In 2006, when The Scottish Plumber incorporated and opened for business in Villa Park, a $99 sewer rodding special seemed like a reasonable way to introduce ourselves to the neighbourhood. Gas was around $2.50 a gallon. A dozen eggs cost about a dollar. And we were a new company with something to prove.
It’s 2026 now. Gas costs what it costs. Eggs cost what they cost. And our sewer rodding special is still $99.
Ninety-nine dollars to rod your sewer line and restore flow — the same price we charged on the first day we ran a truck.
Why the Price Has Never Moved
The honest answer is that we made a decision early on that this service would be our handshake with Chicagoland homeowners. A backed-up sewer is one of those problems that arrives without warning, creates real urgency, and historically has given less scrupulous contractors an opportunity to take advantage of someone who doesn’t have a lot of options. We decided the $99 special would be the thing we never compromised on — the proof that we’re not in the business of profiting from people’s worst Tuesdays.
Twenty years later, that decision has held. We’ve raised prices on other services as costs have warranted it. This one we haven’t touched. Partly stubbornness, partly principle, and — if we’re being honest — partly because a Scotsman who gives his word on a price tends to keep it.
What $99 Actually Gets You
Let’s be specific, because vague pricing is its own form of dishonesty.
The $99 special covers sewer rodding through an outside cleanout access point to unclog a blocked sewer line and restore flow. We run the rod through the line, break through the obstruction, and get things moving again. That’s the service. It’s not a deep clean of the entire line — we’ll explain what that involves in a moment — but it addresses what most homeowners need when they call us with a backed-up sewer: flow, restored, today.
If your home only has an inside cleanout access, the price is $199. The work is the same; the difference is access and the additional time and complexity of working from an interior point. Still well below what most Chicagoland plumbers charge for a standard drain service call, but we want you to know upfront so there are no surprises when we arrive.
We also provide an optional, but free, video sewer inspection using a special sewer camera to determine the condition of the pipe and uncover the root cause of the clog (pun very much intended) and ensure that you are well informed about the conditions of those parts of your home that you just can’t see.
Sewer Rodding vs. Full Sewer Cleaning — Know the Difference
Rodding and full sewer cleaning are related but different services, and understanding the distinction helps you know what you’re getting — and when you might need more.
Sewer rodding is exactly what it sounds like: we run a rod through the sewer line to break up the obstruction and restore flow. It’s the right response to an active backup — the toilet won’t flush, the basement drain is rejecting water, and you need the situation resolved now. Rodding handles that efficiently and gets your household functional again.
Full sewer cleaning goes further. It involves multiple passes through the line with progressively sized cutters, removing not just the blockage but the accumulated buildup — grease, root intrusion, debris — from the pipe walls. It’s a more thorough service, it takes longer, and it costs more. It’s the right choice when you want the line comprehensively cleared, when recurring backups suggest ongoing buildup, or when a camera inspection has shown significant accumulation throughout the line.
The $99 special is the first option. If you call us about a backup and we rod the line and find evidence that the blockage is symptomatic of a larger condition — heavy root intrusion, a section of compromised pipe, significant wall buildup — we’ll tell you what we found and what your options are. We won’t do additional work without your approval, and we won’t use an active backup as leverage to sell you something you didn’t ask for. If the rod restores flow and the line looks fine, that’s the whole story. Ninety-nine dollars. Done.
Who This Service Is For
The $99 sewer rodding special is for homeowners across Chicagoland dealing with a backed-up sewer line that needs to be cleared and restored to function. If your basement floor drain is backing up, your toilets won’t flush, or multiple fixtures in the house are draining slowly or not at all — those are the signs that your main sewer line has blocked and this service is the appropriate response.
It is not for clearing individual sink, tub, or shower drains. It is not for preventive maintenance cleaning of a line that is currently functioning normally. And it requires cleanout access — if you’re not sure whether your home has an outside cleanout, it’s typically a capped pipe visible in the yard, near the foundation, or in the garage on the wall facing the street. If you’re not sure, describe your house when you call and we’ll help you figure it out before we arrive.
Serving Chicagoland for Twenty Years
The Scottish Plumber has been serving Cook, Lake, DuPage, and parts of McHenry, Kane, and Will County since 2006. Our technicians take their trucks home and dispatch from across the Chicagoland area — which means fast response wherever you are.
Twenty years. Same price. Same commitment to not taking advantage of people on a bad day.
If your sewer is backed up, call us. 888-MAC-CLOG, available 24/7. The $99 special is available any time we’re available — which is always.
