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Frequently Asked Questions
Collected from real calls and texts — the things people actually want to know before hiring a plumber in a foreign country: money, language, landlords, tipping, and whether anyone really shows up at 2 AM.
How do you decide what a job costs?
In three stages, and you hold a veto at each one. First, you text photos and we reply with a realistic range for your specific case — we do not publish flat prices, because a fair number depends on what is actually wrong with the pipe. Second, on site we identify the actual cause and state one fixed number, VAT spelled out, before any work begins. Third, you approve that number — only then do tools come out. You can also decline: the quote is an offer, not an ambush, and some people schedule for later or get a second opinion. The figure on the receipt is the figure you approved.
Can I just text you photos instead of explaining?
Yes — that is honestly the best way to start. Tap "Text Us" on any page: it opens your messaging app with a short [NearDrain] template already filled in, so we know the message is from this site. Attach a wide shot of the room, a close-up of the problem, and a short video if the symptom is happening right now. Photos tell us what tools and parts to load before we leave, which is what makes the first visit the only visit.
Will English actually work, or will I get stuck?
Be realistic with yourself here, because we are realistic with you: SMS in English is the reliable channel. Describe the problem, attach photos, and you will get clear English replies. Voice calls work in Korean or Japanese. On site, between the photos you already sent, the pipe camera screen, and a translation app, jobs get done without confusion — it is how we work every week.
Do you take credit cards?
Yes — card, local bank transfer, or cash, paid after the work is done. A receipt comes with it: cash receipt (현금영수증) or corporate tax invoice (세금계산서) on request.
Can I get a tax invoice or cash receipt?
Yes. VAT 10% is quoted separately, and we tell you the VAT-included total before starting. Corporate customers get a proper 세금계산서 (tax invoice) for expensing; individuals can get a cash receipt (현금영수증) for income-tax deduction. Just tell us which you need before payment.
The problem is not my fault. How do I get my landlord to pay?
Notify the landlord in writing before booking anyone — that message and its timestamp matter legally. Then make sure whoever repairs it documents the cause. We put the cause in writing on every job, with photos and the approved quote, and we can explain the finding to your landlord, realtor, or building office directly in Korean. Whether it is genuinely the landlord's bill depends on what caused the problem; our guide walks through the Korean rules in detail.
It is 2 AM / Sunday / Chuseok. Will anyone actually come?
Calls and texts are taken any time. Text the photos; we tell you honestly whether it is tonight or first thing tomorrow — an honest answer beats a promise we cannot keep on a holiday night. The figure is confirmed on site before work starts.
How long until you arrive, and how long does the work take?
We do not print arrival times, because a number on a web page cannot know where our truck is when you text. What we do: once we have your photos and address, we reply with a realistic window for the visit, and if we are mid-job we say so. The work itself: routine toilet and single-drain clogs are usually done within about an hour of arrival, while main-line jetting, leak tracing, and pump work take longer — the expected duration comes with the quote.
Do foreigners get charged more?
No — and you can check, which most companies cannot say. NearDrain is, openly, the international desk of 가까운설비 (NearPlumb): same crew, same equipment, same pricing rules as our Korean main site, nearplumb.com. If you read Korean, go compare — that transparency is deliberate. We built a separate English and Japanese site so international residents get real pages, not a machine-translated afterthought.
Should I go to my building’s management office first?
In an apartment or officetel: often, yes. If the problem sits in shared plumbing — a common stack backing up, multiple units affected, water arriving from somewhere above you — the management office (관리실) is responsible and already has contractors. If the problem is inside your own unit, the office will usually just tell you to hire someone, and that is where we come in. Either way we coordinate with building managers in Korean as a normal part of the job; access to pipe shafts goes through them anyway. Not sure which case you have? Text us the photos and we will say honestly if it looks like the building's job.
What about the cost of parts?
Parts are billed at market price, itemized, with the receipt available to you — no invented markups buried in a lump sum. When a job needs a part (a mixer cartridge, a fill valve, a pump), it is named in the quote before you approve, and where a meaningful choice exists between a budget part and a better one, you make the call, not us.
What photos should I text you?
Three things: a wide shot of the room so we see the layout, a close-up of the problem itself (the drain, the bowl, the wet patch), and a short video of the symptom happening — the flush that will not go down, the drip, the backup. For leaks, add your water meter; for pumps and boilers, the nameplate with the model number. Good photos routinely save an entire diagnostic visit.
What should I do right now, before you arrive?
Stop adding water — no more flushes, taps off, washing machine paused. For a backup, keep people off the wet floor and away from electrical outlets. For a leak, close the small angle valve under the fixture (turn clockwise) or the main valve at the water meter. Then text us the photos while you wait.
Do you cover Camp Humphreys / Pyeongtaek?
Yes, differently: off-post housing around USAG Humphreys and Osan AB is handled with our locally based partner technician rather than a truck driving down from Seoul. Text the same number with photos and your area, and we coordinate the visit and keep the communication in English by text, as always.
Should I tip?
No — there is no tipping in Korea, for plumbers or anyone else. The approved quote is the entire cost. A cold drink on a hot day is received with genuine gratitude and zero obligation.
Do you speak Japanese? / 日本語は通じますか？
Yes — and unlike English, Japanese works on the phone as well as by text. The owner speaks Japanese; no interpreter relay. There is a full Japanese version of this site for the Japanese community in Ichon-dong and across Seoul.
The short version
- Fixed quote before work starts — you agree to the number first. If the scope turns out to be different mid-job, we stop and explain before anything continues.
- Card payment accepted. Cash receipt or corporate tax invoice (세금계산서) issued on request.
- VAT 10% is quoted separately, and we tell you the VAT-included total before starting.
Question not covered here? Text it to us — or browse the guides for the longer answers.