What Makes Sewer Line Replacement So Expensive?

Is your sewer system damaged? Has it been causing disruptions in your day-to-day activities and even decreasing your property's resale value?

We know how much this scenario stresses you out and how you'd love to get your sewer line replaced instantly.

However, you may be having doubts if your budget is insufficient, as sewer line replacement services are undoubtedly pricey and can go as high as $20,000.

We know how challenging these things are for you, so we want to help you understand why a sewer line replacement is so expensive by laying down all the factors considered in the computation.

So, what are you waiting for? Read on!

Factors Affecting the Sewer Line Replacement Cost

Several factors affect sewer line replacement costs. These include the equipment needed, unforeseen challenges in construction, professionals and manpower, permits, restoration, and more.

Depending on your present circumstances, these considerations can make the repair price higher or lower.

You do not have to worry about what these factors entail because we have listed seven essential requisites that justify and explain the price of a sewer line replacement.

1) Need for Excavating Equipment

If you use the traditional sewer line replacement methods for your repairs, then you will need to deal with the intrusive digging of your lawn to create length and depth for a trench with these kinds of excavation equipment:

• Excavators
• Backhoes
• Trench diggers

With these types of heavy-duty construction equipment, you will be required to shell out money ranging from $1000 to $1500 as payment for the vehicle rental. If you hire a contractor, it will still be included in your expenses.

Moreover, if you utilize trenchless technology for your sewer repair, it will still entail using specialized pieces of equipment that end up being high-priced, such as:

• Hydraulic pumps
• Video camera
• Water line slitters

Nonetheless, paying such a large amount of money is reasonable if you want an efficient sewer line replacement, as excavating equipment and other types are essential in sewer line work.

REMEMBER: Other materials you will pay for in the contractor's package are the pipes themselves, and these can be very expensive, especially those built out of cast iron. This is because cast iron is durable and cost-efficient.

2) Challenges Faced by Experienced Technicians

Along with the construction costs of a new sewer line, experienced technicians (plumbers) will encounter sewer line issues that can increase the costs of the new sewer line.

Some of these sewer line replacement issues are:

• Instability of soil's surface
• Incompatibility of pipe material
• Incomplete permit for the replacement process
• Tree root removal
• Depth of digging because of temperature and thickness of drywall, concrete sidewalk, and wall

The problems stated above may be foreseen, though while professionals expect them, they will still be difficult to deal with. Some contractors will require a $150 to $200 emergency service fee.

Moreover, the emergency fee is needed because technicians and others included on the list of human resources expose their health to unsanitary sewers and high-risk heavy equipment.

Considering these, a plumbing contractor will include these challenges in the computation of your bill, which may drastically raise the overall cost of a sewer line replacement.

FUN FACT: Vinegar is known to kill tree roots, especially those near or in your sewer.

3) Plumbing Contractor/Manpower Needs

To efficiently replace a sewer line, you need to contact a plumbing contractor from a known plumbing company with a standard charge per hour of $100 to $200.

Of course, it is not a one-person job because a new sewer line installation needs the foundation of solid human resources to gain a complete replacement, each of which is paid an average of $100.

You will be paying for the licensed professionals' expertise, and you will also be paying for the labor costs, including the time and effort they exerted to provide all your plumbing needs.

PRO TIP: Make sure you get the help you need from a licensed professional or company with a good track record of repairing and replacing sewer problems, as letting unauthorized persons work can unreasonably escalate your expenses.

4) Difficulty Moving Sewer Pipes

The final bill also includes the complexity of moving a collapsed pipe or a faulty sewer line. Its difficulty will depend on certain factors, such as:

• The extent of damage (e.g., pipe corrosion, tree root intrusion, pipe shifting)
• The location where the sewer line runs (as well as the depth of the sewer line)
• The solution needed (e.g., rerouting of cast iron pipes)
• Accessibility (e.g., needs extensive digging, small pipe diameter)
• Replacing a sewer line from the house to the street

In this case, the lesser the damage and the more accessible the location where the sewer line replacement will happen, the lesser the repair costs. However, the opposite conditions will really take a toll on the total cost.

With the scenario mentioned above, you can expect the cost of replacing a sewer line to go from $500 to as high as $20,000.

DID YOU KNOW? The main sewer line replacement costs more than other repairs and replacement types.

