Drain Repairs

Drainage faults rarely stay still. A hairline crack can widen into a collapse, a slightly displaced joint gives tree roots a way in, and a slow leak can quietly wash away the soil beneath your foundations. That is why it pays to deal with a problem while it is still a repair rather than a rebuild.

At Plumbco, we carry out professional drain repairs for homeowners across Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire, using both no-dig methods and traditional excavation. Every job starts with a CCTV survey, so we know exactly what's wrong before we suggest how to put it right. You'll then receive a clear explanation of your options and a fixed price agreed before any work begins, along with a 12-month written guarantee on the repair. We never charge call-out fees, and there's no extra charge for nights or weekends, so you can get in touch at any hour knowing what to expect.

If you'd like to talk it through, give us a call and a real engineer will answer in under 60 seconds. Alternatively, send us a message through our contact form.

The right fix depends on what the camera finds, so it helps to know what's available. Our drain repairs fall into five main methods, and we'll begin with the least disruptive.

CIPP relining creates a smooth new pipe inside your existing damaged one. A flexible liner soaked in structural resin is fed into the drain and inflated so that it presses against the pipe walls. It is then hardened using hot water, steam or UV light, leaving a rigid, jointless pipe within a pipe.

This method suits drains with cracks, fractures, root damage, displaced joints or patches of corrosion. Because it works through existing access points, there's no need to dig up your garden, driveway or floor, and the liner has an expected service life of more than 50 years. Where the damage is limited to one spot, though, a full reline may be more than you need, which is where patch repairs come in.

When the damage is confined to a single crack, a small point of root entry or one displaced joint, we can repair just that section. A short length of resin-impregnated material is positioned over the defect and cured in place, which seals the fault and leaves the rest of the pipe untouched.

For isolated defects, patch repairs are quicker and usually more affordable than relining the whole run. Some drains are too badly damaged for either approach, however, and that's when excavation becomes the sensible option.

If a drain has collapsed completely, shifted across several joints, or is made from a material that can't support a liner, such as badly deteriorated pitch fibre, digging down and replacing the pipe is the right answer. Our team exposes the damaged section, removes the failed pipework and fits new PVCu or vitrified clay drainage that meets current Building Regulations.

We also take care of the reinstatement, including backfilling, compaction and restoring the surface, so your property is left tidy. Not every fault sits within your boundary, though, and some of the most troublesome ones appear where your drain meets the public sewer.

A faulty or damaged connection between your property's drainage and the public sewer can lead to recurring blockages, unpleasant smells and compliance problems. We repair or replace defective connections, handle any Section 106 application to the water company where one is needed, and make sure the finished connection meets the relevant standards.

Larger drainage systems bring challenges of their own, which is where structural lining comes in.

For commercial, industrial and shared drainage with pipes of 225mm diameter or more, we can use structural GRP (glass reinforced plastic) and felt lining. These systems strengthen and restore larger pipework without the disruption and expense of open-cut replacement.

Whichever method applies to your drain, we only recommend it once we've seen the evidence, and that evidence comes from the survey.

Every repair we carry out starts with a diagnosis rather than a guess. Our engineers run a high-definition CCTV camera along the affected drain, recording the type, position and severity of each defect. That footage forms the basis of our recommendation and is included in your report.

We won't suggest a repair method without visual evidence to support it. If a no-dig solution will work, we'll say so. If excavation is genuinely necessary, we'll explain why and show you the footage, because the aim is always the most effective repair with the least disruption to your property. If you have questions before booking, the answers below cover the ones we hear most often.

If you suspect your drains are damaged, the sooner we look, the more options you're likely to have. Call 0808 303 8888 at any time, day or night, and a real engineer will answer in under 60 seconds. You can also send us a message through our contact form, and we'll arrange a survey and agree a fixed price with you before any work starts.