Washing Machine Not Draining — Repair Cost
If your machine is sitting full of water, stop running cycles right now — you will burn out the pump trying to force it. A blocked filter is the most likely cause and one of the cheapest repairs there is.
What actually drives the price
A washing machine that will not drain is one of the more distressing faults to look at, because the evidence is right there: a drum full of grey water and a load of laundry going sour in it. It is also, very often, one of the least serious.
The drain pump on most machines is protected by a filter, and that filter is where everything ends up — coins, hair grips, buttons, screws, the occasional sock. When it clogs, the pump cannot move water, and the machine either stops mid-cycle or throws a drainage error. Clearing it is straightforward. The important thing is to stop running cycles in the meantime, because a pump straining against a blockage is a pump that will eventually fail.
Typical repair costs
Everything below includes both the component and the labour to fit it, but not the call-out fee. The ranges reflect jobs we complete regularly, not best-case advertising numbers.
| Repair | Typical cost (est.) | What's involved |
|---|---|---|
| Blocked pump filter | R650 – R1,000 | The most common cause by a wide margin. Cleared, cleaned and tested. |
| Drain pump replacement | R1,050 – R2,100 | The pump itself has failed — often after months of running against a blockage. |
| Blocked sump hose | R850 – R1,500 | The hose between the drum and the pump is obstructed. More labour than a filter clean. |
| Blocked or kinked drain hose | R650 – R1,050 | Often an installation issue rather than an appliance fault. |
| Pressure switch / water level sensor | R1,000 – R1,850 | The machine cannot tell whether it is full or empty, so it refuses to proceed. |
| Control board / PCB | R1,600 – R3,700 | The pump is fine but the board is not driving it. Diagnosed last, not first. |
What affects the final price
- Whether the pump survived the blockage. This is the crux. A filter cleared early is a cheap repair. A pump that has spent weeks straining against an obstruction is often burnt out, and that doubles the cost.
- Where the blockage sits. The filter is designed to be accessed. The sump hose is not, and reaching it means tipping and partially stripping the machine.
- Whether the machine is draining slowly or not at all. A slow drain often points at a partial blockage. No drainage at all is more likely to be a failed pump or a completely obstructed filter.
- The installation. A drain hose pushed too far into the standpipe will siphon; a kinked or elevated hose will stop the machine draining at all. Neither is an appliance fault, and we will not charge you for a repair you do not need.
When we would tell you to replace instead
Not every appliance deserves to be saved, and pretending otherwise is how repair companies lose customers permanently. We would steer you toward a new appliance when:
- The control board has failed on an entry-level machine, where the board is a large fraction of the machine's value.
- The drainage fault comes alongside bearing noise or a leaking tub seal — multiple significant faults at once.
- Water has been leaking into the machine's electronics for some time.
- The repair quote exceeds roughly half of what an equivalent new machine would cost.
Our benchmark is simple enough: repairs costing more than half of a comparable new appliance rarely make sense. You will get both figures from us, not just the one that suits us.
Book a diagnosis
Ring 0861 995 089 and describe the symptom, or message us with a photo of the fault. Prefer a call-back? Use the form. Either way, nothing is dismantled before you have approved a written figure.
Repairs across Gauteng at the same prices
Our call-out fee and repair pricing do not change by suburb. Pick your area for local booking times.
Washing Machine Not Draining — your questions
Straight answers about pricing, before you commit to anything.
Can I clear the drain filter myself?
Usually, yes — and we would rather you tried before paying us to do it. On most front loaders there is a small access flap at the bottom front of the machine hiding the pump filter. Have a towel and a shallow dish ready because water will come out, then unscrew the filter, pull out whatever is lodged in it, rinse it and screw it back in firmly. If the machine drains normally afterwards, you have solved it for free. If it does not, the fault is deeper and it is time to call.
How do I get the water out of the machine first?
Most machines have a small emergency drain hose tucked in beside the pump filter, behind the same access flap. Pull it out, hold it below the level of the drum with a shallow container underneath, and remove the cap — the water will drain out slowly, and you will likely need to empty the container several times. Get the water out before you attempt anything else, and switch the machine off at the wall while you do it.
Why does my machine keep stopping mid-cycle?
Because it has not drained within the time it expected to, so it halts rather than continuing. The machine is protecting itself — it will not proceed to a spin cycle with water still in the drum. The underlying fault is almost always drainage: a blocked filter, a failing pump or a blocked sump hose. Fix the drainage and the cycle behaviour returns to normal.
The machine drains but very slowly. Is that a problem?
Yes, and it is worth attending to before it becomes a bigger one. A slow drain means the pump is working against a partial blockage — and every cycle it runs in that condition is wearing the pump out. Clearing a partial blockage now is a modest repair; replacing a burnt-out pump in three months' time costs roughly double.
Get a firm quote for this repair
The ranges above will tell you whether a repair is worth pursuing. This form gets you an actual number: send us the model and the symptom and we will call you back.
- Diagnosis on site, then a written quote
- You approve the price before any work starts
- If we cannot fix it, you pay the call-out only
Have it diagnosed properly.
Tell us the model and the symptom and we will give you an honest range now — then a firm quote once the appliance has been tested.