Pipe Bursting vs. Pipe Lining: Which Trenchless Method Is Right?

Both methods fix a failing line without trenching your property — but they solve different problems. Here's the decision in one table, then the detail.

Head to head

	Pipe Bursting	CIPP Lining
What it does	Fractures the old pipe outward while pulling a new pipe into its place	Cures a resin liner inside the old pipe — a new pipe within the old
Best for	Collapsed, badly offset, or undersized pipe	Cracked, leaking, root-invaded pipe that's still round
Typical cost/ft	$60 – $200	$80 – $250
Diameter	Same or larger (can upsize)	Very slightly reduced
Handles bends	Limited	Well
Ground disturbance	Two small pits	Often existing cleanouts only
Result	Brand-new pipe (usually HDPE)	Jointless structural liner, 50-yr design life

Choose pipe bursting when…

• Sections of the line are collapsed or severely deformed — a liner can't pass through.
• The line is undersized for the home and needs upsizing.
• The pipe material is beyond lining tolerances (badly scaled cast iron, crushed Orangeburg — see our Orangeburg guide).

Choose CIPP lining when…

• The pipe is structurally round but cracked, leaking at joints, or invaded by tree roots.
• The run has multiple bends a bursting head can't negotiate.
• You want the least possible ground disturbance — lining can often run through existing cleanouts.

The honest answer: you don't choose — the camera does. A proper camera inspection shows the pipe's material, condition, and geometry, and the right method falls out of that footage. Be wary of any contractor who names the method before seeing the pipe.