Drainage and septic tanks
Drain repair and relining
Whether this needs a licence in Ireland
No licence required
Taken from the statute below; not yet reviewed by a lawyer
Drain repair and relining: what the job involves
Fixing an underground drain that is cracked, collapsed, displaced or full of roots, either by relining it from inside with a resin liner, without digging, or by excavating and replacing the damaged section.
Also asked for as: collapsed drain · drain relining · no dig drain repair · roots in drain · broken sewer pipe
How the job is usually done
- Confirm the defect and its position with a CCTV survey.
- Choose the method: patch repair, full-length reline, or excavation and replacement.
- For relining: clean and de-root the pipe, then install and cure the resin liner and reopen any branch connections.
- For excavation: expose the pipe, replace the section with modern pipe on a proper bed, and test it.
- Re-survey with the camera to show the finished repair.
- Backfill and reinstate the surface: lawn, paving, tarmac or concrete.
Drain repair and relining: what is included
Usually included
- Cleaning and preparing the pipe
- The repair or relining of the agreed length
- A post-repair camera check
- Backfilling after excavation
Usually not included — agree it separately
- Reinstating decorative paving, cobble lock or tarmac to match, unless priced
- Work on the public sewer side, which is Uisce Éireann’s
- Moving a drain to make room for an extension, which is a design question
Materials and who supplies them
- Resin liners, patch kits and new pipe and fittings: supplied by the drainage contractor
- Bedding gravel and backfill: supplied by the contractor
- Replacement paving: usually the customer’s choice to match what is there
How long it takes
Usually a day for relining; several days if the drain is dug up, deep, under a driveway or near walls.
When to book
Repairs are easiest in dry weather; a drain under a planned extension or new driveway should be fixed before the work, not after.
Drain repair and relining: the rules in Ireland
What the official sources say, checked against them on the date shown. A summary, not legal advice — follow the link to read the rule itself.
The private drain from the house up to and including the connection to the public sewer is the owner’s responsibility; Uisce Éireann maintains the public sewer.
Applies to: the homeowner
Uisce Éireann · water.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
New or altered drainage must meet Part H of the Building Regulations: adequate falls, access for clearing, and foul water kept separate from surface water.
Applies to: the contractor and the homeowner
Building Regulations Part H, Department of Housing · gov.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
Connecting to, or modifying a connection to, the public sewer needs Uisce Éireann’s agreement first.
Applies to: the homeowner and contractor
Uisce Éireann · water.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
A VAT-registered contractor charges the reduced rate of 13.5% on drainage work to a home, subject to Revenue’s two-thirds rule where materials dominate.
Applies to: VAT-registered contractors
Revenue Commissioners · revenue.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
What drain repair and relining costs, and why
What jobs on Talqero came to
Not enough comparable jobs yet to publish a range here. Talqero shows a price range only once at least five comparable jobs, agreed prices or offers exist — a range from fewer would describe a handful of jobs, not the market. Post your job and compare the offers you get.
What affects the price
- Relining versus excavating
- Depth and length of the damaged section
- The surface on top: lawn, paving, concrete or a driveway
- Number of branch connections that must be reopened after relining
- Access for a mini-digger, and how close the pipe is to walls
- VAT: building work on a home is charged at the reduced rate of 13.5% by a VAT-registered business — unless the materials come to more than two-thirds of the price, when Revenue’s two-thirds rule applies the goods rate to the whole job. Ask whether a quote includes VAT.
Paperwork to ask for at the end
- Before-and-after CCTV footage
- Written description of the repair and the length relined or replaced
- The contractor’s guarantee on the liner or the new section
Safety
- An open trench can collapse; keep people away and expect deep excavations to be shored or battered back.
- Never enter a septic tank, inspection chamber or deep manhole: hydrogen sulphide and lack of oxygen kill quickly, and would-be rescuers are often the second victims.
Drain repair and relining: before you hire
Questions to ask a tradesperson
- Can this be relined, or does it have to be dug?
- Is reinstating the paving or tarmac in your price?
- Will you show me footage after the repair?
- What guarantee comes with the liner or new pipe?
What you can do yourself
Not a DIY job beyond keeping roots and fat out of the drain — excavation and relining need equipment and training.
What to put in your task
- Has the drain already had a camera survey?
- What is wrong with it?
- What is over the drain?
- Roughly how long is the damaged run?
Photos that help
- The surface over the drain and the manholes at each end
- Any sunken paving, wet patches or holes
- Screenshots from the survey report, if you have one
- Trees near the drain line
Drain repair and relining by county
Choose your county for drain repair and relining close to home.
- Drain repair and relining in Dublin
- Drain repair and relining in Cork
- Drain repair and relining in Galway
- Drain repair and relining in Kildare
- Drain repair and relining in Limerick
- Drain repair and relining in Meath
- Drain repair and relining in Tipperary
- Drain repair and relining in Donegal
- Drain repair and relining in Wexford
- Drain repair and relining in Kerry
- Drain repair and relining in Wicklow
- Drain repair and relining in Mayo
- Drain repair and relining in Louth
- Drain repair and relining in Waterford
- Drain repair and relining in Clare
- Drain repair and relining in Kilkenny
- Drain repair and relining in Westmeath
- Drain repair and relining in Laois
- Drain repair and relining in Cavan
- Drain repair and relining in Offaly
- Drain repair and relining in Sligo
- Drain repair and relining in Roscommon
- Drain repair and relining in Monaghan
- Drain repair and relining in Carlow
- Drain repair and relining in Longford
- Drain repair and relining in Leitrim
Drainage and septic tanks
Need drain repair and relining? Describe the job.
Post it once, free. Professionals near you reply with their own price and when they could start. You choose, and pay them directly.
Questions about drain repair and relining
Does drain repair and relining need a licence in Ireland?
No licence is required for this work in Ireland (source: www.cru.ie). Ask instead for references and photographs of similar jobs.
What is drain relining?
A resin-soaked liner is pulled or inverted into the damaged pipe and cured, forming a new pipe inside the old one. It seals cracks and stops roots without digging up the garden.
Is relining always better than digging?
Not always. A collapsed pipe, a badly sagging run or one that needs a new route has to be excavated. Relining suits cracks, open joints and root intrusion in a pipe that still holds its shape.
Will my house insurance cover a broken drain?
Some policies cover accidental damage to underground pipes. Check before the work starts and ask the contractor for the survey footage and a written report, which insurers usually want.