Express Sewer & Drain Blog

Pipe lining and repair can be expensive. In Sacramento, given the ongoing drought and recent attempts to lower water consumption, home and city sewer pipes are taking things particularly rough. As we’ve outlined in previous blog features, the drought has pushed many in California to lower their overall consumption by any means necessary; limited lawn water use, water recycling and other such practices.

However, these practices have also put Sacramento pipe systems in jeopardy. As our city’s sewer lines are relatively flat compared to most of the state, solid waste material and other debris cannot flow properly due to the lack of water. These conditions have resulted in a spike in sewer line damage, for home and municipal sewer lines alike.

What is the true cost of pipe lining in Sacramento? There is no universal answer; the most affordable solution for a broken sewer pipe changes on a case-by-case basis. What is the best deal for the sewer pipe lining on your property may not be the same for your neighbor. In any circumstance, the type of pipe, cause of damage and physical location on a property will be major cost factors for pipe repair.

Pricing Differences Between Lining and Traditional Repair

At face value, traditional pipe replacement via digging will be cheaper than trenchless pipe lining (sometimes as much as 50% less). However, this is without the additional costs of labor and other restorative work. Following a traditional pipe replacement, you will also have to restore landscaping and other elements on your property. If your broken pipe runs under a driveway, artificial pond or large trees, you can expect your overall pipe replacement bill to reflect the extra landscaping work.

This is why trenchless pipe lining can be very advantageous under the right circumstances. In situations that digging would prove problematic, trenchless pipe lining (or even bursting, for more severe pipe damage) can be much more affordable than excavation. Pipe lining comes with a higher up-front price tag for the technology and materials used (roughly $80-250 per foot of lining, or $4,000-20,000 for standard sewer lengths); however, lining is worth it if landscaping features or significant pipe depth make digging difficult.

For smaller applications (pipes under 50 feet in length), lining will typically be cheaper than dig-and-replace methods; sectional lining repairs will generally cost between $3,000-4,000 in these circumstances, which can be notably cheaper than trenching’s $3,000-6,000 cost.

On the other hand, trenchless lining is impractical for repairing shallow sewer lines or lines with few or no landscaping obstructions. If labor and landscaping costs will be minor in a given project, simply digging out the pipe and having it replaced will likely be a deal more affordable than trenchless repairs.

When it comes to Sacramento pipe repair, the final cost you’ll be faced with depends entirely on your unique circumstances. If your broken pipe runs beneath your driveway, pipe lining could end up saving you thousands of dollars in remedial landscaping costs. If the pipe is within 2 feet of the surface, a dig-and-replace method will likely be the most affordable option.

When to Leverage Pipe lining

Pipe lining is a very versatile trenchless solution, and can be used to restore pipes affected by a number of problems. This includes:

• Clogging and breakages due to low sewer water flow
• Chemical damage and corrosion
• Plant root intrusion
• Natural deterioration with age
• Faulty installation

The epoxy resin material used in pipe lining creates new, durable pipe walls within existing pipe structures. Once cured, the new pipe can withstand intrusion and other common plumbing problems for over half a century, and often much longer.

The most expensive part of traditional dig-and-replace pipe repair isn’t the materials or digging itself, but rather the remedial landscaping that follows. Trenchless pipe lining provides an alternative in cases where digging is impractical and costly. Context is everything when it comes to Sacramento pipe repair, so reaching out to a professional plumbing expert in your area is an important first step in getting the best deal on your repair project.

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