Epping, Eastwood, Denistone & Ryde
Tree root specialist · Epping, Beecroft & the North Shore
Tree roots cut out, checked on camera, and stopped from coming back
Roots are the most common reason drains block in leafy suburbs. Alex cuts them out with a high-pressure jetter and the Root Ranger root-cutting nozzle, shows you on camera where they’re getting in, and tells you straight how to stop them.
- ★★★★★ 5.0 from 211 Google reviews
- NSW Licence 369979C
- 20+ years in drainage
- Answering 24/7
Signs tree roots are in your drain
Watch for
- Several fixtures draining slowly at once, not just one sink
- A gurgling toilet, or water rising in the shower when the toilet flushes
- The gully in the yard overflowing
- A sewage smell outside
- The same drain blocking again every few months
Why it happens
Many older homes still have their original clay sewer pipes, laid in short lengths with a joint between each one. Over the years those joints loosen or crack. Roots find the moisture, grow in through the gap, then catch paper and waste until the line chokes.
Sydney Water lists tree roots as one of the main causes of sewer blockages, and the pipe from your house out to Sydney Water’s main is yours to look after. More in our article on tree root intrusion in pipes.
How we clear tree roots
- Find the blockageWe check the gully and inspection points to find the best way into the line.
- Price firstYou get the price before any work starts.
- Cut the rootsThe Root Ranger nozzle on our high-pressure jetter cuts through thick, matted roots a drain eel slides past, then scours the pipe clean.
- Camera checkOur CCTV camera shows the line is clear and exactly which joints the roots come through. You keep the footage.
- Straight adviceWhether the pipe needs cleaning, maintenance, relining or repair, and what can wait.
Stopping the roots coming back
Cutting roots clears the drain, but if a joint is still open they can grow back. Once we’ve seen the pipe on camera, you get honest options.
Planned maintenance
If the pipe is sound apart from a few root-prone joints, a scheduled clean is often the most cost-effective choice. We’ll suggest a sensible interval based on what the camera shows.
Reline the pipe
Where the pipe is cracked or the joints keep letting roots in, we reline it ourselves. A new liner seals the joints from the inside, often without digging up your yard.
Repair the section
If a joint is broken or the pipe has dropped, we dig up that section and replace it with Sydney Water approved fittings and the right backfill.
Thinking of removing a tree? Check with your council first. Many councils need approval.
Told your pipe has collapsed? Get a second opinion.
We regularly see homes where another plumber said the sewer had collapsed and needed replacing, when it hadn’t. Before you pay for a dig-up, get the line properly cleared and on camera. If it does need repairing, we’ll show you why. If it doesn’t, we’ll tell you.
Root cutting prices
Our prices are published, include GST, and you get the price before we start.
| Weekdays, business hours | Price |
|---|---|
| Root cutting with the hydro jetter | $385 per hour |
| Root cutting with CCTV camera, footage to keep | $539 per hour |
| Call-out, including fuel and the first 15 minutes of inspection | $99 in our listed service areas, $125 elsewhere |
After-hours rates and planned maintenance prices are on our plumbing prices page.
What customers say
From our 211 five-star Google reviews. Read them all on Google.
★★★★★
“I had a major emergency blocked drain in Gladesville caused by aggressive tree root intrusion, and Alex from GT Plumbing was a lifesaver. He didn’t just clear the blockage; he provided a full CCTV drain inspection so I could actually see the damage for myself.”
Van T., Gladesville · Google review
★★★★★
“A previous plumber had told us that the blockage could not be resolved and had quoted an exorbitant amount for the proposed work. Alex was able to successfully diagnose and clear the blocked sewer himself, resolving the problem when we had been told it couldn’t be done. Alex potentially saved us $15,000–$20,000, with a great outcome with Sydney Water.”
Liz K., West Ryde · Google review
Check us out before you call
Everything below can be checked independently.
- Licensed: NSW contractor licence 369979C for plumbing, gas and drainage. Check it on the NSW Government licence check.
- Insured: $5 million public and products liability with GIO, certificate sent on request. See our licence and insurance details.
- Registered business: GT Plumbing Gas and Drainage Pty Ltd, ABN 37 623 531 457.
- Founder: Alex Taskun, more than 20 years in the trade.
- Reviews: 5.0 from 211 Google reviews.
- Based in Epping NSW 2121, working across Epping, Ryde, Eastwood, Beecroft, Cheltenham, Pennant Hills and the North Shore, 24/7.
Common questions
Can tree roots be removed from a drain without digging?
In most cases, yes. A high-pressure jetter with a root-cutting nozzle cuts the roots out from inside the pipe. Digging is only needed if the pipe itself is broken or has collapsed, and we’ll show you on camera if it has.
Will the roots grow back?
They can, if the joint they came through is still open. The camera shows exactly where they’re getting in, so you can choose between regular maintenance, relining the pipe or repairing that section.
Should I pour a root killer down the drain?
Not on a blocked line. Store-bought root killers rarely clear a blockage, and they don’t fix the joint the roots are getting through. We cut the roots out first, check the line on camera, then talk you through the best way to stop them coming back.
Who is responsible for tree roots in my sewer, me or Sydney Water?
You look after the sewer pipe from your house out to Sydney Water’s main. If the camera shows the problem is in Sydney Water’s main, we’ll tell you so you can report it to them.
Do you clear tree roots after hours?
Yes. We answer 24/7, including weekends and public holidays. Call 0451 001 503.
How much does it cost to remove tree roots from a drain?
On weekdays root cutting with the jetter is $385 an hour, or $539 an hour with the CCTV camera, plus call-out. You get the price before any work starts. All our rates are on our plumbing prices page.
Roots blocking your drain? Talk to Alex.
You’ll speak to the plumber who does the work, any time of day or night.
Also see drain jetting, blocked drains and CCTV drain inspections.