Is Trenchless Sewer Repair Worth It?

Trenchless sewer repair sounds almost too good: fix the pipe without digging up the yard. So what's the catch, and when is it actually the right call?

The Real Trade-Off

Trenchless methods can cost more per foot of pipe than raw excavation. But that comparison misses the point — open-trench repair also means rebuilding whatever was on top of the trench. Once you add the cost of a new driveway, patio, or mature landscaping, trenchless is often cheaper overall.

When Trenchless Wins Big

• The line runs under a driveway, sidewalk, or patio
• Mature trees or finished landscaping are in the path
• You want the job done in a day, not a week
• The existing pipe can hold a liner or be burst

When Digging Still Makes Sense

A short, shallow run in an open lawn can be cheaper to simply dig. And a line that's fully collapsed with no path for a liner may require excavation. A camera inspection settles the question definitively.