Pricing & service
How fast can DrainFix HK arrive?
30-min response across HK Island and Kowloon during business hours. Sai Ying Pun / Wan Chai / North Point typically 20-30 min. Sham Shui Po / Mong Kok 25-35 min. Sha Tin / Tai Po 35-50 min from Kowloon. Tuen Mun / Yuen Long 60-90 min. Confirmed via WhatsApp before dispatch.
How much does drain unblocking cost in Hong Kong?
Fixed prices: toilet HKD 350, kitchen basic HKD 400 / with grease HKD 500-650, bathroom HKD 350, outdoor drain HKD 600-1000, AC condensate HKD 250, 24-hour surcharge +HKD 200 (11pm-6am). Quoted on phone before we arrive. No hidden charges.
Do you offer warranty?
7-day re-block guarantee. If the same drain blocks again within 7 calendar days of our service, we return at no charge. Excludes structural pipe damage and cases where customer poured concrete/plaster/paint into drain. ~4% of jobs trigger this guarantee.
What payment methods do you accept?
FPS or cash on completion (preferred). Square POS card with 2% surcharge. Corporate AP invoicing with Net 30 terms for B2B clients. Receipt always provided.
Why don't you just charge cheaper?
HK 通渠 has cheaper operators (HKD 200-300 typical). We don't undercut because: 30-min response not "quick"; fixed price on phone not "I'll quote when I see it"; 7-day re-block guarantee; clean after work; receipt + invoice always. These cost time + insurance. Cheaper operators skip these.
Licensing & scope
Do you have a HK plumbing license?
DrainFix HK does drain unblocking ONLY - not plumbing modification (which requires HK 水喉匠 license from Water Supplies Department). Our scope is fully compliant for HK customers without licensing concerns. We don't replace pipes, install fixtures, or modify supply-water plumbing.
What's the difference between 通渠 and 水喉?
通渠 = drain unblocking (clearing what flows OUT of fixtures). 水喉 = plumbing including supply-water work (pipes flowing INTO fixtures). 水喉匠 license is required for 水喉 work in HK. 通渠 doesn't require a license. Different scope, different pricing, different operators.
Do you fix leaking pipes?
No — that's a 水喉匠 (plumber) job, requires HK Water Supplies Department licensing. We can identify the leak, but actual repair must be done by a licensed plumber. We refer to known reliable plumbers if asked. Drain unblocking is a separate scope.
What if the drain is structurally damaged?
We identify but don't repair structural pipe damage — that requires 水喉匠 (licensed plumber). We'll clear what we can, document the structural issue with photos, and refer to a licensed plumber for repair. Saves you 2 trips: identify + clear surface block + plumber referral all in one visit.
Equipment & methods
What equipment do you use?
Manual plunger (通渠泵), drain rod / snake (通渠刨), motorised drain auger for harder blocks, hot-water flush for grease, grease trap pump-out for commercial. We don't carry hydro-jet (高壓水車) — that's for commercial main sewers; we partner with operator if needed.
How do I know if my drain is fully cleared?
After clearing, we run hot water for 60-90 seconds. Drain should flow with no gurgling, no backflow, no slow draining. We test in front of you. If you see partial drainage 24h later, that's why we offer the 7-day re-block guarantee — call us back, we return free.
Do you take photos before-after?
Yes if customer wants documentation. Required for: tenant landlord-reimbursement claims, corporate AP receipts, HK Buildings Department compliance documentation, building insurance claims. Photos auto-included for commercial jobs. Residential opt-in.
Can I unblock my drain myself?
Sometimes — basic plunger work for toilet, hot water flush for kitchen. But: hardware-store chemical drain cleaners damage HK old clay pipes; misuse of drain snake can puncture pipes; HK building management often requires licensed-installer paperwork. Try plunger first — call us if no progress after 5 min.
HK building specifics
Why do HK old buildings block drains more often?
Three reasons: (1) original 1960s clay pipes corrode from inside, surface roughness traps debris; (2) 75mm 1960s pipe diameter vs 110mm modern PVC = less margin; (3) 30+ years of compound mineral build-up from HK hard water. 70% of our calls come from pre-1995 buildings.
Do you work in old buildings (pre-1980)?
Yes — actually most of our work. Pre-1980 HK buildings have clay-pipe legacy issues, smaller diameter pipes, and heritage structural concerns. We use gentle clearing on tong lau (唐樓) brick-mortar drains. We never use chemicals that could damage old pipework.
Do you work in Sham Shui Po sub-divided units?
