When a business sewer line starts to fail, the usual repair means digging through a parking lot, a slab, or a landscaped entry, and that means closed doors and lost revenue. Cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining offers another route. A resin-saturated liner is placed inside the damaged pipe and cured into a new pipe-within-a-pipe, so crews work from small access points instead of trenching the whole run. This guide explains how lining works, when it fits, what to plan for in an occupied commercial building, and what to ask a contractor to put in writing.
The short version: Lining suits aging pipe that is cracked, root-invaded, or offset but still continuous. It doesn’t fix a collapse or a belly. For a business, the real questions are how drains stay in service during the job, how odor is handled, and what proof you get afterward. A camera inspection should come first.
How Commercial Pipe Lining Works
Bison Plumbing’s CIPP pipe lining page describes the process: a camera confirms the damage, the pipe is cleaned, a resin-saturated liner is inserted, and the resin is cured against the pipe wall to form a new structural pipe. NASSCO’s CIPP installation guideline describes the same sequence for municipal sewers, with more detail on the steps that matter most:
- Clean and inspect. The line is cleaned and surveyed before the liner is ordered, with video of the pipe before and after cleaning.
- Measure and make the liner. The contractor measures the pipe’s diameter and length so the liner fits tightly.
- Install the liner. It is inverted (turned inside out by pressure) or pulled in through an access point. NASSCO lists ASTM F1216 for inversion and ASTM F1743 for pulled-in-place installation.
- Cure and cool down. Hot water, steam, or light cures the resin. NASSCO says a proper cool-down matters, because shortcuts can cause shrinkage and cracking.
- Reconnect branches. Openings are cut for each active connection once the liner has cured and cooled.
- Test and inspect. Samples are tested, and a final camera inspection confirms the result.
When Lining Fits an Aging Commercial Line
Bison says Southeast Michigan’s older clay and cast iron lines, freeze-thaw ground movement, and tree roots are the usual causes of failure. Lining addresses cracks and open joints along a continuous pipe. A sewer camera inspection decides whether it applies:
| What the Camera Finds | Does Lining Fit? | Notes |
| Cracks or fractures along the pipe | Usually yes | A liner seals every crack along the lined section in one job (Bison) |
| Roots entering at joints | Yes, after the roots are cleared | The pipe must be clean so the liner contacts the wall along its full length (Bison) |
| Offset joints within the liner’s bridging ability | Often yes | Beyond that tolerance, lining is not the answer (Bison) |
| Heavy groundwater infiltration | Yes, with preparation | NASSCO calls for a preliner or chemical grouting to protect the resin and the cure |
| A sag or belly holding standing water | No, not on its own | A liner follows the host pipe’s shape, so it would keep holding water; the grade must be corrected first |
| A collapsed or broken section | No, not through the collapse | NASSCO treats these as open-cut point repairs before lining |
A liner follows the host pipe’s shape. That is why a camera inspection comes before any lining quote, and why a good contractor tells you when lining is the wrong tool.
Planning Lining Around a Working Business
This is where commercial jobs differ from a homeowner’s lateral. NASSCO’s guideline is written for municipal sewers, so the table below adapts its requirements to an occupied commercial building. Treat it as a planning checklist, not a legal rule.
| Business Concern | What to Plan or Ask | Basis |
| Keeping drains working during the job | Ask for a written bypass or flow plan. NASSCO says flows must be maintained until the liner is cured, cooled, and inspected, and that connections can’t stay plugged overnight | NASSCO |
| Notice to tenants or staff | NASSCO calls for advance notification and says to coordinate flow interruptions with the owner at least 7 days ahead | NASSCO |
| Resin odor in an occupied building | Ask for an odor control plan. NASSCO notes styrene-based resins give off a distinctive odor and asks contractors to plan for it | NASSCO |
| Reconnecting branch lines and fixtures | Connections should be reopened to 90% to 95% of their original area, with the invert flush so debris doesn’t catch | NASSCO |
| Cleaning and a clear inspection first | The line should be cleaned and surveyed before the liner is ordered, with pre- and post-cleaning video | NASSCO |
| Worker safety and confined spaces | Ask for a written safety plan that follows OSHA rules | NASSCO |
| Schedule and access | Ask what days and hours crews work and where equipment will be staged. Bison says residential laterals typically take one day | Bison |
Bison says its lining suits restaurants, offices, and retail because it needs only small access points and typically takes a day on a residential lateral. Commercial lines vary in size, length, and use, so ask for a schedule built around your hours. For related commercial work, see Bison’s commercial plumbing and commercial hydro jetting pages, and its guides to commercial hydrojetting in Michigan and commercial plumbing in Oakland County.
