Both are trenchless. Both save your yard. The camera decides which one fits your pipe — and we present both options with pricing before you choose.
Pipe bursting is a trenchless method that replaces the existing pipe completely. A conical bursting head is pulled through the old line using a hydraulic cable anchored in an exit pit. As the head travels through the line, it fractures the old pipe outward into the surrounding soil. Simultaneously, a new HDPE (high-density polyethylene) pipe attached behind the head is pulled into the space the old pipe occupied.
Two access pits are required — one at the entry point (typically the cleanout) and one at the exit point near the main connection. The surface between the two pits is untouched. The new HDPE pipe is continuous, jointless, and highly resistant to root intrusion. Standard diameter is maintained or can be slightly upsized in favorable soil conditions.
Pipe bursting works on clay, cast-iron, and PVC pipe that retains a passable interior. It is not suitable for completely collapsed sections, severe misalignment, or Orangeburg pipe (which lacks the structural integrity to allow a bursting head to push against it).
Cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining rehabilitates the existing pipe from the inside without removing it. A flexible liner saturated in thermosetting resin is inverted into the pipe using water or air pressure and inflated against the interior walls. The resin cures — either with ambient temperature, hot water, or UV light depending on the system used — and the liner hardens into a new, jointless pipe inside the old one.
CIPP does not require the pipe to be fully removed or the soil around it to be disturbed. The liner conforms to the shape of the existing pipe, including bends and moderate misalignments. After curing, the liner is trimmed at each end and the line is camera-inspected to verify proper installation.
CIPP is well-suited to lines with cracking, corrosion, and root intrusion where the pipe retains a recognizable interior shape. It is not suitable for Orangeburg pipe (too irregular), severely offset or misaligned joints (the liner cannot bridge major angular changes), or sections with active infiltration that would prevent resin adhesion.
In practice, the pipe's existing material and condition determine eligibility for each method. Clay pipe with root intrusion and hairline cracks — the most common situation in Denver's mid-century neighborhoods — is typically an excellent candidate for both methods. Cast-iron with heavy corrosion and pitting is usually bursting-eligible. ABS or PVC that has separated at joints is more complex and may favor lining if the joints can be spanned.
The camera footage answers the question definitively. We present both options with pricing where both are eligible and explain on video why only one method applies when that's the case. The homeowner makes the final choice with full information.
Denver's Front Range soils — ranging from clay-heavy expansive ground to rocky sections — affect the pipe bursting process. In clay soils, the fractured old pipe displaces outward easily. In rocky sections, bursting may require more pulling force and occasionally cannot achieve full penetration, making CIPP the better fallback. Denver's 60-inch frost line means residential sewer laterals are buried at a depth (typically 6–10 feet) where freeze-thaw does not affect the cured liner or new HDPE pipe after installation.
Key differences between the two trenchless methods for Denver homeowners:
Pipe bursting and CIPP lining for Denver homes — full service page.
Learn more →When trenchless is right — and when open-cut is the only answer.
Learn more →Full pricing breakdown for all Denver sewer repair methods.
Learn more →Pipe bursting pulls a new HDPE pipe through the old line while fracturing the old pipe outward — the old pipe is destroyed and replaced. CIPP (cured-in-place pipe) lining inserts a resin-saturated liner into the existing pipe and cures it in place, creating a new pipe inside the old one without removing the old pipe. Pipe bursting can handle greater deterioration and can slightly upsize the pipe diameter. CIPP is quieter and works well in lines with good structural path but damaged interior walls.
It depends on your pipe's condition and material. Pipe bursting works well on clay, cast-iron, and PVC lines that have deteriorated but retain a passable path. CIPP works well on lines with cracking and root intrusion but a structurally intact shape. Neither works on completely collapsed lines or Orangeburg pipe. The camera inspection determines eligibility for each method before any recommendation is made.
Yes, slightly. CIPP liner adds approximately 6–12mm to the interior wall, reducing the internal diameter by 12–24mm total (roughly half an inch). For a standard 4-inch residential lateral, the effective diameter becomes approximately 3.75 inches. In practice, this reduction has no meaningful impact on flow capacity for a single-family home and is offset by the smooth, jointless interior of the cured liner compared to the rough, root-invaded interior of the old pipe.
HDPE pipe installed by pipe bursting is rated for 100+ years. CIPP liner, when properly installed and cured, is rated for 50 years and may last significantly longer. Both methods produce a root-resistant, jointless pipe interior. Denver's freeze-thaw cycle does not affect either material meaningfully because the pipe is buried well below frost line.
Pipe bursting for a standard residential lateral in Denver runs $4,000–$9,000. CIPP lining runs $4,500–$12,000, with cost rising for larger diameter pipe and longer runs. Both methods require permits and inspection. The camera inspection determines which method is eligible and what the firm price will be before any work is approved.
The camera tells us. Book the $19 consultation — we scope the line, review footage with you, and present pipe bursting and CIPP options side by side with firm pricing where both are eligible.