A sewer pipe repair at Allan J.’s Redcliffe property started with raw sewage overflowing into the yard. We cleared the blockage, located a damaged junction beneath concrete and returned to rebuild it using hydro-vac excavation where a mini-excavator could not reach.
Allan had used our team earlier in the year for a hot water system and called us again when his toilets stopped flushing properly. This time, sewage was surcharging into his yard. He needed the overflow stopped, then a clear diagnosis of what had failed below ground. With a substantial repair ahead, Allan and his wife also wanted confidence in the people carrying it out.
We took a step-by-step approach to clear the blockage, locate the damaged sewer junction and complete the repair safely despite the tight access.
We responded to the sewer overflow by using our emergency blocked drain clearing equipment to clear the immediate choke and relieve the standing wastewater in the yard. Our hydro jet drain cleaning equipment restored flow through the line so we could investigate the underlying cause.
Once flow was restored, we carried out a CCTV drain inspection to inspect the sewer line and locate the fault. This identified a cracked, failing sewer junction beneath an existing concrete slab.
The damaged junction was deep underground in a rear yard with extremely limited boundary access. Standard excavation machinery was not suitable, so we quoted and scheduled non-destructive hydro-vac excavation together with precision concrete cutting.
On the return visit, we saw-cut and jackhammered the required section of concrete before using a hydro-vac truck to expose the damaged sewer line. This allowed us to excavate within the confined area while reducing the risk to nearby underground services.
Once exposed, we found that the sewer junction had completely sheared following poor historical installation. Tree roots had entered through the failed connection and were trapping waste inside the line. Rather than simply removing the roots, we reconstructed the damaged junction using approved BCC fittings and methods.
After completing the sewer repair, we added concrete support around the pipework to help prevent future ground movement and pipe deflection. We then reinstated the excavated area before thoroughly washing down and sanitising the work area ready for handover.
The combination of a narrow rear boundary, significant pipe depth and reinforced concrete made this a difficult site to work within. Heavy root intrusion around the failed junction added another complication once the underground pipework was reached.
The hydro-vac truck was booked for 7am, before the concrete had been cut and the area was ready for excavation. This created unnecessary waiting time and additional cost. On a similar job, we would allow one to two hours for concrete cutting before scheduling the hydro-vac truck to arrive.
The difficult rear access was managed without heavy excavation machinery moving through the yard, helping protect the surrounding property and underground services.
The failed junction was fully restored and stabilised, leaving the sewer line structurally sound and reducing the risk of movement, root intrusion and repeat blockages.
The sewer overflow was resolved, the affected area was disinfected and the yard was left clean, reinstated and ready to use again.
Redcliffe, QLD
Emergency drain clearing, hydro jetting, CCTV inspection and fault locating, concrete cutting and demolition, hydro-vac excavation, sewer junction and pipe replacement, concrete support, and site reinstatement.
1 Day
“Our second time that we’ve used Zak this year as we were so impressed with his weekend attendance and assistance a few months ago with a new hot water system. This time we had a problem that was diagnosed as a cracked sewer pipe. The toilets were not flushing well. Zak and Josh were able to attend on the day that we requested. It’s an expensive fix and my wife and I needed the confidence that the job would be carried out properly. There was no hesitation in making our first call to Zak. Communications throughout were excellent and it’s nice to feel comfortable and confident with the person that you’ve contracted. The job was completed in a very timely manner followed up by a thorough cleanup. I’d highly recommend.”
Allan J., Redcliffe
