Home / Homeowner guides

Wellington / Domestic drain repairs

Drain relining costs: what affects your quote

There is no useful one-price-fits-all figure for relining a domestic drain. The pipe's condition, the section needing repair and access to it all affect the scope. For a Wellington home, compare the complete repair—not just a price per metre.

What affects the cost?

• Length and diameter. A short damaged section and a longer run need different amounts of preparation and lining material. Ask which section the quote covers and how its length was established.
• Condition and cleaning. Roots, deposits or other obstructions may need to be removed before a suitable liner can be installed. Cleaning does not by itself fix the defect that allowed roots to enter.
• Access. Existing access points may help, but local excavation can still be needed. A pipe beneath paving is not automatically suitable for a completely no-dig repair.
• Layout and connections. Bends, changes in diameter and branch connections need assessment. Ask how connected pipes will be dealt with in the proposed repair.
• Reinstatement. Where digging is necessary, establish whether making good the path, driveway or garden is included or separately arranged.

Why a camera inspection matters

A CCTV inspection helps locate visible defects and assess the existing pipe. It can help distinguish cracks or root entry from a collapse, displacement or another problem. Relining depends on the condition of the pipe; it does not correct its slope.

If you already have a camera report, mention it when you call. The report may be useful, but further inspection or cleaning may be needed before a repair can be specified. Ask whether the inspection is a separate charge and what report or footage you receive.

What to ask for in a written quote

• The fault being addressed, the pipe section and the proposed repair method.
• Preparation, access work and any excavation included in the price.
• How branch connections and affected fixtures will be managed.
• A job-specific programme, including when the drain cannot be used.
• Final inspection and the handover information supplied.
• Product and installation warranty terms for the specified system.
• GST, exclusions, reinstatement and how unforeseen work will be approved.

Compare lining with the real alternative

A lower installation price does not necessarily mean a lower total cost. An excavation quote might include replacement pipe but exclude driveway reinstatement; a lining quote might exclude the access pit. Compare quotes that address the same fault and make their exclusions clear.

Replacement can be the better option where the pipe is collapsed, badly displaced or needs its fall corrected. Read our guide to relining versus excavation for the suitability questions to ask.

Before you call

Have your suburb, the symptoms, any history of repeat blockages and any existing camera report ready. Note whether the pipe appears to run beneath a building, driveway, path or garden. You do not need to diagnose the fault yourself.