# Re pipe main



## Bill (Jun 17, 2008)

Just out of curiosity, how much time would you think it should take to replace a water main. 125 feet from meter to house, using a trencher to trench 2 foot deep, about 100 feet to the house, lay the new 1" polly pipe, connect to main (To which I had to go to a local supply house to get the fitting, then to Lowes because the supply house only had 1/2 of what I needed) connect to house, test for leaks, then back fill 100 foot of trench by hand, rake to a neat mound.

It took myself and another man 7.5 hours to do it, but we had also had to repair 6 sections of irrigation we broke and replace 9 wires that we cut through. Also we had to return the equipment (Trencher) Also it was a pain because the trencher does not remove all the dirt, there was several spots we had to hand scoop out the dirt. 
.
Reason I ask is because its been a bit and I do recall runnig about 250 foot of water line once which if I recall we started in the morning and was headed home by mid afternoon. 

Maybe I am getting slow in my old age.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

2 feet deep?????


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Sounds to me like you worked like an animal. 

Maybe it's your memory, and the other job you refer to took longer :laughing:


I'm getting too old to work at that pace......

Ida bid it at 12 hours.


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## deerslayer (Mar 29, 2012)

I would've made it 8 hrs. Why stop with a half hour left.

You did just fine IMHO


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## Bill (Jun 17, 2008)

rjbphd said:


> 2 feet deep?????


Our water main has to be 24" deep


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## rocksteady (Oct 8, 2008)

I wouldn't bid it any less than a full day, probably 10 hours to be safe. If you're running a trencher, it sure doesn't take twice as long to replace twice as much pipe though (assuming you're not running it through shale or gnarly roots).





Paul


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

rjbphd said:


> 2 feet deep?????



Not everyone lives north of the Mason-Dixon line.


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## Bill (Jun 17, 2008)

rjbphd said:


> 2 feet deep?????


Prime example
Here in Cumberland County where I live water is only 18" deep, footings for building is 16" deep

Go to 60 miles North to Richmond and water is 24" deep and footings for building is 18" deep


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## deerslayer (Mar 29, 2012)

Bill said:


> Prime example
> Here in Cumberland County where I live water is only 18" deep, footings for building is 16" deep
> 
> Go to 60 miles North to Richmond and water is 24" deep and footings for building is 18" deep


42" here but I am sure the guys up north go deeper!


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

deerslayer said:


> 42" here but I am sure the guys up north go deeper!


 48" here.... in northen Minnesota I think its 60 "...


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## Adamche (Feb 10, 2012)

You poor buggers, ours is 1' deep here!
The time for the repipe sounds about right Bill!


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Adamche said:


> You poor buggers, ours is 1' deep here!


 Who do the digging? The kanagroo or dingo??


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## Adamche (Feb 10, 2012)

rjbphd said:


> Who do the digging? The kanagroo or dingo??


Ha ha the dingo!
http://www.dingo.com.au/


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Adamche said:


> Ha ha the dingo!
> http://www.dingo.com.au/


 Laughings... was expecting them dogs look alike digging...


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## JoshJ (May 10, 2012)

*8ft*

Up here amid the chosen frozen we put our water mains in at 8ft below grade. :thumbup:


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

JoshJ said:


> Up here amid the chosen frozen we put our water mains in at 8ft below grade. :thumbup:


 Now, which animal you use to dig the trenches???


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## JoshJ (May 10, 2012)

rjbphd said:


> Now, which animal you use to dig the trenches???


Well, first I give my apprentice a goon spoon...:icon_lol:

Then I wait for the guy operating this long armed beast up.


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## Adamche (Feb 10, 2012)

How 'bout one of these!


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## Drewp311 (Sep 17, 2011)

Freeze line here in Louisiana is 6". I feel sorry for all you guys that have to dig so deep. But then again I guess you do get to charge accordingly. 
Am I the only person that charges by the foot? When running a trencher I charge $6/ft for water service and $10/ft for sewer line.

Sent from my iPhone


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Drewp311 said:


> Freeze line here in Louisiana is 6". I feel sorry for all you guys that have to dig so deep. But then again I guess you do get to charge accordingly.
> Am I the only person that charges by the foot? When running a trencher I charge $6/ft for water service and $10/ft for sewer line.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone


 Now.. your turn,,, what animal are you using to dig these baby trenches??


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## Drewp311 (Sep 17, 2011)

rjbphd said:


> Now.. your turn,,, what animal are you using to dig these baby trenches??


Haha. Ditch witch trencher or pc35 trackhoe. Depends on how neat I am trying to be. Pc35 can dig 8-10'. Any deeper than that and I have to dig in.

