Most residential sewer lines are good candidates for trenchless repair. The camera inspection is what determines which method fits — or whether traditional excavation is needed instead. Pipes with cracks, root intrusion, or general aging usually qualify for pipe lining. Pipes with severe deterioration or full collapse usually need pipe bursting (also trenchless) or traditional excavation.

The only way to know for sure is the camera inspection. Call (800) 818-2397 to schedule.

Pipe lining (CIPP) inserts a resin-saturated liner into your existing pipe and cures it into a smooth pipe-within-a-pipe. The old pipe stays in place, the liner becomes the new structural pipe. Best for pipes that are still structurally intact but have cracks or root intrusion.

Pipe bursting destroys your old pipe entirely — a splitting head fractures it outward as a new polyethylene pipe is pulled into position. Full replacement, can increase pipe size. Best for severely deteriorated, collapsed, or undersized pipes.

Most residential trenchless jobs are completed in a single day on site. CIPP lining typically takes a few hours to install plus 2-4 hours for the resin to cure. Pipe bursting takes longer on installation but doesn’t require curing time. Larger jobs or commercial properties can take 2-3 days.

Permit acquisition typically adds 1 to 3 weeks before work begins, depending on the city.

Trenchless repair cost varies depending on length, depth, soil conditions, method (lining vs bursting), and city permit fees. Trenchless can be up to 50% less expensive than traditional excavation when you factor in the cost of landscape, concrete, hardscape, and street restoration that traditional excavation requires.

We provide upfront written pricing after the camera inspection — no hourly billing or surprises. Call (800) 818-2397 for a free in-person estimate.

Both pipe lining and pipe bursting produce a pipe with a 50+ year service life. The new polyethylene pipe (bursting) or cured resin liner (CIPP) is jointless and corrosion resistant — far outlasting the original clay or cast iron pipes most older SoCal homes have. Pipe bursting installations are typically backed by a lifetime warranty on the pipe.

Yes — trenchless is one of the best solutions for tree root damage. Old clay and cast iron pipes fail at the joints, which is exactly where roots find their way in. The new polyethylene pipes used in pipe bursting are seamless, and CIPP liners seal all the existing joints in place. Either way, the new pipe has no joints for roots to invade.

It’s helpful to have someone accessible at the start of the job to confirm access points and review the camera findings, but you don’t need to be home for the entire repair. Most of the work happens outside your home — at the access points on your property. We’ll coordinate scheduling that works for you.

Yes — sewer line replacement requires a permit in every Southern California city, regardless of method. We pull every permit your job requires in-house. We also coordinate with city inspectors for required inspections and handle the close-out paperwork. You don’t spend weeks chasing the city — we own the timeline from estimate to final sign-off.

For most residential jobs, yes — trenchless is faster, less disruptive, and often less expensive when you factor in landscape and hardscape restoration. But trenchless isn’t always possible. If your pipe is completely collapsed, has severe sags, or the city code requires open excavation in certain situations, traditional excavation is the right call. The camera inspection tells us which path fits your specific situation.

Call (800) 818-2397 or schedule online. We’ll send a certified plumber to perform a camera inspection of your sewer line. You see the footage. We diagnose the actual condition. Then we provide an upfront written quote with the trenchless option that fits — or honestly tell you if traditional excavation is the better call.