Pipe Relining Christchurch

Digging up a drain is the old way to fix it, and the cost is mostly in the digging: concrete cut and replaced, decks lifted, gardens rebuilt. Pipe relining, also called cured-in-place pipe, puts a new resin pipe inside the old one, so the damaged section is sealed from within and the ground above stays where it is.

Cheeky's Plumbers relines private drains across Christchurch, Selwyn and Waimakariri. Every job starts with a camera inspection, and if relining is not the right fix for your pipe, we say so and price the alternative.

Pricing: quotes are free, and every job gets a fixed price before we start, so there are no surprises on the invoice.

Pipe Relining Jobs We Handle Across Christchurch

• No dig pipe repair
• Trenchless pipe repair
• Trenchless sewer line replacement
• Drain relining under driveways
• Root-proof liners
• Pipe patch lining

When relining makes sense

Relining suits a pipe that is still roughly in line but leaking, cracked or letting roots in. Typical cases include:

• Earthenware drains with roots coming in at several joints
• Cracked pipe under driveways, paths, patios or a garage floor
• Drains under mature trees or established gardens you want to keep
• Lines that cross a neighbour's land or a shared driveway
• Older homes where disturbance needs to be kept to a minimum
• Drains that need jetting every few months to stay open

When relining is the wrong answer

A liner takes the shape of the pipe it sits in. If the old pipe has sagged and holds water, the liner will hold water too. If a section has collapsed or pulled apart, there is nothing for the liner to follow. In those cases a dig-and-replace repair is the right call, and we will tell you so rather than sell you a liner that will not fix the problem.

This matters more in Christchurch than in most cities. Liquefaction and ground settlement during the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes changed the levels of land in parts of the city, and a drain that has dropped or kinked may not be a relining candidate at all. The camera shows us the difference between a pipe that is cracked but straight and one that has moved. Relining also narrows the internal diameter slightly, which rarely matters on household lines, but we check it on long or low-fall runs.

How It Works

How the relining process works

We clear the line first, usually with a hydro jetter, because the liner needs a clean surface to bond to. Roots are cut back flush with the pipe wall. A camera inspection then measures the exact length and diameter of the section to be lined.

The liner is cut to length, saturated with resin and fed into the pipe, either by turning it inside out under air pressure or by pulling it into place and inflating a bladder inside it. The resin then cures, using heat, ambient curing or UV light depending on the system. Any branch connections are reopened from inside with a cutting tool, and a second camera run confirms the result. You get before and after footage.

Christchurch ground and who owns the pipe

Flat residential land in Christchurch, Selwyn and Waimakariri is rated TC1, TC2 or TC3 for the likelihood of future liquefaction damage. On TC2 and TC3 land, MBIE guidance expects drainage to be flexible and well detailed, so avoiding a trench through a repaired driveway or an engineered slab can be worth a lot. Up on the Port Hills in Cashmere and around Lyttelton, digging through rock and steep sections makes the same case.

Before quoting, we confirm whose pipe it is. On a gravity sewer the council owns the main, the connection and roughly the first metre of lateral on private land, and the rest of the lateral is the owner's. If the damage sits in the council's part, we will tell you to report it rather than charge you to fix it. Relining on private drains is done by authorised drainlayers, and we confirm with the right council, whether Christchurch City, Selwyn District or Waimakariri District, if consent is needed before work starts.

Cost of pipe relining in Christchurch

Relining is quoted for free after a camera inspection. The price depends on the length of the section, the pipe diameter, how many branch connections need reopening, how much root and debris clearing comes first, and access to the line.

Per metre, relining can cost more than open trenching through a soft lawn. The saving comes from what you do not pay for: cutting and relaying concrete, lifting a deck, digging through rock on a hill site or rebuilding a garden. Where both options are realistic we price them side by side, so you compare the total cost, not just the pipe.

Roots and older drains

Many older Christchurch homes still have earthenware drains with mortar joints, and tree roots find those joints over time. A liner seals every joint along the lined section at once, which is why relining suits root problems so well. If only one joint is damaged, a short patch liner can be enough, and we price that option too.

Once a line is relined, regular drain cleaning is usually no longer needed for that section. If other parts of the property still have old pipe, we note them on the footage so you can plan ahead.

Why Choose Cheeky's Plumbers for Pipe Relining

Pipe Relining FAQs

Pipe Relining Across Christchurch

Our pipe relining team works in every Christchurch suburb. Find your local plumbers:

Pipe Relining Guides

• Buying a Quake-Repaired House in Christchurch: Plumbing Checks

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