By Matthew Baring-Gould, Kingscliff-based drainage plumber. Servicing Tweed Heads for 4 years. 5.0 stars across 173 Google reviews. Licensed NSW 383340C and QLD 15036450. ABN 74 605 392 348.
Sunnybank sewer backed up. Clearing tool kept pulling back dirt — a tell for a broken pipe. Found the break under a recently built wall where the pier footing had been drilled straight through the sewer. Cut the concrete, hand-dug the section, re-routed the pipe around the pier.
What the customer called us for
Sunnybank owner-occupier with a blocked sewer. The toilets had stopped flushing properly and effluent was coming back up.
What we found when we got there
The clearing tool kept pulling discoloured dirt back up the line. That is the signature of a break in the pipe — soil is entering wherever the pipe is damaged. Located the break with the camera and the locator: it sat directly under the concrete footing of a wall that had been built later. When they poured the piers, the bore had gone straight through the live sewer line.
Why we did it this way
You cannot leave sewer backing up into the house. The right fix is to expose the broken section, cut out the damaged pipe, and run new line around the obstacle — in this case the pier itself — rather than destroying the pier. Diverting the pipe is cheaper, faster and does not touch the structural element.
What we did on site
- Confirmed the break location with the CCTV camera and the above-ground locator.
- Marked the pour-line of the slab and cut it with the saw.
- Hand-dug around the pier footing to expose the broken pipe without damaging the footing itself.
- Cut out the broken section of pipe either side of the pier.
- Installed a diverted run of new pipe around the pier footing, preserving fall and alignment.
- Pressure-tested the join, backfilled, and poured the slab patch back.
The result
Sewer back to full flow. House is habitable again. The pier footing was preserved and the house structure untouched.
If you have the same issue
If any plumber tells you your sewer is clear but it keeps backing up, ask them if they are getting dirt back up with the clearing tool. That is almost always the sign of a break, and a camera will confirm it in under 20 minutes. Call Matty on 0447 188 394 or request a quote.
Customer names and addresses have been withheld. Individual results vary. Drain Masters Plumbing is licensed in NSW (383340C) and QLD (15036450).
Frequently asked
How does a builder drill through an existing sewer without noticing?
Sewer lines on older properties are often not marked on plans, and if the pour team does not call for a Dial Before You Dig and a pipe locate, the auger will go straight through the pipe without resistance. By the time anyone notices, the slab is already poured on top of the damage.
Why re-route the pipe instead of just repairing it in place?
The pier is now sitting directly on top of the pipe. If you repair in place, every time the pier settles or shifts it will crack the repair. Running the new pipe around the obstacle gives you a permanent fix.
Who pays when a builder damages a sewer?
If the damage can be shown to be the builder’s work (dated piers, dated slab, undamaged pipe either side), the owner has a strong case against the builder’s insurance. We provide the written report and photos that owners typically use for this.
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