5) Inability to Use Certain Sewer Line Replacement Methods

Two main sewer line replacement methods are traditional and trenchless sewer line repair. The former uses an open-cut method, while the latter banks on a relatively shallow depth process, including these methods:

• Pipe bursting
• Cured-in-place pipelining
• Slip lining
• Spray lining

In these instances, you cannot use the less intrusive practices of the trenchless method in certain cases, such as:

• Repairing intensively damaged sewer lines
• If the existing pipe is designed with multiple bends and curves
• Sewer line pipes placed underneath vast land of tree roots

With this said, you will need to bank on the more traditional repair and replacement methods for sewer lines, costing you between $50 and $250 per square foot.

6) Permit Costs

Permits, or special codes and licenses (usually on paper), are necessary before carrying out sewer line repair or replacement in the US. These include:

• Plumbing permits
• National plumbing codes clearances
• Side sewer permit

Moreover, these licenses have an average of $200 per transaction. Depending on the state, the government also asks for a $500 refundable deposit from you and your contractor.

Aside from the permit itself, these prices also include the inspection fee, as the government will send authorized persons to check on the following aspects:

• Inspect the location of the sewer line
• Inspect the building
• Inspect the construction site
• Inspect the materials and other needed permits

It seems heavy; however, paying for permits is deemed essential because it will secure the integrity of your place, land, sewer lines, and contractor's company.

This is also because sewer line replacements can affect the daily business of people within your vicinity. Consulting your local government will help minimize potential disruptions.

7) Landscaping Cleanup and Restoration

After the sewer issue has been resolved, landscaping cleanup and restoration begin. Again, this is not a one-person job, especially when cleaning a wide area. With this, you will need professional cleaning.

Most of the time, professional cleaning is already included in your contractor's tasks for a sewer pipe repair, which can add to the cost of your repair or replacement at about $10 per linear foot.

However, landscaping is a different beast, mainly when your complete replacement of plumbing fixtures, septic tank, and sewer pipes has made a big mess of your shrubs and plants.

Typically, landscaping can cost from $5 to $20 per linear foot or roughly $3,500 to $14,000, depending on how extensive the landscaping must be around your sewer line.

How to Reduce Your Sewer Line Replacement Cost

It is undeniable that replacing and repairing sewer pipes cost a lot of money (a thousand dollars on average!), which can affect your finances. Yet, we have a solution to help you!

To reduce the sewer line replacement cost, always keep these tips and tricks in mind:

• Opt for a trenchless sewer pipe repair method for sewer pipe repair as it can cost less than the traditional one.
• Trenchless sewer pipe repair offers less invasive techniques with high-quality technology that ensures fast and durable solutions to your sewer pipes' problems.
• Eliminate some part of the landscaping cleanup and restoration cost by avoiding planting tall shrubs and tree roots near the main line or sewer pipe.
• You can endorse the coverage of sewer line replacements in your homeowners' insurance; without endorsement, sewer line replacements are not included.
• Take care of your sewer line through bi-annual maintenance and inspection from professionals.
• Make sure you consult professionals that can provide a camera inspection of your existing pipe before digging a trench. A camera inspection can efficiently gauge the seriousness of your sewer line problems.
• Refrain from jumping to conclusions. Instead, ask professionals if a sectional point old pipe repair is doable for your clay pipe, cast iron pipes, steel pipe, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic pipe sewer problems for a lower cost.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

We know you are not just here to read and learn facts before getting a new pipe but also to unravel the mysteries of your frequently asked questions.

With that, we answered some of your sewer pipe FAQs in this section!

What Does It Usually Cost When Repairing Sewer Lines?

New sewer line costs (including new pipes) are between the range of approximately $500 and $20,000.

These replacement costs include the payment for permits, human resources, and actual pipe works, whether they're a full replacement or simple, straightforward repairs.

The cost to replace sewers also includes the emergency fees and every piece of equipment needed to execute the repair.

What is the Best Method for Replacing Sewer Pipes?

The best way to replace your sewer line or pipe is through trenchless technology, which is cost-efficient, faster, and less invasive.

Conclusion

It can truly get quite expensive when you have to replace or repair your sewer line or pipe.

However, with the appropriate professionals and contractors, the cost of your pipe repair or replacement will surely be reasonable, as it can give these benefits:

• Provide a much more healthy environment with secured and working pipes and a sanitary sewer line
• Elevates the value of your house, building, and other properties
• Eliminates pressure from water contamination
• Eliminates foul odor within your toilet, sewage, and drainage system
• It prevents a backup or clog of grease, water waste, and every other waste type in your sewer trap and drain
• It prevents flooding all over your lawn through sewage treatment

Now that you know why a sewer line replacement is so expensive and the importance of having it done, do not hesitate to get one once a hint of a sewer problem arises!