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Cost guide · drains & sewers

Trenchless vs traditional sewer repair — the real cost difference

Trenchless replacement runs $8,000–$20,000 and open-trench $10,000–$25,000 in Metro Vancouver. On the pipe itself they're closer than that suggests — the difference is restoration. On a lot with a concrete driveway or established landscaping over the run, trenchless can save $10,000+ in what you don't have to rebuild.

These are market ranges for Metro Vancouver, not a quote. They’re here so you can plan and compare, and they’re reviewed quarterly.

Market range · Metro Vancouver⁨$8,000–$25,000
The ranges

What it costs

JobTypical installed
Pipe replacement cost
Typical installed Open trench: ⁨$10,000–$25,000
Excavation
Typical installed Two small access pits · Open trench: Full-length trench
Driveway restoration
Typical installed Usually none · Open trench: ⁨$3,000–$15,000
Landscape restoration
Typical installed Minimal · Open trench: ⁨$2,000–$10,000
Sidewalk / city boulevard
Typical installed Usually avoided · Open trench: Municipal standards apply
Duration
Typical installed 2–4⁩ days · Open trench: ⁨3–7⁩ days
Fixes a belly
Typical installed No · Open trench: Yes
Works on a collapsed line
Typical installed Usually no · Open trench: Yes
Allows rerouting
Typical installed No · Open trench: Yes
Pipe life
Typical installed 50 years · Open trench: 50+ years
These are market ranges for Metro Vancouver, not a quote. They’re here so you can plan and compare, and they’re reviewed quarterly. Big jobs genuinely vary — access, materials, what’s behind the wall, what’s above the pipe. We won’t quote one without seeing it, and neither should anyone else. Where we publish a fixed price, it’s fixed.
Questions

What people ask us

Is trenchless cheaper?

On the pipe, comparable. The saving is in restoration.

Will trenchless fix a belly?

No. It reproduces the existing grade.

How long does trenchless last?

50 years is the typical figure for HDPE and modern liners.

Do you still have to dig?

Two small access pits.

Which is better?

Whichever suits your line and your lot — the camera decides.

SECOND OPINION

Got a quote you want checked?

Send it to [email protected]. We’ll tell you whether it’s fair, including when it is — and if the quote you already have is the one to take, we’ll say so.

Get a price

You’ll have the price in writing before we start.

Tell us what’s going on and we’ll come back with a number. It doesn’t move while we’re in your home.

No obligation. Emergencies answered around the clock.
  • Written quote before we start
  • $169/hr at any hour · no call-out fee
  • Permit included in the quote, not added afterward
  • Backed by our written workmanship guarantee
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