylontech, Hikvision, Canadian Solar, Sunsynk and others pre-named. Pick the brand, the description writes itself.
Compliance fields built in
IOPSA, ECASA, PIRB, PSIRA, NHBRC, SAQCC. Set once. Every quote prints them under FROM.
Registration expiry alerts
Dashboard notification 60 days before your PSIRA, CoC or any dated registration lapses.
Per-m² / hour / day billing
Unit selector on every line item: m², hr, linear m, days. Stop doing the maths externally.
After-hours and emergency
1.5× and 2× multipliers as a one-tap toggle. Customer sees the breakdown on the quote.
Quote-flow calculators
Solar size, battery backup, cable run cost. Compute on the spot, drop straight onto the quote.
Staged payments
Deposit on acceptance + balance on completion as two separate amounts on the quote PDF.
Scope-of-work checklist
Structured Included / Not included lists. Client acceptance = signing the scope.
Site-survey mode
Log a location per line item: camera positions, fixtures by room, sensors by zone.
Regional rate hints
Pricing ranges per item per currency shown as you quote.
Free on every plan
All of the above included on the free plan. Premium is for capacity, not the trade tooling.
Why QuoteGenio
Why Drainage Specialists choose QuoteGenio
The tools that matter most when you are quoting on-site, under pressure, and between jobs.
Quote from your phone
Most Drainage Specialists build and send quotes directly from the job site. No laptop, no office, no delays.
Win more jobs, faster
The first professional quote a client receives usually wins. Respond in minutes, not hours.
Quote to invoice in one click
When the job is accepted, convert to an invoice instantly. No retyping, no double entry.
Pricing guide
Typical Drainage Specialists job pricing
A rough guide to what drainage specialists charge for common jobs. Pricing varies heavily by access, surface type, depth, and after-hours timing. Use these as a sanity check when building your own rates, not as fixed numbers.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Standard call-out (first hour) | R1,240 - R2,479 |
| Drain unblock by rodding (per metre) | R297 - R578 / m |
| High-pressure hydro-jetting | R4,628 - R10,743 |
| CCTV drain survey (with report) | R3,636 - R7,933 |
| Manhole excavation and access | R5,784 - R19,832 |
| No-dig pipe relining (per metre) | R2,975 - R6,280 / m |
| Full sewer line replacement (10m) | R74,372 - R198,324 |
Pricing converted from USD to ZAR at indicative rates. Rates vary significantly by country, region, currency, and market.
Call-out fees
A drainage call-out covers travel and the first diagnostic look down the line. Most operators charge R1,240 to R2,479 for a standard daytime call-out, and 1.5x to 2x for after-hours blockages. Always list it as a separate line so the client sees you're paid the moment the van leaves the yard.
Hourly vs fixed pricing
Use hourly pricing (typically R1,405 to R2,149 per hour) for unknown blockages and access work. Use fixed pricing for clear jobs like a CCTV survey, a standard rodding visit, or a relining run with a known length. Mix both on the same quote when the job has known and unknown sections.
See it in action
Example quote breakdown
Here's what a clean, itemised quote for a typical mains blockage looks like. Notice how access, jetting, and the CCTV survey are all priced separately. Transparent quotes win drainage jobs because the client can see exactly what they're paying for.
Try it yourself
Job size
Region
Sample quote
Blocked main sewer, hydro-jet plus CCTV survey
Call-out fee
High-pressure hydro-jetting (mains line)
CCTV survey post-clear with written report
Manhole lift, clean, and reseal
Site clean-down and waste removal
| Description | Qty | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Call-out fee | 1 | R1,570 | R1,570 |
| High-pressure hydro-jetting (mains line) | 1 | R6,280 | R6,280 |
| CCTV survey post-clear with written report | 1 | R4,628 | R4,628 |
| Manhole lift, clean, and reseal | 1 | R1,818 | R1,818 |
| Site clean-down and waste removal | 1 | R1,074 | R1,074 |
| Subtotal | R15,370 | ||
| Tax (10%) | R1,537 | ||
| Total incl. tax | R16,907 | ||
Totals recalculate as you change the controls above. Tax rate inferred from the sample quote.
Items often forgotten
Manhole reseal, site clean-down, waste tankering, traffic cones if it's on a kerb, and the second visit if a fault is found on the survey. Add these as standard lines on your template so you stop absorbing them out of your margin.
Peer snapshot
How Drainage Specialists actually use QuoteGenio
Indicative activity for Drainage Specialists on the platform. Use it as a benchmark for how often to quote and how fast to respond.
14
Quotes sent per month
62%
Average quote acceptance
2 min
Median time to send quote
R16,907
Typical quote value
Figures are indicative platform averages for this trade segment.
Start quoting Drainage Specialist jobs like this, free
Build your first quote in under 2 minutes. No credit card, no setup fee, no contract.
Avoid these
Common quoting mistakes
We talk to a lot of drainage contractors. The same pricing and quoting mistakes come up again and again. Fixing these will protect your margin and stop disputes on the invoice.
Mistake: Quoting a flat 'unblock' price
Better: Price by metre of line cleared or by jetting visit, not as a single lump. A 2 metre kitchen blockage and a 30 metre mains run are very different jobs.
Mistake: Forgetting access and reinstatement
Better: Lifting a manhole, cutting a paver, or breaking concrete are all real costs. List them on every quote, even when you think it'll be straightforward.
Mistake: No CCTV survey line on big unblocks
Better: Always offer a CCTV survey after a mains clear. It protects you from being blamed for the next blockage and often turns into a follow-up relining job.
Mistake: Skipping waste disposal costs
Better: Tankering jet waste isn't free. Build in a disposal line, especially for grease traps and sludge work, so it doesn't bleed your margin.