What to Put in Writing Before You Hire
A lining job is only as good as its documentation. NASSCO’s guideline lists what a well-written scope covers. Here is a version a business owner or property manager can use:
| Ask For | Why It Matters |
| A written work plan | NASSCO’s performance approach has the contractor document installation, cleaning, bypass, curing, and testing so you can check that the plan was followed |
| Proof of experience in similar pipe | NASSCO suggests a minimum of 3 years installing liners in pipe of similar size, length, and configuration, with named lead crew |
| Design calculations and material certifications | NASSCO calls for an engineer’s design to ASTM F1216 (or F2019 or ASCE MOP 145) that assumes the liner doesn’t bond to the old pipe |
| Chemical resistance for your use | NASSCO says industrial installations should confirm the resin meets the corrosion requirements of the line, such as for kitchen or process waste |
| Cure and cool-down records | Temperature or light-cure data show the resin was cured correctly, and a proper cool-down limits shrinkage and cracking |
| Independent lab testing of samples | NASSCO has the owner test samples from the actual installation, measuring thickness and strength |
| A final camera inspection and the raw video | NASSCO asks for a final inspection in the owner’s presence and unedited digital video within 10 working days |
| A written warranty and a warranty inspection | NASSCO’s guideline uses a one-year contractor warranty, with an owner inspection before it ends |
About the standards
NASSCO’s guideline names four standards: ASTM F1216 (inversion), ASTM F1743 (pulled-in-place), ASTM F2019 (UV-cured glass-reinforced liners), and ASTM D5813 (the specification for cured-in-place sewer pipe). Bison says its lining is compliant with F1216 and F1743, so ask which one applies to your job and ask for the submittals. NASSCO also uses a 50-year design life as a design requirement. That is different from a warranty, so get the warranty terms in writing.
Lining vs. Other Repair Options
| Method | Best For | Trade-Off |
| CIPP lining | Cracked, root-invaded, or deteriorated pipe that is still continuous and aligned | Needs a clean, continuous host pipe; does not fix a belly or a collapse |
| Pipe patching (spot liner) | Isolated damage on an otherwise sound line | Bison says full lining is better once spot repairs would approach its cost |
| Trenchless replacement or bursting | Badly damaged or undersized lines that can’t be lined | Needs access pits and is not suitable for every line |
| Open-cut excavation | Collapsed or bellied sections and point repairs | Opens floors, pavement, or landscaping, and usually takes longer |
Bison’s repair pages cover the full range: trenchless sewer repair, pipe patching, no-dig sewer repair, trenchless sewer replacement, sewer line rehabilitation, and sewer line replacement. After any lining job, a post-repair inspection and the footage give you a record for your files.
Who Is Doing the Work?
Bison’s About page says it holds a Michigan LARA license and does camera inspection and sewer lining work for municipalities and school systems, though I could not confirm those projects independently. For any contractor, confirm the Michigan license through LARA, and ask which NASSCO program its inspectors hold. You can verify NASSCO certifications in the NASSCO certified professionals directory. Ask for commercial references and a sample of the contractor’s before-and-after footage, such as Bison’s sewer camera evidence gallery. Bison also has trenchless repair pages for Troy, Royal Oak, Rochester Hills, and Birmingham.
What Commercial Lining Costs
Commercial lining is priced by scope, not a flat fee. The main drivers are pipe diameter and length, how many lines and connections are involved, depth and access, how much cleaning the line needs first, whether flow must be bypassed, liner thickness and testing requirements, and when the work is scheduled. Bison’s published starting price on its lining page applies to residential laterals, so ask for a written commercial quote after the camera inspection.
Bison lists financing for larger jobs. See its service areas for the communities it covers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is commercial pipe lining?
It is cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining applied to a business’s sewer or drain lines. A resin-saturated liner is placed inside the damaged pipe and cured into a new pipe within the old one, so crews work from small access points instead of digging a trench along the whole line.
Can commercial sewer lines be lined?
Often, yes, when the pipe is still continuous and aligned. NASSCO’s guideline covers lining of sanitary, combined, and storm gravity sewers. A camera inspection shows whether your line qualifies, and collapsed sections and sags need other repairs first.
Will my business have to close during lining?
It depends on the line and the plan. NASSCO says flows must be maintained, by plugging or a bypass system, until the liner is cured, cooled, and inspected, and that service connections may not stay plugged overnight. Ask for a written bypass plan and a schedule that fits your hours.
Will there be an odor?
Possibly. NASSCO notes that styrene-based resins give off a distinctive odor and asks contractors to submit an odor control plan and notify affected occupants. Ask about the resin and the plan before work starts.
How long does a pipe liner last?
NASSCO’s guideline requires a design life of 50 years or greater, and Bison says its liners have a 50-year design life. A design life is not a warranty. NASSCO’s guideline uses a one-year contractor warranty with an owner inspection, so get your warranty terms in writing.
What pipe problems can’t be fixed with lining?
Bison says lining can’t fix a fully collapsed section or a severe belly that holds standing water, because a liner follows the shape of the old pipe. NASSCO treats collapses and sags as open-cut point repairs to complete before lining.
What should I ask a contractor before lining a commercial line?
Ask for a written work plan, experience in similar pipe sizes, design calculations, bypass and odor plans, cure records, independent testing of samples, a final camera inspection with the raw video, and written warranty terms. Also confirm the contractor’s Michigan license and certifications.
Lining can keep a business open and its parking lot intact, but only with a plan, a camera inspection, and paperwork you can hold the contractor to. To talk through your property, call Bison at (248) 247-7707 or request a quote.
Bison Plumbing: Family-Owned in Warren, Michigan Since 1998
Bison Plumbing is a family-owned, Michigan LARA-licensed plumbing and sewer company based at 25780 Ryan Rd in Warren. It serves homes and businesses across Macomb and Oakland County and says it runs a camera inspection before major sewer and drain work.
Call (248) 247-7707 to discuss your property.
Planning a no-dig repair for your business?
Start with a camera inspection. Bison confirms lining is viable before it quotes, so you plan around evidence, not guesses.
Request a Commercial Quote
Or request a quote at mybisonplumbing.com/contact
