Weekend Drain Renovation: Trenchless Fix in Busy Call Centre
Drainage problems rarely appear at a convenient time. When they arise in a busy commercial building, the pressure to resolve them quickly can be high. That was exactly the challenge faced at a financial institution’s call centre in Southend-on-Sea, UK, where a deteriorating drainage system required urgent attention.
During the summer of 2025, Picote’s UK Technical Team were contacted by Lining Division about a project at Thanet Grange, a large call centre where sections of the internal drainage network had become heavily corroded and partially blocked. CCTV surveys revealed cracks and fractures in clay pipework as well as deterioration in DN100 (4″) cast iron lines. In total, more than 15 pipe sections spanning approximately 40 metres required attention. The Picote side of the project was completed by a small team of just two drainage engineers.
A Tight Deadline
Working in an active call centre environment presented several constraints. Access to the pipe network was limited to floor drains and gully pots, with multiple 
lateral connections feeding into a central stack before discharging to the mains.
Even more challenging was the timeline: the entire renovation had to be completed within a strict weekend shutdown window. Remedial works would have to begin Saturday morning, with a firm deadline to finish before the building reopened on Monday. Security was also a consideration due to the financial institution’s operational requirements, with controlled entry to the building throughout the project.
A Trenchless Approach
Following cleaning and initial patch repairs by the Lining Division team, the Picote UK Team used the Xpress Brush Coating system to rehabilitate the remaining pipe sections from within. Entering where access allowed, with Picote’s trenchless technologies the pipes were inspected, cleaned and coated from within.
Picote Brush Coating™ is a trenchless rehabilitation technique designed to restore ageing pipes without excavation. Instead of replacing the pipe the system applies a corrosion-resistant epoxy coating directly to the inside of the existing pipe, forming a seamless protective lining that can extend its service life.
The process begins with thorough preparation. Picote Millers are used to remove scale, corrosion, roots and other deposits from the pipe walls, ensuring the surface is clean and ready for coating. Proper preparation is critical, as it enables the epoxy to bond effectively to the existing pipe material.
Once prepared, a 100% solids epoxy resin is applied using specially designed rotating brushes attached to a flexible shaft. As the brushes travel through the pipe they spread the coating evenly along the interior surface.
The system can be used to renovate pipes ranging from DN32 to DN300 (1¼”–12″), making it suitable for a wide variety of drainage applications, including stack pipes, building drains and sewer connections.
Picote’s Xpress Coating System further improves efficiency by automatically mixing the epoxy components in a precise 1:1 ratio at the point of application. Heated resin tanks and hose reels combined with rapidly-curing resin technology enables the coating to cure quickly. This is particularly valuable on projects with tight schedules, such as the Southend call centre renovation.
Fast Results with Minimal Disruption
The trenchless approach proved ideal for this project’s conditions. By working closely with Lining Division and completing the project entirely from existing access points within the restricted weekend window, the team successfully restored the drainage system without excavation or disruption.
The call centre reopened on Monday morning, its drainage infrastructure under the shower block fully rehabilitated and protected against future corrosion- all without staff or operations being impacted.
Trenchless Technology for Inside Buildings
Projects like this highlight the growing role of trenchless rehabilitation technologies in maintaining ageing drainage infrastructure within commercial environments. Such solutions allow contractors to extend pipe life, reduce downtime and avoid the disruption and costs associated with traditional excavation methods.
To read the full case study and see more project details, visit:
https://www.picotegroup.com/case-studies-and-references-uk-call-centre-brush-coating
Picote offers a 2-day certified training course on Picote Brush Coating™ Systems which includes a 10 year warranty on the resin. Contact tr******@*************ns.com for more information and to book.
