Clearing blocked drains across Dublin since 1968 — day or night.
Skip to content Clearing blocked drains across Dublin since 1968 — day or night.
Drain excavation replaces a broken underground pipe that cannot be relined. Our CCTV survey confirms the defect. We dig down and fit new pipe, reinstate the surface, and quote the whole job as one price.
Since 1968
Over 35 years on Dublin drainage
24/7 call-outs
Answered any hour, every day
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All enquiries are reviewed by our team before a consultation is confirmed.
These are the most common drain faults we fix by excavation. If a survey has found one of them on your property, we replace it.
A collapsed pipe leaves no solid wall for a liner to grip, so relining will not work. We dig down and replace the failed section.
When the joints pull apart, soil washes in and no liner can bridge the gap. We dig it out and fit new sealed pipe.
A pipe crushed too narrow for water to flow cannot take a liner either. We remove the misshapen section and replace it at the right bore.
A section that has sunk below its fall holds water and keeps blocking. Lining only follows the dip, so we reset it to the correct fall.
Several faults in a short run keep blocking the same spot. Patching each one adds up, so we replace the whole section in a single dig.
A drain excavation runs in six steps, from confirming the fault on camera to putting your surface back.
The CCTV drain survey shows the exact fault and how far it runs. From that we quote excavation, replacement pipe and full reinstatement as one price you approve before work starts.
Survey and mark the dig area
The camera locates the fault and we mark it on the surface, so you can see exactly where the ground will be opened before we start.
Excavate down to the pipe
We open the trench by mini digger, or by hand where access is tight, down to the pipe, usually 600mm to 1.2 metres below the surface in a home.
Remove the damaged section
The failed pipe is cut out and taken away. We check the pipe either side to be sure the damage does not run further than the camera showed.
Lay the new pipe
New PVC or polypropylene pipe is laid at the correct fall with sealed joints, so the line runs freely and will not block or leak again.
Backfill and compact
The pipe is bedded in pea gravel, then the trench is backfilled and compacted in layers to stop the ground settling or sinking later.
Reinstate the surface
We put the surface back, topsoil and seed for gardens, concrete or tarmac for drives and paths, so the job ends with a finished, usable surface.
Digging always disturbs the surface above the pipe. This is what we put back, and what to expect while it settles.
The grass grows back over a few weeks. The trench line can show for a season before it blends in fully.
We re-pour the slab to sit level with the old surface. A slight colour difference is normal and weathers in over time.
The trench is backfilled, compacted and re-surfaced so the drive or path finishes flush, with no lip or step to catch.
We lift the blocks first, keep them, and relay the same ones in their original pattern once the pipe is back in.
Usually 600mm to 900mm wide for a home drain, opened wider only where the pipe sits low or the machinery needs the room.
Excludes VAT. Final price confirmed after CCTV survey.
The questions homeowners ask before agreeing to a dig.
Most home drain excavations take one to two days on site. A short section in an open garden can be done in a day, while pipes further down, longer runs or a concrete driveway above take longer. We confirm the timeline with you before any work starts.
Drain excavation cost in Ireland usually falls between €400 and €3,000. The cost to fix a broken drain pipe underground depends on how far down the pipe sits, the length of the damaged section and the surface above it. We give you a firm price after the CCTV survey confirms the fault.
Yes, surface reinstatement is included in every quote. We topsoil and seed lawns, re-pour concrete, re-lay tarmac flush and lift and relay paving in its original pattern. You are left with a finished, usable surface, never an open trench or loose fill.
Sometimes, yes. If the pipe has only a crack, an open joint or minor damage, pipe relining can fix it from the inside with no digging. When the pipe has collapsed, separated or been crushed, relining cannot hold, so excavation is the only way to replace it. We always check which one applies first.
Most home drains in the Dublin area sit between 600mm and 1.2 metres below the surface. Older properties, or ones with an extension built over the drain, can sit lower. A CCTV survey and a sonde trace confirm how far down before we open the ground.
No. Replacing a damaged drain on your own property is repair work and does not need planning permission in most cases. If the drain runs under a public road or is shared with other properties, we advise checking with the local authority first, and the survey shows exactly where the damage sits.
We use PVC or polypropylene, chosen to match the pipe diameter and whatever it connects to. Both are the current standard for home drainage in Ireland and are stronger, lighter and longer lasting than the old clay and pitch fibre pipes they usually replace.
Tell us what the survey found and we will come back with a price. If you have not had a survey yet, we do that first.
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