Problems This Service Solves
- Broken, cracked, or root-invaded sewer line under a driveway, patio, mature tree, or slab
- Cast iron or clay sewer line that has failed in more than one spot
- Sewer replacement where an open trench would destroy landscaping or hardscape
- Offset joints and root intrusion along the full run to the city tap
- Repeated backups after jetting and camera show a deteriorated line
A broken sewer line under a driveway, a patio, a 60-year-old live oak, or the middle of your slab used to mean one thing: dig it all up. Trenchless repair changes that. Hugo Plumbing replaces or rehabilitates failed sewer lines through small access pits, keeping your hardscape, landscaping, and floors intact, and we camera every line before and after so you can see exactly what was fixed.
Two Trenchless Methods
Pipe bursting — a new high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe is pulled through the path of the old line while a bursting head fractures the old pipe outward into the surrounding soil. You get a brand-new, jointless pipe of the same or larger diameter with an access pit at each end. Best for lines that are broken in multiple places, badly root-invaded, or undersized.
Pipe lining (cured-in-place pipe, CIPP) — a felt or fiberglass liner saturated with resin is inverted or pulled into the existing pipe, inflated, and cured into a hard, seamless new pipe inside the old one. Best for lines with cracks, root intrusion at joints, and moderate corrosion where the host pipe still holds its shape. Often the answer for under-slab lines.
When Trenchless Makes Sense in Houston
- The line runs under a driveway, pool deck, patio, or slab — the restoration cost of a dig is what you’re really avoiding.
- Mature trees sit over the line and you’d rather not lose them or their roots.
- Cast iron or clay pipe from the 1950s–70s has failed in more than one place.
- You’ve been through repeated jetting and cabling and the camera inspection shows a line that’s simply worn out.
Where the line runs under open lawn with a single break, a conventional spot repair from our sewer line repair crew may be the better value, and we’ll tell you so.
How the Job Goes
- Camera inspection to map the line, measure the length, and identify breaks, bellies, and offsets that affect which method fits.
- Written quote comparing trenchless and traditional options, with the permit and city inspection included.
- Cleaning — the line is hydro jetted so the liner bonds or the bursting head runs clean.
- Access pits dug at the house and at the property line or city tap; Texas 811 locates done first.
- Bursting or lining, then reconnection of the house and city ends.
- Post-camera so you see the finished pipe, and inspection sign-off.
Most residential jobs are done in one to two days. For the warning signs that your line is headed this way, see sewer line problems in Houston, and for cost context read our sewer line repair cost guide. Financing is available for sewer replacements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is trenchless sewer repair?
Trenchless repair replaces or rehabilitates a sewer line without digging a trench along its full length. Pipe bursting pulls a new HDPE pipe through the old line while a bursting head breaks the old pipe outward, using one pit at each end. Pipe lining (cured-in-place pipe) inserts a resin-saturated liner into the existing pipe and cures it into a new, jointless pipe inside the old one. Both are done through small access points instead of an open trench across the yard, driveway, or foundation.
Is trenchless sewer repair cheaper than digging?
The trenchless work itself often costs about the same or somewhat more per foot than a traditional dig, but the total is frequently lower once you count what you don't have to replace afterward — driveway, patio, landscaping, fences, or slab and flooring. Where the line runs under open lawn, a traditional dig may still be the better value. We camera the line and quote both approaches in writing so you can compare.
Can every sewer line be fixed trenchless?
Most, but not all. A fully collapsed section, a severe belly (sag) in the line, or a pipe with significant offsets may need a spot excavation before lining or bursting can proceed. Under-slab lines in Houston homes are often candidates for lining or for tunneling, which keeps the work out of your living space. The camera inspection determines what your line qualifies for.
How long does a trenchless sewer replacement take?
Most residential trenchless jobs are completed in one to two days, compared with several days plus restoration for a full excavation. Water and drains are typically usable again the same day the work is finished.
Need trenchless sewer repair in Houston?
Schedule online or call (713) 409-7176. Serving Houston, Texas and surrounding communities including Humble, Kingwood, Spring, The Woodlands, Cypress, Katy, Sugar Land, Pearland, Pasadena.