Sewer repairs and relining, North Shore
Sewer keeps blocking?
Cleared once, cleared twice, and back again. That is usually a broken pipe, not a blockage. We put a camera down, show you what is wrong, and price the repair before anything is dug up.
- Camera footage shown to you
- Relining or digging, both priced
- Since 2007 on the North Shore
Sound familiar?
- "We've had it cleared, and it's blocked again." Clearing is not repairing. Roots or debris are getting in through a broken joint, and they will keep coming back until the pipe is fixed.
- "The gully in the yard keeps overflowing after rain." Stormwater can get into a cracked sewer and overload it.
- "There's a wet, smelly patch in the garden that never dries out." The pipe underneath is likely cracked or broken.
- "Someone said we need a whole new sewer line." Maybe, maybe not. The camera footage shows you, before you spend anything.
What happens if you leave it
A broken sewer does not fix itself. Each blockage costs another call out, the roots keep growing into the joint, and a cracked section can collapse completely. Then it is a dig, often under a driveway or a slab.
Most of the North Shore was plumbed in clay pipe with a joint every 600mm. The ground moves and the trees do the rest.
How it goes
Seen, priced, fixed, proved
- Book a site visit or ring us. If it is backing up today, ring.
- Camera down the line. A jet head clears enough to see, then we find the fault and mark its depth and position on the surface.
- You see it and get the price. You watch the screen with us. Then two prices on the spot: reline it, or dig and replace it, with the reasons for each.
- We fix it and prove it. The camera goes back down the finished line so you can see the repair.
Reline it or dig it up? A straight answer
Neither one is always right. We will tell you straight which one your pipe needs, and show you why on the screen.
Pipe relining
We cure a new liner inside the old pipe. No trench, so the driveway, the paving and the garden stay where they are. Best when the pipe is cracked or root damaged but still holding its shape.
How relining worksDig and replace
We cut, dig, and lay new PVC bedded on blue metal, with dowels and mesh where the ground is structural, then reinstate the concrete or paving and take the spoil away. Usually one to three days. The answer when a pipe has collapsed or the fall is wrong.
Book a site visitWhat a dig actually looks like
Opened up, repaired, and put back
Before you book
What people ask us
What will it cost?
You see the camera footage, then you get both prices before anything starts, and you decide. Upfront pricing, agreed before we start.
Do I really need a new sewer?
Not always. If the pipe is holding its shape, relining fixes it without a trench. The footage shows you which, so you are not taking anyone's word for it.
How long will the yard be dug up?
Usually one to three days for a dig and replace, with the concrete or paving put back. Relining is usually done without digging at all.
Will you put the garden back?
Yes. We work around what is there, keep what comes up, backfill properly and reinstate the concrete or paving. The spoil goes with us.
Sewers on the North Shore since 2007
Our job records run from 2016. Since then we have completed more than 1,500 sewer jobs, from clearing roots to digging out and replacing whole lines. Licenced plumbers, contractor licence 227192C.
From our Google reviews
Just had the STS boys out to fix up our sewer issue. Such a gun team, very efficient and so nice to deal with.
Michael E., Google reviewThroughout the job they were extremely polite, communicated clearly what they were doing, and left the working area in excellent condition each day.
Aphrodite Klymerhymer, Google reviewThe final price was exactly what he quoted. We will definitely use them again, highly recommended.
Glenn Crouch, Google reviewSewer keeps blocking? Book a site visit.
We camera the line, show you what is wrong and price the fix before anything starts.
From our blog
Worth a read
When tree roots attack your sewer line
A North Shore job where roots crushed the line, and how we found and fixed it.
Read itBlocked drain or blocked sewer?
How to tell the difference, and why it changes what the fix looks like.
Read itIs your Camphor Laurel ruining your sewer?
The tree behind a lot of North Shore sewer trouble, and the signs to watch for.
Read itCommon questions about sewer repairs
How do I know it is the sewer and not just a blocked drain?
A blocked drain affects one fixture. A sewer problem affects the lot: every drain in the house slow at once, gurgling when you flush, a smell in the garden, or a soggy patch of lawn that never dries out. If more than one thing is playing up, it is usually the main line.
How do you find where the fault is?
A camera down the line and a locator above it. That gives us the fault to the metre and the depth, so a repair can be priced properly instead of guessed at. You get the footage either way.
Can you repair a sewer without digging up the garden?
Often, yes. Relining puts a new pipe inside the old one through an existing access point, so there is no trench and nothing to reinstate afterwards. On a block with sandstone paving or established planting that usually saves more than it costs.
When does it have to be dug?
When the pipe has collapsed, lost its shape or lost its fall. Relining a broken pipe is not a repair and we will say so rather than sell you one. Where we do dig, putting the ground, the paving and the garden back the way we found them is part of the price.
Whose sewer is it, mine or Sydney Water's?
As a rule the pipes on your property are yours to maintain and the main in the street is Sydney Water's. Where the line crosses a boundary or serves more than one property it gets less clear cut, which is why we camera it and put the finding in writing before anyone argues about who pays.
Do you do call outs after hours?
Our office is open Monday to Friday, 7am to 5pm, and we do call outs outside those hours for a fee. Ring us and we can give you an idea over the phone before we come.
Are you licenced and insured?
Yes. NSW licence 227192C, for plumbing, gas fitting and drainage, and our own team on every job.
Word gets around
Neighbours telling neighbours. Give us a call and spread the word.
Blocked now, or planning the repair?
If it is backing up today, ring us. If you have had it cleared before and want to know what is actually down there, book a site visit and we will camera the line and price the fix.
Ring or send the form, and you get the price before we start.
Office hours: Monday to Friday, 7am to 5pm.