Sewer Line Replacement



Sewer Line Replacement

It is an Emergency and We Treat It Accordingly

As licensed Master Plumbers and General Contractors, we are uniquely qualified and prepared to perform the excavation and repair or replacement of your buried Sewer and Water lines. We own our own excavation heavy equipment and are ready to roll onto your job fast and efficiently.

This is a pressurized Septic System sand bed injection system, due to insufficient soil permeability.

A sewer clog could indicate a more serious issue and problem. When we come out on a clogged drain service call, we do not assume it is merely a clog which can be cleared with a cable tool (Drain Snake) and all is then well again for you.

Instead, we approach most drain clogs as if there is a potential problem in the sewer line, such as a collapse, or other failure. The only way to be confident and sure is to have a sewer camera inserted into the drain either before and or after clearing the clog, to inspect the sewer line condition and situation.

Often this camera inspection merely confirms that all is well once the clog is cleared. But equally often, a more serious condition and failure is discovered. ONLY in this was can a successful solution be recommended or implemented.

Since most sewer line collapses or other failures require excavation to uncover and repair or replace them, it is a big project and can be quite expensive. You do NOT want to undertake such a project without confirmation and confidence in the diagnosis of your ACTUAL situation.

On the other hand, you also do NOT want to simply have the drain cleared and ignore the reality if your sewer line is collapsed or failed. These things do not get better with time.

If excavation is necessary, we are experienced and capable of handling whatever the situation requires, professionally and quickly for you.

We take care of the Utility marking required by law prior to any excavation work, and all of the logistics involved with the repair or replacement work. All turn-key, based on our proposal to you once we have determined the actual situation in advance. We base our pricing and proposed solution on good data and information from our inspection, etc. But sometimes the actual situation is worse than anticipated once the pipe is uncovered, and in those cases the price could change to reflect any increased work and scope required. For example, sometimes the pipe appears fine in a section from the camera inspection, but once uncovered it is found to be infirm and dilapidated, and not savable or fit to be connected onto as anticipated. Or often, the soil is unstable and cave ins create a lot more work and danger and therefore increased expense.

The same applies to Water Line replacements. Although a camera inspection is not possible.

When you have raw sewage backing up into your home, it is an emergency. Not only is it messy and inconvenient, but it can be a serious health hazard and threat to your property value.

Often it is a result of a one-time occurrence, such as something being flushed down the toilet that should not have been – wipes, sanitary napkins, toys and anything besides what comes out of your body or toilet paper.

Other times, it is due to a more serious situation.  Your sewer lateral (your house main drain underground outside of your house) carries all your house wastewater from sinks, bathtubs/showers, laundry, toilets, dishwashers and floor drains, etc., out to the city main sewer or your private septic tank system.

If your sewer lateral becomes obstructed, it will not permit the flow of your wastewater, and eventually it will back up and flood inside your home. It may be cleared relatively simply with the use of a cable tool (drain snake) if it is a minor obstruction.

But if the blockage (clog) is caused by either tree root intrusion, a sagged or a collapsed (crushed/Broken) buried drainpipe, then it may require replacement.  A temporary solution to buy time and delay the inevitable replacement of the whole sewer lateral, is to regularly have the drainpipe professionally snaked out to remove root intrusions. But if it is a collapsed line, or broken line, then it may not even be able to be snaked out at all.

So, eventually a sagged, badly root infiltrated or collapsed sewer line will have to be replaced.  This is a big job and expense, but like a roof, siding, flooring and most components of a house, there is a finite useful life of a sewer line too, especially if it was constructed before PVC (plastic pipe) materials became available in the 1970s. Many materials were used prior to PVC including orangeburg, clay tile and cast iron.

Replacing a house’s sewer line involves digging up the existing line, removing the old pipe, and installing a new one, typically requiring professional plumbing services.

Costs can vary depending on the length of the line, excavation needed, obstacles in the way of the excavation, accessibility for the excavation equipment, the soil composition and depth of the trench required and local regulations including right of way and building permits and codes, with an average FULL sewer line replacement cost ranging from $8,000 to $25,000. 

Our “typical” sewer line replacement price is around $10,000 to $15,000 – just for your initial budgeting purposes. Always depends on each particular situation.

NOTE: Sometimes, only a section of the sewer line needs to be replaced, the remaining portion being sound and in good condition. In this case, the cost will be considerably less than a full replacement. A camera inspection and use of a radio transmitter inserted into the pipe is used to locate the collapsed or bad section, at least on the house side of the problem area.

Replacing a sewer line is a complex task and usually requires professional plumbers with the necessary equipment and expertise.

Reasons to replace:

Signs like frequent clogs, sewage backups, cracks in the old pipe, or noticeable leaks usually indicate the need for a sewer line replacement. 

What to expect during a sewer line replacement:

Inspection: A plumber will need to use a sewer line camera to assess the condition of the existing pipe and identify problem areas. 

Cost Estimation and Contract: Contractor will provide you with a written price and description of the scope of work, for you to approve, thus hiring the contractor. A deposit is usually obtained at this point.

Permits: Contractor, not homeowner, will apply for, pay for and obtain all required permits and will also coordinate and obtain all required inspections by the building officials.

Utility Marking: Contractor, not homeowner, will coordinate and obtain all utility markings as required by law before digging.

Excavation: Trenches will be dug to access the sewer line from the city main (or septic tank) to the exterior wall of the house foundation. 

Removal of old pipe: The old pipe will be carefully removed or possibly abandoned and left in place, replaced with the new line alongside it or on a different route altogether. 

Installation of new pipe: The new pipe will be installed, ensuring proper connections and grading. It must be sloped continuously, to code specs. The pipe will be bedded in and covered with non-compactible material, either sand or pea gravel before backfilling with soil.

Backfilling and restoration: The trench will be filled with soil, compacted, and the affected area restored to its original condition (Landscaping usually NOT included in the contractor’s scope- left for homeowners to have done later). Regardless of the compaction performed at the time of backfilling, settlement of the soil above the pipe will occur over time. So landscaping might best be postponed by the homeowner a bit to allow homeowner to account for and regrade after any settlement.

An improper sewer line replacement will often result in wasted money.  If the new line is not connected properly, grade properly, bedded properly or damaged during backfilling, etc. then it will fail to function properly in short order.