Relining vs Digging Up Pipes
There are four main ways to deal with a damaged drain: relining, jetting, pipe bursting and digging it up to replace it. The right one depends on what the camera shows inside your pipe. We'll show you the footage and tell you honestly which fits.
The four options in plain words
Relining
What it is. A resin-soaked liner goes inside the old pipe and sets hard, forming a new pipe inside it. Patch relining fixes one section; full-length relining does a whole run.
When it fits. Cracks, open joints and root entry points, where the camera shows the pipe is suitable. Relining systems are made for clay, concrete, iron and PVC pipes.
Jetting
What it is. High-pressure water scours the inside of the pipe clean.
When it fits. Fat, silt and root blockages. It clears the pipe but does not repair it, so it is often a first step, not the last.
Pipe bursting
What it is. A new pipe is pulled through the line of the old one, breaking the old pipe outwards as it goes. Pits are dug at each end, not along the whole run.
When it fits. Some pipes that can’t be relined, where the line and access allow it. Whether it suits your pipe is decided on site.
Dig and replace
What it is. A trench is dug, the old pipe comes out and a new one goes in, then the ground is restored.
When it fits. Collapsed or badly misaligned pipes, or where a pipe can’t be lined. Wider drain alterations can be notifiable work.
Why the camera decides
Older homes can have original drains, replaced drains or a mix of materials. The actual pipe has to be checked before recommending a fix. Every pipe needs a camera inspection first to confirm it's suitable for relining.
Any quote that picks a method without footage is a guess. Ours start with a camera inspection you watch with us.
The paperwork side
QBCC lists pipe relining as minor work, so it does not need Form 4 notification under that classification. Wider drain alterations can be notifiable work, and repairs to combined sanitary drains need a council permit (QBCC guide).
Building near sewers has its own rules: Urban Utilities screening criteria for houses and sheds include staying at least 3 m horizontally clear of the pipe centreline (Urban Utilities).
Fast quote
Get a fast quote
Send us a few details and we'll be in touch within 30 minutes.
How it works. Easy as.
Fill out the quick form
A name, a number and what the drain is doing. Photos help if you have them.
We'll be in touch within 30 minutes
We ask a few questions and book a time that suits you.
We come out, clear what we can and run a camera through the pipe
If it is blocked, we get it flowing first. Then the camera goes in to find the cause.
We show you the footage and explain what is wrong
You watch it with us. We point out the crack, the roots or the sag, and roughly where it sits in the yard.
Itemised fixed quote, inspection and repair costs shown separately
Every line on its own, so you can see what the inspection cost and what the fix would cost.
Say yes, flexible payment options if cash flow's tight
No pressure to decide on the spot. If you go ahead, we can talk through ways to spread the cost.
Fixed and checked on camera again, so you can see it's done
Once the work is finished, the camera goes back in and you see the result for yourself.
What each costs
Our guide prices for relining are shown below. Pipe bursting, digging and replacing, and whole-job totals are quoted on site.
Questions people ask us
Relining or replacing: which is better?
Neither is better every time. Relining puts a new pipe inside the old one without a trench, but the pipe has to be suitable, which only a camera inspection confirms. Digging and replacing may be the right call when a pipe can't be lined. We'll tell you honestly which fits your pipe, and our plain-words guide explains each option.
Will jetting fix roots in clay pipes?
Jetting can clear roots out and get water flowing, but it doesn't close the gap or crack the roots came in through. That's why we film after jetting: if the footage shows open joints or cracks, we'll explain whether relining that section is worth it, and price it as a separate item.
Does relining need council paperwork?
QBCC lists pipe relining as minor work, so it does not need Form 4 notification under that classification. Wider drain alterations can be notifiable work, and repairs to combined sanitary drains need a council permit (QBCC guide). We'll tell you if your job falls outside plain relining.
Should I pay for a camera inspection first?
Usually, yes. Older homes can have original drains, replaced drains or a mix of materials, so the actual pipe has to be checked before anyone recommends a fix. Without footage, a quote for relining or digging is a guess. We show the inspection as its own line, separate from any repair.
Have you done sewer relining before? How does it work?
Relining is the main service our team offers. Here's how it works: we clear the pipe, film it to check it's suitable, then pull a resin-soaked liner inside the old pipe. The resin sets hard and forms a new pipe inside the old one. Patch relining fixes one section; full-length relining does a whole run. We film it again afterwards so you can see the finished lining.
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