Service · Directory of Plumbers
Sewer line service
Sewer line service covers the lateral from the house to the street main: camera diagnosis, root management, spot repairs, and full replacement by open trench or trenchless methods. Because the pipe is invisible, the camera record is the foundation of every honest quote: it shows the failure type (roots, belly, offset, crack, collapse), its measured location and depth, and the condition of the rest of the run.
Trenchless lining and bursting preserve surfaces but follow the existing path, so neither corrects a sagging line, and lining needs a host pipe round enough to accept it. Open trenching costs more in restoration and less in pipe work. The method should be chosen from the camera record and what runs above the line, not from a sales preference.
What a complete sewer line service job includes
- Camera inspection with recording or written report and located defects
- Spot repair of a single located failure in an otherwise sound line
- Full replacement by open trench, lining, or bursting, with the reason stated
- Permit and inspection, including the connection at the main where required
- Surface restoration scope stated on the quote, included or excluded
Cost frame
Camera inspection typically runs $200 to $500; a partial repair by open trench $3,000 to $8,000; full replacement $6,000 to $20,000 and above, driven by length, depth, and restoration. Depth is the silent multiplier: ask for it on the quote.
Full table: plumber cost guide.
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Questions about sewer line service
Who owns the sewer line under the street?
It varies by city. In many places the homeowner owns the entire lateral to the main; in others the city takes the section beyond the property line. Your local sewer authority is the only reliable source for your street, and the answer belongs in the quote.
Can a collapsed line be lined?
No. A collapsed section must be excavated first. Lining also cannot fix a belly, because the liner follows the sag. Bursting follows the existing path as well, so slope problems are trench work.
Do I need a permit for sewer replacement?
Almost always, with an inspection before backfill or after lining. A contractor proposing to skip the permit on a full lateral replacement is leaving you with uninspected underground work that surfaces at resale.
Go deeper
The full guide: Sewer line service guide and reference. Licensing for this work in your state: licensing by state.