Detect and repair sewer fracture see first, then dig
Suspect a sewer break? Call 070 783 0224 or send a photo via WhatsApp.
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You almost never see a broken sewer pipe directly. You see the consequences: soil washing away, a path subsiding, a smell in the crawl space, rats in the garden or a blockage that returns every few weeks. We first use the camera to find out where the fracture is, and only open up at that location.
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How to recognise a sewer break
A fracture leaks sewage into the ground and allows soil to wash into the pipe. This produces recognisable signs, often several at once.
- Subsidence above the pipe: a dip in the lawn, paving slabs or bricks sinking in a straight line from house to street.
- Rats or mice around the house or in the crawl space. Rats use a broken sewer as a route; that's often the first thing people notice.
- Sewer smell outside by the façade or in the crawl space, while all traps are filled.
- A blockage that keeps coming back. Unblocking helps for a few weeks, then it happens again. Sand and roots enter through the break.
- Damp or water in the crawl space, or wet patches on a wall at the bottom, without a water pipe leaking.
- Gurgling drains or a toilet that flushes poorly because there is soil in the pipe.
If you recognise one sign, it doesn't have to be a fracture yet. Sewer smell, for example, is also often caused by a dry or leaking trap. If you recognise two or more, a camera inspection is the quickest way to be certain.
Why does a sewer break?
A sewer lasts for decades, but not under all circumstances.
Subsiding ground is the main cause in our region. In peat and clay areas the soil slowly sinks, but a house on piles does not sink with it. The connection between house and garden then comes under stress, until a joint breaks loose or the pipe cracks. Roots are the second cause: they seek moisture, grow through the joints of old pipes and push them apart. We also see fractures caused by excavation work (a fence, a new driveway, cables), by heavy traffic above a shallow pipe and by age: old earthenware pipes become brittle, and cast iron in older houses rusts from the inside.
Read more about subsidence and roots in sewer subsided or roots: how to recognise it.
How we detect the fracture and repair it
- Unblocking if necessary. If the pipe is blocked, we clear it first. Otherwise the camera can't get through.
- Camera inspection. We feed the camera into the pipe from a manhole, the inspection chamber or a drain in the house. You watch along on the screen; we save the footage.
- Determine location and depth. The metre counter gives the distance, a transmitter in the camera head shows us exactly where it is above ground. This tells us where and how deep we need to dig.
- Advice and price. One fracture or loose collar: we repair locally. If the pipe is damaged over a longer section, we recommend replacement. You decide, with the images to hand.
- Repair. We open up precisely, replace the broken section with PVC, connect, backfill and relay the paving.
- Check. After the work, the camera goes through the pipe once more, so you can see that the water is flowing freely again.
Time indication: a camera inspection usually takes about an hour. A local repair of a short section is often completed within a day; if work needs to be done under a floor or deep in the garden, we schedule more time and you will be told in advance.
What does repairing a sewer fracture cost?
That mainly depends on the location: under the lawn is cheaper than under a tiled floor in the kitchen. These are the guide prices from our price list.
| Item | Excl. VAT | Incl. 21% VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Camera inspection sewer drain (images + location of the fracture) | € 225 | € 272,25 |
| Smoke inspection of sewerage, including report | € 185,95 – € 268,60 | € 225 – € 325,01 |
| Replace short section of 75 mm sewer | € 203,31 | € 246,01 |
| Repair 125 mm drain pipe | € 310 | € 375,10 |
| Installing 110 mm PVC sewerage (crawl space or toilet) | € 239 | € 289,19 |
| Breaking/demolition work and removal for 110 mm PVC | € 589 | € 712,69 |
Guide prices from the PandFix price list (October 2026). Call-out charge is additional: €35 excl. (€42.35 incl.), emergency €65 excl. (€78.65 incl.). Evening or weekend: surcharge €80 excl. (€96.80 incl.). Materials and extra hours only by agreement. You will always hear the price before we start.
When a break is suspected, it almost always starts with the camera inspection. Afterwards you know what the repair will cost, before anything is opened up. Who pays the bill is explained on sewer break: who pays?
Sewer break in your municipality
Where your pipe ends and the municipality's begins varies by municipality. That determines who pays for the repair.
Frequently asked questions about a sewer break
How do I know for certain that I have a sewer break?
Only with a camera inspection. Signs such as subsidence, rats, sewer smells or a recurring blockage point to it, but the camera shows whether the pipe is actually broken, where that is and how extensive the damage is.
Is a sewer fracture dangerous?
Not immediately, but harmful if you wait. Sewage runs into the ground, soil washes into the pipe and the cavity grows larger. This causes subsidence, smell and vermin. The sooner it's repaired, the smaller the job usually is.
Does the entire garden or floor need to be opened up?
Almost never. We use the camera and a locator to pinpoint the spot beforehand. We only open up there. If the break is under a floor, we first discuss whether there's a route via the crawl space.
Can a sewer break be repaired without digging?
Sometimes. That depends on the type of damage, the diameter and the location. After the camera inspection you will hear what options are available for your pipe and what they cost.
Does insurance cover a sewer break?
The repair of the pipe itself usually not, the damage it causes sometimes yes. That varies by policy. Our page sewer fracture: who pays? explains how it usually works.
What does a camera inspection cost if a break is suspected?
According to our price list €225 excl. VAT (€272.25 incl.), plus call-out charges. You receive the footage and the location of the problem.
