Drain and sewer pipe relining is a specialised process, and is carried out to ensure your drains and plumbing are in healthy condition and functioning properly in the long term. Whether you have a leaking or broken drains or your drains or sewers are root-infested, relining your sewer pipes is essential if you want to avoid putting in replacement sewer pipes altogether. 

Whether your drains are in your driveway, garden, workplace or anywhere in your property calling in an expert in sewers and drains is essential. Ensure the drain expert is licenced and insured before they start work on your home or business pipes. 

Pipe relining vs replacement

You know you have an issue with your sewer pipes, but do you need to carry out pipe relining or is replacement the best avenue to travel down?

There is a bit of a difference between the two solutions, and is you have unhealthy pipe or sewers you will probably need to make a decision – and fast! Often issues with sewer pipes such as cracking, blockages, or tree roots can be caused by earth movement, changes in temperatures, and natural deterioration of the pipe. 

While not all issues are caused by maintenance, it is important to always be aware of small issues before they become major problems. 

What is pipe relining – the process involves sewer pipe being created either within the existing pipe or inserted into the old or damaged pipe. This means essentially no additional digging or excavation is required, which will lower the overall cost. Your drainage specialist will be able to provide information on 

What is sewer drain replacement – the sewer pipe replacement avenue will involve some heavy lifting including excavating and replacement of the old sewer pipe with brand new sewer pipes. This is often done when the sewer pipes are very old and beyond relining or simple fixes. 

There are benefits for both processes, and while relining will be less invasive, it might not be a long term solution to your drainage and sewer issues. 

Replacement, on the other hand, allows for new materials to be brought in and fix the sewer issue completely, however, there are labour costs involved, and surrounding environments will need to be rejuvenated when excavation is carried out. 

What is pipe relining

In a nutshell, when a drainage expert conducts a relining, they would have taken the time first to explore the drain using CCTV drain cameras to determine that the pipe is suitable for a pipe relining. 

The process of the relining involved a new pipe inserted into the old one, removing the need to dig out the old pipe and do a complete replacement. There are a wide range of relining options available, and your drainage specialist will provide costs and solutions to suit your needs. 

Benefits of pipe relining

The benefits of sewer pipe relining are many, and include:

• Minimal disruption – unlike replacement of sewers, when you conduct a sewer pipe relining you don’t need heavy machinery or invasive methods such as demolition that can make the process very expensive. 

• Cost-effective – the process of sewer relining is affordable compared to replacement which means that there are fewer labour costs, less rubbish and removal costs and you won’t need to hire expensive machinery. On top of this, as you do not need to dig, the surrounding environment around the sewer you are relining won’t need expensive fixing. 

• Safer and less impact – a relining means that the damaged pipe is relined and there will be less likely to be any safety issues or any serious disruptions. A host pipe may be out of action for a short time, however the impact is quite mimul when the relining process is carried out by a licenced and insured relining company. 

Cost of relining sewer pipes

The cost of pipe relining will really depend on the amount of pipe you need to fix, as a guide, it is fair to say the starting price for pipe relining will be around $2000 for the first metre of sewer pipe and then $500 to $600 per metre for additional sections. 

Ahead of doing any pipe relining, ask your drainage specialist or plumber for a quote so you can get an idea of the cost for pipe relining and the expected warranty for the work. You might also need to factor in labour for the work and if it is an emergency plumbing issue, there could also be some extra charges for this too based on each individual pipe relining specialist. Always ask for a CCTV inspection ahead of any work being carried out so you can ensure the pipe damage and the solution suggested are adequate. 

Pipe relining is great for areas that are built up or difficult to replace, such as driveways and roads. While repairs or replacements in gardens and entertainment areas are a little easier, if the pipe is under a pool, for example, it can turn into a very difficult process and sewer pipe relining is a great option in this instance. 

Whatever your decision when it comes to sewer pipe relining or replacement, be sure to call on the services of a recommended and experienced drainage professional. Your drainage expert should have the background to understand the best options for your needs and can provide cost-effective options on whether you need to repair or replace your sewer drain.