Trenchless Sewer Repair | Oakland & Macomb County

The short answer

Start with the complete system and the evidence

Trenchless sewer repair can reduce excavation when the pipe's condition, shape, and access support the chosen method. Sandison uses cleaning and camera evidence to define the eligible section and explain where another repair approach may be needed.

What Sandison evaluates

A practical path from symptoms to the right scope

Clear diagnostic process
Licensed multi-trade coordination
Repair and replacement options
Residential and commercial support

Eligibility before lining

Trenchless repair begins with cleaning, geometry, access, and camera evidence

A liner cannot correct every sewer defect. Sandison evaluates the pipe material, diameter, length, access points, branch connections, offsets, collapse, standing water, roots, scale, prior repairs, and the condition revealed after appropriate cleaning or milling. The route for equipment and the ability to verify the full section are part of the decision. Severe deformation, missing pipe, poor grade, inaccessible transitions, or certain connections may require excavation or another repair method instead of lining. The owner should understand both the eligible section and the conditions excluded from the proposed work.

Preparation and verification

The finished result depends on pipe preparation and documented before-and-after condition

Trenchless rehabilitation is only as reliable as the surface and geometry prepared to receive it. Cleaning, root removal, milling, reinstatement planning, curing requirements, fixture protection, access, and wastewater control have to match the system. Camera records before preparation, after preparation, and after the completed repair help document what changed and whether transitions and connections are open. Sandison separates the inspection and recommended scope from any limitation that remains outside the rehabilitated section, including upstream branches, downstream defects, grade, or future maintenance needs.

Primary references

Verify the local and credential information.

U.S. EPA — collection-system rehabilitation context

Common questions

What property owners ask

Can a sewer liner fix a collapsed pipe or poor slope?

Collapse, missing pipe, severe deformation, and grade problems can rule out lining or require excavation first. The actual geometry and condition must be evaluated before selecting a rehabilitation method.

Why does a pipe need cleaning or milling before lining?

Roots, scale, and other deposits can interfere with preparing a suitable host pipe. The cleaning or milling process needs to match the material and condition, followed by inspection of the prepared section.

What evidence should document a trenchless repair?

Useful records show the original defects, the condition after preparation, and a final camera view of the repaired section and connections. The scope should identify any upstream, downstream, or grade condition outside that repair.

Evidence and review

Why this page can be trusted

Service information based on Sandison’s documented trade scope and the technical references below. Contact the office to discuss the conditions at your property.

Technical lead: James Sandison, B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Oakland University. Michigan Mechanical License 7115733 · Michigan Master Plumber 8112263 · Michigan Plumbing Contractor 800-3618. Service information record: 2026-08-28.