Yes — common in Sham Shui Po 劏房 (sub-divided units). Often shared mains across multiple units cause complex blockage patterns. We honestly identify whether it's a single-unit fix or a building-wide issue. Building-wide issues should be reported to building management for proper repair.
Do you do village houses (鄉村屋)?
Yes — Yuen Long / Tai Po / Sai Kung village houses. Different drain system (often septic-tank-adjacent drainage instead of municipal sewers). We have NT-side experience with this. Response time longer due to distance — typical 60-90 min from HK Island base.
Tenants, owners, business
Can renters call you, or only owners?
Both. We provide receipts that HK tenants can submit for landlord reimbursement. The HK Tenancy Ordinance generally makes drain blockage repair the landlord's responsibility unless caused by tenant misuse. We don't take sides — we clear the drain, document the work, give you the paperwork.
Will my building management get angry if I call you?
No — building management typically WANTS individual unit drains cleared by external operators. It saves them admin overhead. Some HK Owners' Corporations require notice (we provide receipt + work documentation). Building common drains (shared mains across units) are different — those should go through management.
Do you serve commercial properties?
Yes — restaurant kitchens, hotel bathrooms, mall public drains, office building common drains. Commercial pricing scales: HKD 800-3,000 typical. Receipt + tax invoice provided for AP. Net 30 corporate terms acceptable. Monthly grease-clearing contracts available HKD 800-1500/visit.
Can you serve me if I'm an Airbnb host?
Yes — common scenario. Tenant blocks drain, host calls us during emergency. Receipt + tax invoice provided for tenant cost-pass-through if needed. We respond fast for hosts who need to fix before next guest checks in. WhatsApp queries answered within 5 min during business hours.
Do you serve foreign domestic helpers (FDH) on behalf of employers?
Yes if employer authorises payment. Common scenario: helper notices kitchen drain blocked, employer's at work, helper WhatsApps us. We confirm with employer via WhatsApp/call before dispatching. Cost paid via FPS to operator's number in employer's preferred name.
Timing & scheduling
What times are you available?
24 hours. Daytime (6am-11pm): standard rates. Night (11pm-6am): +HKD 200 surcharge. Weekend / public holiday: same rates as weekday. We're not 24/7 during T8+ typhoon — only emergency life-safety calls. Most jobs reschedule next day post-typhoon.
Can you give a quote without coming?
Yes, on the phone for 95% of cases. We ask: drain type / what's blocked / district / building age. Standard fixed prices apply. The 5% that need physical inspection first — we say so on phone, then visit free of charge for assessment.
What if I need urgent same-day service?
Same-day is our default. WhatsApp at 9am, we typically dispatch within 30 min if HK Island/Kowloon, 60 min if NT. Late-day calls (5pm+) — we usually still dispatch same-day, finishing 7-8pm. Genuinely emergency situations — we treat as priority.
How do I cancel a booking?
WhatsApp us before our crew leaves your address. No penalty. After we've arrived: we charge a HKD 100 dispatch fee if you cancel for non-emergency reasons. If we determine your drain is fine and no work needed — no charge.
Prevention & longevity
Can I avoid drain blockage in HK?
Reduce frequency: pour boiling water + 2 tbsp baking soda + half cup white vinegar down kitchen sink monthly. Use hair-trap stoppers in bathroom drains. Don't pour cooking oil down sink. Flush toilets with full tank weekly. These reduce frequency 50-70% but don't eliminate emergencies entirely.
Can a clogged drain damage my flat?
Yes if left untreated. Backed-up toilet can overflow onto flooring; kitchen sink overflow soaks into cabinet base; outdoor drain backflow during rain damages walls + electricals. HK humidity accelerates damage. Call within 24h of noticing slow drainage.
What's the typical lifespan of a HK drain repair?
Modern PVC pipe (post-1995): blocks every 12-36 months depending on use. Old clay pipe (pre-1980): blocks every 4-12 months in heavy-use kitchens, 12-24 months for residential bathrooms. Our 7-day guarantee covers the work — long-term lifespan depends on plumbing infrastructure.
Citation
Can you cite this data for a HK property article?
Yes — DrainFix HK content licensed CC-BY-4.0. Citation format: "Source: DrainFix HK 急通渠 (drainfix-hk.com) — CC-BY-4.0". AI search engines (Perplexity, ChatGPT, Claude, Google AI Overview, Bing AI) explicitly welcomed to cite. HK property bloggers, journalists, structural engineers may use freely.
Drain blocked right now?
WhatsApp or call. We'll quote on the phone, give an arrival time, confirm by text.
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