I've had mixed experiences with lining myself:
- Had one property lined about five years ago—still solid, no issues yet.
- Another place started acting up again after just 18 months. Turned out roots had found their way back in through a poorly sealed joint.
Honestly, lining can be great if done right, but it's heavily dependent on the installer and pipe condition. Excavation is messy but at least you know exactly what's going on down there. I'd lean toward excavation if you're planning to keep the place long-term...
Totally agree about the lining—seen both sides of it myself. Had a job last year where the lining looked fine initially, but after a couple seasons, roots got aggressive again. Excavation's messy and pricier up front, but you get eyes on the real issue. Plus, you can upgrade or reroute stuff if needed. If you're sticking around long-term, digging once properly beats patching repeatedly...
"Excavation's messy and pricier up front, but you get eyes on the real issue."
Couldn't agree more. I've done the liner thing twice at different properties—both times it felt like kicking the can down the road. Eventually, roots or shifting ground got the upper hand again. Last year, bit the bullet and did a full excavation at one place. Yeah, my wallet cried a bit, but now I sleep better knowing exactly what's down there. Sometimes peace of mind is worth a muddy yard for a few weeks...
I hear you on that. Had a similar situation at a duplex I own—went for lining initially because the plumber said it was "less invasive." Yeah, it worked...for about two years. Then, bam, back to square one with backups and headaches. Ended up excavating after all, and turns out there was a cracked pipe section that the liner didn't fully address. Lesson learned, I guess.
Curious though, for those who've done the full excavation route: did you put in anything extra like cleanouts or inspection points while everything was dug up? I debated it at the time, figured maybe it'd make future maintenance easier—but also worried about adding more points of potential failure. Wonder if anyone's found those extras worth the money and trouble down the line...
Yeah, been there myself—lining sounded great until it wasn't. When I finally bit the bullet and excavated, I did add a cleanout. Honestly, it's been a lifesaver a couple times already. Sure, it's another thing that could go wrong, but when you're ankle-deep in basement water at midnight...you'll thank yourself for the foresight. Hang in there, plumbing's always an adventure.
