No-Dig vs Excavation: Which Drain Repair Do You Need?
Patch repairs and relining fix many drains without any digging, but some pipes must be dug out. Compare the two methods, published costs and how to choose.
When a drain needs repairing, there are two broad routes. You can fix it from inside the pipe, or you can dig down and replace it. This guide compares the two, so you know which questions to ask before anyone picks up a spade.
What each method involves
No-dig repair fixes the pipe from the inside, using the access points you already have. The two main types are patch repairs and relining. A patch seals one short defect. Relining fits a resin liner along a whole run, which then hardens into a new pipe inside the old one.
Excavation means digging down to the pipe, cutting out the damaged section and fitting a new length. Afterwards, the surface above has to go back: a lawn, paving, a drive or a floor.
The no-dig drain repair and drain repair pages explain each method in more detail.
How the costs compare
MyJobQuote’s collapsed drain repair cost guide (updated August 2026) gives these figures:
- Patch repair: £150 to £300
- Relining: £80 to £150 per metre
- Dig up and replace: £250 to £650 per metre
On top of that, digging often brings the cost of putting the surface back. For that reason, no-dig is usually the cheaper route where the pipe suits it. For more on the per-metre figures, see drain relining costs per metre.
When no-dig works
No-dig repair suits many common faults:
- cracks and fractures that leave the pipe in shape
- joints that leak or let roots in
- short sections with minor displacement
Because it works through existing access, it also suits pipes under drives, extensions and floors, where digging would be costly and disruptive.
When digging is needed
Some faults can’t take a liner. For example, a pipe that has fully collapsed or lost its shape usually needs replacing. Badly displaced joints, the wrong fall or a pipe connected to the wrong place may also mean digging.
Even then, ask for the dig to stay within the failed section. A camera survey that shows exactly where the fault is helps keep the hole small. What a collapsed drain costs to fix covers that case.
Older housing and repair choices
Older clay runs are common in some cities, for example under Victorian terraces in Bristol and older streets in Coventry, as well as Victorian terraces in Liverpool. The list of cities covered links the rest. Many of these pipes can take a liner, although some have failed too far. Only a survey can show which.
How to decide
- Survey first. A CCTV survey shows the type, size and position of the fault.
- Ask both questions. Ask whether a no-dig repair would work, and why or why not.
- Compare written quotes. Ask each engineer what their quote covers, including any surface repair.
- Ask for a check afterwards. A camera check after the repair shows you the finished work.
The bottom line
No-dig repair is often quicker and cheaper, while digging is sometimes the only sure fix. A survey decides which applies to your pipe, so you don’t pay for the wrong one.
Send us your postcode and we’ll pass your request on straight away. Ask whether a no-dig repair would work, and for a written quote before any work starts.