Drain Repairs Chosen From Camera Footage, Not Guesswork
Drain repairs across Dorset and Hampshire, matched to what the camera finds: a patch, a new lining, a dug-out section or a rebuilt manhole.
- Repairs from £250
- No call-out fee
- Always a fixed price agreed before any work starts
- 10-year guarantee on relining and repairs
- Urgent visits usually within 60 minutes in Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch
When a drain needs repairing, not just clearing
Most drain problems are blockages, and a blockage only needs clearing. Drain repairs come in when the pipe itself is damaged: cracked, broken at a joint, pushed out of line, holed by roots or crushed. The usual clues:
- The same drain keeps blocking, because waste snags on a broken edge or a dropped joint.
- A sewage smell outside with no blockage in sight.
- Ground sinking along the drain run, such as a dip in the lawn or a rocking slab.
- Rats in the garden or under the floor. A gap in a pipe is often how they get in.
- A survey report listing defects such as cracks, roots or displaced joints.
- A damaged manhole: a rocking cover, a cracked frame, crumbling brickwork or broken benching (the shaped channel at the bottom of the chamber).
Our guide to the signs of a collapsed drain explains each warning sign in more depth.
Four ways we repair a drain
Which repair you need depends on what the pipe looks like on camera, how deep it runs and what's built on top of it.
Patch lining for a single fault
A short resin sleeve, pushed along the pipe on an inflatable packer (a rubber bag that presses it against the pipe wall) and held until it sets over one crack or leaking joint. Our smallest repair, and usually the cheapest.
Full relining for a run with several faults
When a pipe has damage in several places, we line the whole length from one access point to the next, forming a new jointless pipe inside the old one. Our drain relining page covers patches, full liners and what lining can't do.
Drain excavation and replacement
A caved-in section, a pipe squashed out of shape or a run with a dip where water sits can't be lined. We dig down, relay the section in new plastic pipe, test it, backfill and put the surface back. Our collapsed drain repair page covers digging under drives, extensions and houses.
Manhole repair and rebuilds
We replace broken covers and frames, reseal leaking chamber walls and rebuild worn benching, or swap a failing brick chamber for modern plastic or concrete sections. A new cover must suit the load: a garden cover won't survive a parked car.
| Repair | Best for | Digging | Time on site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patch lining | One crack or one leaking joint | None | one day or less |
| Full relining | Several faults, roots along the run | None | one day or less |
| Excavation and replacement | Collapsed, crushed or sagging pipe | Yes | one to two days |
| Manhole repair | Cover, frame, chamber walls or benching | Sometimes | Quoted after survey |
How we choose the right repair
A good drain repair company looks before it quotes. We never price a repair from a phone call.
- Clean and film
We jet off grease and silt where needed, then run a camera along the pipe, logging each fault and marking its spot on the ground with a locator.
- Show you on screen
The engineer talks you through each defect in plain words and says which ones matter. We show you the camera footage before we leave.
- Put a fixed price in writing
You get a report and a quote for the smallest repair that will last, within 48 hours. If a clean is all it needs, we say so.
- Repair, then film again
, so you keep both the before and the after footage.
Want the facts before deciding anything? Book a CCTV drain survey on its own.
What drain repairs cost
- CCTV survey to find the faultfrom£150
- Patch repair over one defectfrom£250
- Full relining£80 to £150 per metre
- Excavation and replacement£250 to £650 per metre
- Manhole cover, frame or chamberFixed quote once we've seen it
What's included: preparing the pipe, the repair itself and after footage of the finished job.
What changes the price: depth, what's on top (lawn digs quicker than concrete), pipe size and the number of side connections.
All prices include VAT. The same price day, night, weekends and bank holidays. Every price we charge is on our drain prices page.
What drain repairs can and can't fix
A repair fixes the pipe, not what goes into it. If fat, wipes or nappies are blocking a sound drain, drain unblocking and a change of habits will do more than new pipe.
Some pipes aren't yours to repair. Since 1 October 2011, most shared drains, and the parts of your own drain beyond your boundary, have belonged to the water company where they join a public sewer (Water Industry (Schemes for Adoption of Private Sewers) Regulations 2011). If the fault is on one of those, we'll hand you the footage and point you to Wessex Water or Southern Water. Our guide on who is responsible for blocked drains shows where the line sits.
We also won't sell a full reline where one patch will do, or a patch on a pipe that needs replacing.
Recent drain repair jobs
Repairs our engineers have finished lately, with before and after stills.
Real, dated jobs from the job log appear here: town and postcode district, the problem, what was done, and a photo. Nothing shows until real jobs are logged. Service: drain-repairs.
Our guarantee on drain repairs
Every patch, liner and replaced section comes with our 10-year guarantee on relining and repairs. The after footage is the record of what we did. Terms and exclusions are on our guarantee page.
Drain repair FAQs
Can you repair drains without excavation?
Yes, in many cases. Cracks, leaking joints, root damage and small breaks can be sealed from inside the pipe with a patch or a full liner, reached through a manhole or access point. Digging is only needed when the pipe has caved in, is badly out of shape, or dips so that water sits in it.
Is a camera survey needed before a drain repair?
Yes. Without a camera, anyone quoting a repair is guessing where the damage is, how far it runs and which method will work. A survey shows the exact fault, its distance from the access point and its depth, so the quote covers the right repair. It's also your proof of the finished job.
Why does my drain keep blocking after it's been cleared?
Usually because something in the pipe keeps catching waste. A slipped joint, a crack with roots growing through it or a sagging section where solids settle will rebuild a blockage within weeks. Jetting treats the symptom. A camera survey finds the cause, so it can be repaired once instead of cleared again and again.
Will the water company repair my drain for free?
Only if the damaged pipe belongs to them. Since 1 October 2011, drains shared with neighbours and the stretch of your own drain beyond your boundary have mostly been the water company's, provided they connect to a public sewer. A pipe serving only your home, inside your boundary, is yours to repair.
Who is responsible for the manhole covers on my property?
If the manhole serves only your home, the chamber and cover are yours to look after. If pipes from more than one property pass through it, it's usually part of a shared sewer and the water company's responsibility, even though it sits in your garden. A survey shows which pipes run through it.
Can you replace a broken manhole cover on its own?
Yes. We measure the frame, check its condition and fit a cover rated for where it sits: a light cover for a garden path, a heavier one for a drive. If the frame itself is cracked or loose, it needs bedding in again first, or the new cover will rock and break the same way.
What happens to my patio or lawn during drain excavation?
We lift what can be reused, such as block paving and slabs, and stack it to one side. Healthy turf is cut and rolled. Once the new pipe is tested and backfilled, the surface goes back. Concrete and tarmac are cut out and relaid, and we'll tell you beforehand how closely new material will match.
Get a fixed price for your drain repair
Call 0800 246 5347 or send a photo with a callback request, and we'll book a camera survey at a time that suits you.