A cracked or collapsed drain used to mean one thing: digging up your garden, your driveway or even your kitchen floor to reach the pipe. Not any more. Drain relining lets us rebuild a damaged pipe from the inside, without breaking ground. Here is how it works, when it is the right choice, and what it means for your wallet and your garden.
What is drain relining?
Drain relining, sometimes called no-dig or trenchless repair, is a way of restoring a broken pipe without excavation. A resin-coated liner is fed into the existing drain, inflated so it presses against the old pipe wall, then left to cure. Once set, it forms a new pipe inside the old one that is smooth, watertight and structurally sound.
The result is a drain that flows freely again and is often stronger than the original. Because there is no digging, the disruption to your property is minimal.
When is relining the right fix?
Relining suits a range of common drain faults:
Cracks and fractures
Hairline cracks and larger fractures let water escape and roots creep in. A liner seals the pipe and stops the damage getting worse.
Root ingress
Tree and shrub roots find their way through the smallest joint gaps. After the roots are cut out and jetted clear, a liner blocks them from returning.
Displaced joints and open joints
Where pipe sections have shifted, a liner bridges the gap and restores a continuous run.
Failed pitch fibre pipes
Older pitch fibre drains blister and collapse over time. We reform and reline them back to full flow rather than replacing the whole run.
A quick way to know for sure is a camera inspection. Our CCTV drain surveys travel the full length of the pipe and show you the exact fault before any work starts, so you only pay for what the drain actually needs.
Relining versus full replacement
Digging out and replacing a drain is sometimes unavoidable, for example when a pipe has completely collapsed and lost its shape. But in most cases relining is faster, cheaper and far less messy.
Compare the two:
- Relining: no excavation in most cases, one visit for many jobs, and your garden stays intact.
- Excavation: heavier machinery, reinstatement of paving or lawn, and more days on site.
We always tell you straight which option makes sense. If a simple patch repair or a full reline will solve it, we will not sell you an expensive dig.
How long does relining last?
A properly installed liner is built to last decades. That is why every no-dig relining and patch repair we carry out comes with a written 10-year guarantee. A fixed drain should stay fixed, and we back that in writing.
What does the process look like?
- We inspect the drain with a CCTV camera and give you a fixed price.
- The pipe is cleaned with high pressure jetting to remove blockages, silt and roots.
- The liner is measured, prepared and fed into position.
- It is inflated and left to cure.
- We re-survey the finished pipe so you can see it flowing freely.
Start to finish, many domestic relining jobs are completed in a single day.
Why choose a local team for drain relining
Relining needs the right kit and someone who knows how to use it. As a family-run team of drainage engineers covering Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire, we carry jetting units, cameras and no-dig relining gear as standard, so most jobs are done on the first visit. There is no call-out fee, and you get a fixed price before we begin.
Got a drain that keeps blocking or backing up?
Repeated blockages, slow drainage or a bad smell often point to a damaged pipe underneath, and relining could solve it without touching your garden. Call Total Drainage on 0333 004 7002, message us on WhatsApp, or request a callback for a free fixed quote. We answer 24/7.