# $36,000 sewer line repair proposal



## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Posted this on another forum but figured it would fun to discuss here.

Got a camera/jetting call Friday, onsite I see where another plumber had been digging behind a house overlooking a lake. The house sewer line (4" ABS and 6" clay) connected to a county main about 15' underground. The problem was on a very steep hill, large trees, a massive pool and patio all close by and access limited to only a small excavator. The other plumber's drain machine failed to cut the worst root invasion my camera has ever seen, so they started digging with a small excavator. The estimate was $6000 or so the homeowner said. No room for dirt storage and too small of an excavator is a recipe for a wasted day or two. Apparently they had dug from the downhill side of the problem trying to get deep and failed. They had to fill the hole back in get their excavator out so a wasted effort. Their next estimate included removing some of the pool patio and neighbor's fence, 2 excavators and a price of $36,000.

An easy jetting/camera sell for me including I assured them no guaranty on success. Going downstream is a pain but there was no other option, besides the clock is running. It took about 2.5 hours of hammering the roots with a chisel and Warthog, watching the progress with the camera but we got it. I have no idea how a house can be functional with roots that bad, I need to post some pictures. We polished the clay pipe to like new conditions, only the slightest hint of roots showing at the joints. Showing the customer before and after results on a problem this severe will bring them to tears they are so relieved. They paid my 3.5 hour jet and camera invoice happily(and added a $100 bonus). They are scheduled for a camera followup a year from now.

I suspect that the 'other' plumber will be unhappy when he tries to schedule the dig job or invoice for the work that he didn't do. Gotta love the jetter. And the 'cable machine is all you need' plumbers would have waved the white flag on this job.

David


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Now before you let the roots grow back and further damage to compromised line you need to get in there and fix the problem...

Sounds like the perfect place to use a "Pipe Patch" and make a spot repair. The deep dig in a difficult location with lots of collateral damage possibilities say it is just right for trenchless...

That should firmly place you in Legendary Status in that customers eyes and give them a story which will be spread far and wide....


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Would be a difficult project but I'm always up for learning. I need to draw a picture and get some input.

David


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## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

Gotta love when that happens! Cable augers are outdated. My eyes were opened to root removal via jetting about two years ago and I have never looked back. Don't miss buying sewer cables either


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Unclog1776 said:


> Gotta love when that happens! Cable augers are outdated. My eyes were opened to root removal via jetting about two years ago and I have never looked back. Don't miss buying sewer cables either


4" clean out into 4" ABS then transitioning into 6" clay pipe where the roots were. Tough if not an impossible job for a cable. Maybe an expanding cutter?


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

How many feet of clay did you have to clean?


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## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

That's some thick leaders. Sometimes roots like that are the only thing holding the old clay together. How did it look after removal


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Unclog1776 said:


> That's some thick leaders. Sometimes roots like that are the only thing holding the old clay together. How did it look after removal


Scary Thick! That pipe has got to be toast...


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

gear junkie said:


> How many feet of clay did you have to clean?


The second time a post didn't make it. It was about 8' of clay pipe.


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

The pipe looked brand new when done, I should have taken photos. Best cleaning job I've ever done.

David


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## theplungerman (Oct 26, 2011)

I'd have them on a Vaporooter Treatment plan so fast, I could stutter and stammer my way through a presentation and they'd be saying yes before I could say, dushenvuiladdel. 
I sell these plans to the little old ladies short on cash. Lol, smile.


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## Plumber (Jan 18, 2009)

Conversely, you could have made $36,000.00 or more.

Me? Gimme the 36k.


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

I/we can insult the commission based plumbing companies all day but the owner is too busy making deposits in the bank to care.


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## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

Price is irrelevant as long as it is figured up ethically and fixes the issue at hand. A giant pet peeve of mine is companies who lead a homeowner to believe they are replacing the entire sewer service but leave the 10 ft of old clay under the street or driveway.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Yup!!! Did one inspection where the owner proudly told me it'll pass as the line was replaced 3 years ago. Well......they were pretty disappointed(rightfully so) when I saw 3' of orangeburg pipe that was left behind......9' down under the sidewalk. 

What sucked was on the invoice it said "replace lateral from house to the sidewalk".


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## Plumber (Jan 18, 2009)

dhal22 said:


> I/we can insult the commission based plumbing companies all day but the owner is too busy making deposits in the bank to care.


Yeah, I know the price may have been too high, but maybe not. Sometimes a 36k job costs 37k to do.


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Plumber said:


> Yeah, I know the price may have been too high, but maybe not. Sometimes a 36k job costs 37k to do.



You are correct. A customer blows a gasket over a price without knowing what it costs to to do the job. That 36K job was probably a 15k - 18k job so very much a difficult repair job regardless.


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