Signs Your Sewer Line Needs Repair
- Multiple drains backing up at once (often the first warning of a mainline issue)
- Sewer cleanout overflowing or gurgling
- Recurring backups in the same drain or floor cleanout
- Sewage smell in the yard or basement
- Soggy spots or sinking ground over the line path
- Lush green grass over a single line of yard (raw sewage feeding it)
- Slow drains throughout the house
- Toilets that gurgle or back up when the washing machine drains
Diagnosis First, Quote Second
We do not quote sewer repair without first running the sewer camera. The camera tells us:
- What's wrong (roots, break, belly, bad slope, failed material)
- Where it is (we mark the location and depth in your yard)
- How long the bad section is
- What the rest of the line looks like
- Whether spot repair, trenchless, or full replacement is the right call
Without the camera, anyone quoting you sewer repair is guessing. We will not do that.
Repair Options
Spot Repair (Open Cut)
Best when the line has a single bad spot — one break, one collapsed section, or one bad joint — in an otherwise sound line. We dig down to the affected section, remove the bad piece, install new pipe with proper transitions, and backfill. The dig is targeted, not the entire line length. Typically 1 day. Faster, cheaper, and less disruptive than full replacement when it's the right call.
Full Sewer Line Replacement (Open Cut)
Best when the line is failing in multiple places or made of failing material (Orangeburg, deteriorated clay, badly cracked older cast iron). We replace from house to property line or to the city main, depending on what your jurisdiction requires. Trench across the line path. New PVC or SDR sewer pipe. Permits, inspections, and surface restoration handled. Typically 2–4 days.
Trenchless Sewer Repair (Pipe Bursting / CIPP)
When line geometry, depth, and surface conditions allow, trenchless replacement avoids digging the full trench across your yard, driveway, or landscaping. Two main methods:
- Pipe bursting: A bursting head is pulled through the old line, fragmenting it outward and pulling new HDPE pipe behind it. Two access pits at each end — no continuous trench. Best for full replacement when the existing line follows a relatively straight path.
- CIPP (cured-in-place pipe lining): A resin-saturated liner is inserted into the old pipe and cured to form a new pipe inside the old. No digging beyond access points. Best when the existing line is structurally weak but still continuous. Not suited for fully collapsed sections.
Trenchless costs more per foot than open-cut but often less when you factor in landscaping, driveway, sidewalk, or hardscape restoration. We quote both when both are realistic options so you can compare.
What It Costs
Sewer repair pricing varies more than almost any other plumbing job because the variables matter so much:
- Length of bad section
- Depth of the line (deeper = more excavation)
- Surface above the line (yard vs. driveway vs. sidewalk vs. landscaping)
- Material of existing line and what we're replacing it with
- Open-cut vs. trenchless
- Permit fees in your jurisdiction
- Side-sewer easement or city-main connection requirements
We quote flat-rate before any work, and we walk you through the line items so you understand the math. Free estimate. Free camera diagnosis when paired with the sewer repair quote. Financing options available on full replacements.
Permits, Inspections, and the City Side-Sewer
Sewer repairs and replacements require permits in every Pierce and South King County jurisdiction we work in. Some cities also require coordination with the public works department for the side-sewer connection. We pull the permit, schedule the inspection, and handle the city-side coordination. You should not have to manage any of that.
Side-sewer ownership: in most local jurisdictions, you own the side-sewer from your home to the city main — even the portion in the public right-of-way. This is why a "the city handles it past my property line" assumption is usually wrong. We confirm the boundary with the city before quoting if there's any question.
Warranty and What Happens After
New PVC or SDR sewer pipe carries a manufacturer's material warranty plus our workmanship warranty. We document what was installed, where, and to what depth so future homeowners (or you, in 15 years) have a clear record. Records travel with the home.