Drain still blocking after hydrojetting? The pipe itself is likely damaged, but that doesn’t mean digging up your yard. Pipe relining is a trenchless repair that builds a new, seamless pipe inside the old one, restoring flow faster and with less mess than replacement. Here’s how the two compare.
When Hydrojetting Isn’t Enough
Hydrojetting blasts out tree roots, grease and debris with high-pressure water. It’s brilliant for clearing a blockage, but it can’t fix a cracked, broken or displaced pipe. If roots got in through a crack, they’ll simply grow back through it.
Signs Your Pipe Needs Repair, Not Just Cleaning
- The blockage returns within weeks or months of hydrojetting
- Several fixtures drain slowly or toilets gurgle at the same time
- Sewage smells around the yard, floor wastes or overflow gully
- Soggy patches or unusually lush grass above the drain line
- Sunken ground or cracked paving near the sewer pipe
Noticing two or more of these? Our CCTV drain inspection is the next step. We feed a waterproof camera through the line to see exactly where the damage is and how serious it is, so you only pay for the repair you actually need.
What is Pipe Relining?
Pipe relining (also called trenchless pipe relining or drain pipe relining) repairs a damaged pipe from the inside. A flexible liner coated in resin is placed inside the old pipe, then hardened to form a smooth, jointless new pipe within it. Think of it as a pipe within a pipe: the old one becomes the mould, the new one does the work.
It suits sewer pipe relining and stormwater lines alike, and handles the most common problems we find in Adelaide’s older and clay-soil suburbs: tree root intrusion, cracks, corrosion and leaking joints.
How Does Pipe Relining Work?
- Inspect: A CCTV camera maps the damage and measures the pipe.
- Clean: Hydrojetting clears roots and build-up so the liner can bond properly.
- Prepare: The liner is cut to length and saturated with resin.
- Insert: We feed it in through an existing access point, such as an inspection opening.
- Cure: The liner is inflated against the pipe wall and hardened in place.
- Confirm: A second camera inspection checks the finished result and the flow.
Most residential jobs are completed in a single day, so your household or business is back to normal sooner.
Full relining vs patch relining
Not every pipe needs a full-length liner. Patch relining pipe repairs target one short damaged section, like a single cracked joint, which keeps the job smaller and the cost lower. Full relining covers the whole run when the damage is widespread.
Pipe Relining vs Pipe Replacement: Side by Side
Both methods fix damaged pipes. The real difference is how much of your property gets dug up along the way, and how long you’re left waiting.
| Factor | Pipe relining | Pipe replacement |
|---|---|---|
| Excavation | None or minimal, using existing access points | Trenches dug to expose the full pipe |
| Typical timeframe | Usually one day for a home | Several days to a few weeks |
| Impact on property | Gardens, driveways and tiles stay intact | Lawns, paving or concrete removed and reinstated |
| Downtime | Plumbing back in use sooner | Limited plumbing while works are underway |
| Finished pipe | Seamless and jointless, resists root re-entry | Brand-new pipe in a new trench |
| Best suited to | Cracks, roots, corrosion, leaking joints | Collapsed, crushed or badly misaligned pipes |
When a Replacement is the Right Call
We’ll always be upfront: relining isn’t for every pipe. If a section has fully collapsed, sagged badly, or the layout needs redesigning for a renovation, digging may be the only proper fix. Our camera inspection tells us which side of the line your pipe falls on before you spend a cent on repairs.
How Much Does Pipe Relining Cost?
Pipe relining cost depends on your pipe, so an honest quote comes after a camera inspection, not before. What we can say is this: the total cost of relining is often lower than replacement once you count everything excavation brings with it.
What Affects the Price
- Pipe length and diameter
- Patch or full relining
- Bends, junctions and access
- Pre-cleaning required
Is Pipe Relining Expensive?
Per metre, it can look pricier than a length of new pipe. But replacement quotes often leave out the extras: excavation labour, machinery hire, concrete cutting, and putting your driveway, paving or garden back together. With relining, most of those costs simply don’t exist.
Is Pipe Relining Worth It?
For most structurally sound but damaged pipes, yes. It’s usually faster, cleaner and kinder to your property than digging, and it stops the cycle of paying for repeat blocked drain call-outs.
Relining tends to be the better value when:
- Roots keep returning after cleaning
- The pipe runs under a driveway, slab, tiled area or established garden
- You need the plumbing working again quickly, such as at a business or rental
- The pipe is cracked or leaking but still holding its shape
How Long Does Pipe Relining Last?
A quality liner, installed correctly, is designed to last for decades, with many manufacturers rating their products for up to 50 years. Because the new pipe has no joints, there’s nowhere for roots to sneak back in, which is the main reason so many Adelaide drains block again in the first place.
Why Choose SOS Plumbing and Gas for Pipe Relining Services
Relining works best when it’s part of a complete diagnosis, not a guess. That’s why we treat every job as a full blocked drains process, from first call to final camera check:
- Diagnose: CCTV inspection to find the real cause and location of the problem.
- Clear: Hydrojetting to restore flow and prepare the pipe.
- Recommend: Honest advice on patch relining, full relining or replacement, with footage you can see for yourself.
- Restore: Long-lasting pipe relining that gets your property running again, usually without lifting a single paver.
Our licensed plumbers explain every step in plain language, and we never push relining where it won’t do the job. If you’ve been searching “pipe relining near me” in Adelaide, give SOS Plumbing and Gas a call. We’ll find out what’s really going on in your pipes and help you choose the simplest fix that lasts.
Pipe Relining FAQs
Is Pipe Relining Cheaper than Pipe Replacement?
Often, yes, once excavation and restoration are included. A camera inspection gives you an accurate side-by-side quote.
How Long Does it Take to Reline a Pipe?
Most residential pipe reline jobs are finished within one day.
Can Every Pipe be Relined?
No. Fully collapsed or severely misaligned pipes usually need replacing. A CCTV inspection confirms which option suits your pipe.
Does Relining Make My Pipe Smaller?
Slightly, by the thickness of the liner. The smooth, jointless surface generally keeps flow just as good, if not better, than before.