Sewer

Sewer line repair costs could range anywhere from $800 to $28,000. Repair costs vary greatly depending on the complexity, depth, length, location, and sewer district or city/state permitting fees. Sewer repairs on private property less than 8 ft in length may cost between $2,000-$6,000 depending on the depth and surface material; whereas that same repair in a city or state road may cost upwards of $10,000. Sewer repairs in the road cost more, especially if the road is state-owned. We have seen home, city, and state fees exceed $7,000, including road closures needed for repairs.

Shut off the water to the home immediately and stop any washing machines or dishwashers that may be running so they don’t eject more water during their drain-down cycle. Be sure not to flush any toilets and call a plumber to clear the line as soon as possible. Flood mitigation will most likely be necessary to sanitize everything and prevent hazardous mold, especially if sewer or drain water comes in contact with porous material such as wood, drywall, carpet, or underflooring.

Although there is no legitimate data as to the failure rate of a house sewer line, there are some common trends we've noticed: homes older than 1990 that have any portion of their sewer line made from anything other than plastic have a far greater chance of failure. These failures can be caused by poor sloping of the line, misuse and abuse of the system, large trees or bushes in the area with aggressive root systems, heavy traffic over the piping, or lack of maintenance in descaling the line periodically. Earthquakes, nearby construction, poor install practices, and pressure on systems due to blockages may cause systems to start to crack or offset and can lead to total failure as well.