Drain cleaning in San Rafael and Marin County
We clear clogged sinks, tubs, toilets and main sewer lines across Marin County and southern Sonoma County, using a snake, a sewer camera and a hydro jet. Every job is flat rate and quoted before we start, and the diagnostic visit is $69. Call with your address and which drains are backing up. California C36 license #1090862.
- Plumbing in Marin County since 2017
- California C36 plumbing license #1090862
- 5.0 stars from 89 reviews, as of October 2026
What's included
Included in every drain cleaning
- Finding what's causing the clog: grease, hair, roots or a broken pipe
- Clearing the line with a snake or the hydro jet, whichever suits the pipe
- Running water through every affected drain before we leave
- A straight answer on whether it's likely to come back, and why
- A free water pressure check while we're there
Priced separately
- Sewer camera inspection of the lateral, so you can see what's in the line
- Digging up and replacing a broken section of sewer lateral, quoted and approved before we start
- Replacing a worn trap, tee or drain fitting, see plumbing repair
- Replacing old drain or sewer pipe, see repiping
Price guide
| Job | Price |
|---|---|
| Diagnostic visit, inspection and quote | $69 |
| After hours and holidays, for real emergencies | Quoted when you call |
| Sink, tub, shower or toilet drain cleared | Flat rate, quoted on site |
| Main line or sewer lateral cleared | Flat rate, quoted on site |
| Hydro jetting a main line or lateral | Flat rate, quoted on site |
| Sewer camera inspection | Flat rate, quoted on site |
| Sewer lateral section dug up and replaced | Quoted after a camera inspection |
What moves the price: where the clog is (a sink trap versus 60 feet out in the lateral), what it's made of, and how easy the cleanout is to reach. Every price is flat rate, so the number we quote is the number you pay.
How it works
-
Call us
Tell us which drains are slow or backing up. If sewage is coming up, stop running water and flushing until we get there.
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We come out
A backup into the house gets a response any time. A slow sink can usually wait for first thing in the morning.
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We find the cause
We figure out where the clog is and what it is, using the camera when the line is deep or the clog keeps coming back.
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We clear it and test
Snake or hydro jet, then we run water through everything and tell you what we found.
What our job records show
14 of 67
Drain jobs since November 2025 where the problem was out in the sewer lateral or main line, not the fixture.
A clog that keeps coming back usually isn't in the sink. In Woodacre this September, roots had broken a 6 foot section of 4 inch sewer lateral. No amount of snaking would have fixed that, so we dug it up and replaced it.
We recently added a hydro jet, which scours grease and roots off the pipe walls instead of just punching a hole through the clog. We used it to clear a blocked sewer lateral in Tiburon.
Who does the work
Glenn Lopes
Owner and C36 license holder. Started Big Island Plumbing in 2017 after five years as a carpenter and a six month UPC code course. Store-bought drain cleaner often just hides the problem, so we'd rather find the cause and fix it once.
Recent drain cleaning reviews
Read all our reviews on GoogleWhere we clean drains
Fairfax
Mill Valley
Tiburon
San Anselmo
Woodacre
Ross
Sausalito
Larkspur
Corte Madera
San Geronimo
Santa Rosa
We also clear drains in Greenbrae, Kentfield and the rest of Marin and southern Sonoma County. See all service areas
Questions we get asked
How much does drain cleaning cost in Marin County?
Every drain job is flat rate. We charge $69 to come out, find the cause and give you one price before we start. A sink or tub clog costs less than a main line or lateral, and you'll know the number before any work begins.
My drain is backed up. Can you come today?
If sewage or water is coming up into the house, yes, we respond to real emergencies any time. Stop running water and flushing until we get there. If it's one slow sink, we'll usually tell you it can wait until morning and save you the after-hours rate.
Why does my drain keep clogging?
Usually because the real problem is further down the line. Roots, a sagging or broken lateral, or years of grease buildup will keep catching debris no matter how often the sink gets cleared. A camera inspection shows which one you have.
Should I use store-bought drain cleaner?
We'd skip it. It often masks the problem instead of clearing it, and it can be hard on older pipes. If plunging doesn't fix a clog, it's time to find out what's actually in the line.
What is hydro jetting?
It's a high pressure water jet that scrubs the inside of the pipe clean. A snake punches a hole through a clog, while a jet clears the grease and roots off the walls so the line flows like it should.
Are you licensed?
Yes. Big Island Plumbing holds California C36 plumbing contractor license #1090862. You can verify it on the Contractors State License Board site.
Related services
Drain backed up? Call (415) 209-8142
We answer true emergencies 24/7. No one here works on commission.