Broken or cracked drain pipes used to mean one thing: excavation. Digging up your garden, driveway, or even indoor floors to access the pipe, replace it, then reinstate everything. Today, drain relining offers a faster, cheaper, and far less disruptive alternative for most Melbourne homes and businesses.
What Is Drain Relining?
Drain relining (also called pipe relining or CIPP — Cured-in-Place Pipe) is a trenchless repair method. A flexible liner saturated with resin is inserted into the damaged pipe through an existing access point. The liner is inflated to press against the pipe walls, then cured (hardened) using UV light, ambient heat, or steam. The result is a smooth, structurally sound new pipe inside the old one — without any digging.
What Problems Can Drain Relining Fix?
Drain relining is effective for cracked or fractured pipes, tree root intrusion (the resin fills and blocks root entry points), joint offset or displacement, corrosion and deterioration in clay or cast iron pipes, and minor pipe collapse where the pipe still holds its basic shape. It is not suitable for completely collapsed pipes or where the pipe has shifted significantly out of alignment.
Drain Relining vs Excavation: Which Is Right for My Melbourne Property?
Relining is usually the better choice when the pipe runs under a concrete driveway, under landscaping or established gardens, under an indoor slab floor, or in any location where excavation costs would be high. Excavation may be necessary for fully collapsed pipes, for very short pipe runs where the relining equipment setup cost is disproportionate, or where the pipe diameter is outside standard relining equipment ranges. A CCTV inspection first tells us definitively which approach suits your situation.
How Long Does Drain Relining Last?
Properly installed drain relining carries a 50-year design life. The cured-in-place resin liner is corrosion-resistant, resistant to root intrusion, and has a smooth bore that actually improves flow compared to old clay pipes. Major manufacturers back their systems with 10-year warranties.
What Does Drain Relining Cost in Melbourne?
Drain relining in Melbourne typically costs $800-$1,500 per metre of pipe relined, including the CCTV inspection before and after. A full property relining job (sewer lateral from house to boundary) usually runs $4,000-$9,000 depending on pipe length and access. Compare this to excavation for a sewer repair — which can easily reach $15,000-$30,000 once reinstatement of concrete, paving, or landscaping is included.
The Drain Relining Process
First, we conduct a CCTV camera inspection to assess the pipe condition and confirm relining is appropriate. We then jet-clean the pipe to remove debris, scale, and roots. The liner is prepared and inserted through an existing access point. We inflate and cure the liner, then conduct a post-installation CCTV inspection to verify the repair. The whole process for a single pipe run typically takes half a day to a full day.
Sedcon Plumbing — Pipe Relining Across Melbourne
We carry out drain relining throughout Melbourne, from inner-city terraces to outer suburban properties. Call 0468 013 012 to arrange a CCTV inspection and relining quote.