Mistake: Verbal emergency quotes
Better: Even after-hours blockages need a written quote before you start. WhatsApp a quick quote from the cab before the jetter goes on.
Mistake: No expiry on the quote
Better: Set a 14 to 30 day validity. Pipe and reliner prices move, and you don't want to honour a three-month-old quote at a loss.
Mistake: Bundling the survey into the unblock
Better: List the CCTV survey separately. It's a billable deliverable with a written report, not a freebie that gets thrown in.
Mistake: No follow-up after sending the quote
Better: Most quotes that don't close, don't close because nobody followed up. Send a polite check-in 48 hours after the quote lands, and a second nudge at day 7. Two of every three accepted quotes get there because someone followed up.
Step by step
How to quote drainage jobs
Before you open the jetter, walk the full line and measure everything that matters for pricing. Count the number of metres between the entry point and the blockage, note the pipe diameter (most domestic mains are 100mm, but you will hit 75mm kitchen lines and 150mm commercial runs), and identify where the manholes sit. Check whether the manhole cover is bolted, buried, or paved over, because lifting and resealing is a separate line. Run a short CCTV probe if you can, since a root-matted cast-iron line and a simple grease blockage are very different jobs and need very different quotes.
Itemise each stage of the clear rather than quoting one lump sum. List the call-out ($ 75 to $ 150), rodding by metre of line cleared, high-pressure hydro-jetting as its own visit line, and the CCTV survey with written report as a separate deliverable. Break out manhole lift and reseal, site clean-down, waste tankering, and any traffic cones or kerb protection. Always offer the CCTV survey as an optional line after a mains clear: it protects you from being blamed for the next blockage and often turns into a follow-up relining quote at $ 180 to $ 380 per metre.
Set a 14 to 30 day validity on every drainage quote. Liner resin, PVC pipe, and tankering fuel all move with the exchange rate and seasonal demand, so honouring a three-month-old price on a relining job is a guaranteed loss. State clearly that the quote covers the scoped blockage only, and that any second fault found on the CCTV survey is a chargeable variation. For jobs over $ 1,500 (excavation or no-dig relining) ask for a 40 to 50 percent deposit to cover liner, resin, and plant hire. Set an after-hours call-out at 1.5x to 2x your daytime rate and put it on the quote, not in your head.
Send the quote before the jetter is packed away. Blocked drains are emergencies and the first written number on WhatsApp usually wins, even when it is not the cheapest, because the client is standing in sewage and wants a decision now. Build the quote on your phone from the kerb, share it as a link before you roll up the hose, and follow up the next morning if the homeowner has not accepted. For relining variations you pick up mid-job, send an updated quote immediately so the scope change is agreed in writing before the liner goes in.
FAQ
Common questions from drainage specialists
Everything you need to know before getting started.
Yes. QuoteGenio lets you add any line item: call-out, jetting, CCTV, access works, or VAT. Structure your quote exactly the way you invoice.
Yes. Once your quote is ready, share it as a link directly via WhatsApp. Your client gets a professional branded document instantly.
Each line item has its own description, quantity, and price. Add as many lines as the job needs and group them however makes sense for the client.
Yes. Every quote has a unique public link. Your client can open it on their phone and accept it online. No signup required.
Yes. Convert any accepted quote into an invoice with one click. All the line items carry over, so there's no double entry.
Yes. The free plan gives you 5 quotes and 2 invoices per month with no credit card required. Upgrade to Premium for unlimited quotes, invoices, statements, and reports.
Per metre is fairer for both sides on a known line, because it ties the price to actual work done. Per hour is better when you don't yet know the cause or extent. A combined approach (fixed call-out plus per metre) is what most experienced drainage contractors quote, and it's easier to defend on the invoice.
No, but always offer it as a line item the client can accept or decline. On mains blockages it protects you from being called back for the next failure, and it often turns into a follow-up relining quote, which is far more profitable than another rod-and-jet visit.
Quote per linear metre of liner installed, with separate lines for access, pre-clean jetting, the CCTV pre-survey and post-survey, plus reinstatement. Be specific about pipe diameter and material in the description so there's no scope dispute when the liner cures and the final invoice goes out.
14 to 30 days is standard. Resin and liner prices move, and excavation labour rates shift seasonally. QuoteGenio lets you set an expiry date that appears on the PDF so there's no awkward conversation if the client comes back three months later.
Still have questions? We would rather answer them now than after you have signed up.
Pricing benchmark
What do drainage specialists charge in 2026?
Hourly rates by region, common job prices, a worked sample quote, and the FAQs customers actually ask. The complete pricing reference for drainage specialists.
Typical hourly
$80-$180/hr
Explore more
Related trades in Plumbing & Water
QuoteGenio is built for a whole family of trades. Explore other pages that might fit how you work.
Reviews
Trusted by tradespeople
Real feedback from people who quote for a living.
"Fast, modern, and my customers love the clean look of the quotes. Perfect for small trade businesses."
Lukas Becker
Electrician · Berlin
"My clients respond faster to professional PDF quotes. Being able to send via WhatsApp means they do not need to check email. I am closing more jobs."
Sarah Wilson
Designer · London
"Clients love how professional the quotes look. Feels like I upgraded my whole business overnight. The mobile app is a lifesaver."
Jessica Martinez
HVAC Contractor · Austin, TX
Guides
Guides for Drainage Specialists
Practical advice to help you quote better, get paid faster, and grow your business.
Free forever plan
Start quoting faster. Win more jobs.
Create professional quotes in minutes, send instantly, and stay on top of your work without the admin slowing you down.
Free to start. No credit card required.