Sent from my iPhone


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

Drewp311 said:


> Freeze line here in Louisiana is 6". I feel sorry for all you guys that have to dig so deep. But then again I guess you do get to charge accordingly.
> Am I the only person that charges by the foot? When running a trencher I charge $6/ft for water service and $10/ft for sewer line.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone


Where from? Around here I get told a shovel deep, that's deep when you're growing gills in the heat lately.


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## JoshJ (May 10, 2012)

Drewp311 said:


> Freeze line here in Louisiana is 6". I feel sorry for all you guys that have to dig so deep. But then again I guess you do get to charge accordingly.
> Am I the only person that charges by the foot? When running a trencher I charge $6/ft for water service and $10/ft for sewer line.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone


I just charge them time and material. But I do charge for a full roll of municipal line, (100 ft) regardless of it is 15 feet or all 100. If I have to take care of providing the excavator, I usually add 10 points to his bill. But that seldom happens


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## JoshJ (May 10, 2012)

Bill said:


> Just out of curiosity, how much time would you think it should take to replace a water main. 125 feet from meter to house, using a trencher to trench 2 foot deep, about 100 feet to the house, lay the new 1" polly pipe, connect to main (To which I had to go to a local supply house to get the fitting, then to Lowes because the supply house only had 1/2 of what I needed) connect to house, test for leaks, then back fill 100 foot of trench by hand, rake to a neat mound.
> 
> It took myself and another man 7.5 hours to do it, but we had also had to repair 6 sections of irrigation we broke and replace 9 wires that we cut through. Also we had to return the equipment (Trencher) Also it was a pain because the trencher does not remove all the dirt, there was several spots we had to hand scoop out the dirt.
> .
> ...



I think the situation you describe sounds like an all day job. 7.5 hrs sounds pretty reasonable to me!


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## Drewp311 (Sep 17, 2011)

504Plumber said:


> Where from? Around here I get told a shovel deep, that's deep when you're growing gills in the heat lately.


Shreveport. I am above sea level. Lol

Sent from my iPhone


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

Drewp311 said:


> Shreveport. I am above sea level. Lol
> 
> Sent from my iPhone


Hey now, my neighborhood is 8ft above...


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

rjbphd said:


> Now.. your turn,,, what animal are you using to dig these baby trenches??


Drag a dead gator on it's back and the tail would prolly dig a 6" trench.


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## The real E.P. (Aug 9, 2011)

I like turtles


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## express (Nov 22, 2008)

Bill I work in the Charlottesville area and you are right on target with that time. I have stopped using a trencher and went back to the mini x. Same price to rent, I don't have to fight it when I hit roots, just an easier day.


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## AKdaplumba (Jan 12, 2010)

oddly enough our WM is 2ft down but the sewer is like 3ft:blink:


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## Fast fry (May 19, 2012)

*Re pipe*

Just like my ol lady says .....the deeper the better


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## Pipecommandor (Apr 18, 2011)

If your hearing that from your ol lady maybe we should be calling you small fry !!! LMAO


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Pipecommandor said:


> If your hearing that from your ol lady maybe we should be calling you small fry !!! LMAO


I think your judgement is a little premature... He is called fast for a reason


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## jc-htownplumber (Feb 29, 2012)

Fast fry said:


> Just like my ol lady says .....the deeper the better


That's what she said


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## Cuda (Mar 16, 2009)

I think 7.5 was good time considering having to fix irrigation. The job just as easily could have turned into 2 full days if the irrigation had wires that control it like some do or a big boulder etc. We do most of our water mains trenchless now and sometimes it cuts the time in half and other times it can be just as long as digging we just don't have all the landscape to deal with.


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## Fast fry (May 19, 2012)

*Small fry*



Pipecommandor said:


> If your hearing that from your ol lady maybe we should be calling you small fry !!! LMAO


I may not be able to reach the end , but I sure can beat the hell outta the sides


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## Piper34 (Oct 10, 2011)

I think your beaten the hell out of something else ( ouch👋) sorry couldn't help it!


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

rjbphd said:


> 48" here.... in northen Minnesota I think its 60 "...


 Where you at? Central Illinois? The Illinois code says 36" or deeper depending on frost depth. All the cities in Cook, Du Page, Kane counties I been told 60" is the min. depth of a water service. And 99% of the ones I repaired where 60" or deeper.


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## Fast fry (May 19, 2012)

*Piper*



Piper34 said:


> I think your beaten the hell out of something else ( ouch👋) sorry couldn't help it!




Yes piper you are right . But don t take it out on me because your wife sleeps around while you go to work....."........snap


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## tungsten plumb (Apr 15, 2010)

18" here. We dig ours by hand. 90% of them are 45' or less in length.


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## bizzybeeplumbin (Jul 19, 2011)

12" here, and anywhere from 15' long to 300' long, just depends on the yard. poly or pex and a trencher. one day unless its tough clay or we need to hand dig.


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