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    Ruby Johnston's Avatar
    Ruby Johnston Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Oct 28, 2006, 03:06 PM
    Belly in Sewer Line
    Because our plumbing has stopped up numerous times we had a camera video made. The last time it stopped up I ran the washer and sewer came up through toilet and flooded the bathroom. What a mess! It shows no breaks but a significant belly. Our sewer line is under the slab and the estimate to repair is $11,500. Since there are no breaks do we need to spend this kind of money to fix or just have the sewer line cleaned each time it stops up. The house was built in the mid 1960s. Do you think this is a reasonable price. The tunneling will be approximately 20 feet under the house and then a line ran to the side clean out that connects to the sewer line. About 80 to 90 ft.
    iamgrowler's Avatar
    iamgrowler Posts: 1,421, Reputation: 110
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    #2

    Oct 28, 2006, 03:16 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by Ruby Johnston
    Because our plumbing has stopped up numerous times we had a camera video made. The last time it stopped up I ran the washer and sewer came up thru toilet and flooded the bathroom. What a mess! It shows no breaks but a significant belly. Our sewer line is under the slab and the estimate to repair is $11,500. Since there are no breaks do we need to spend this kind of money to fix or just have the sewer line cleaned each time it stops up. The house was built in the mid 1960s. Do you think this is a reasonable price. The tunneling will be approximately 20 feet under the house and then a line ran to the side clean out that connects to the sewer line. About 80 to 90 ft.
    Is this in a basement, or is this a slab on grade home?

    Personally, I'd have the problem fixed, and I would try to knock as much off the bill as possible by doing much of the demolition and excavation work myself.

    Also, I would try to get at least 5 or 6 bids before giving the actual plumbing work to a plumbing contractor.
    Ruby Johnston's Avatar
    Ruby Johnston Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
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    #3

    Oct 28, 2006, 03:33 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by iamgrowler
    Is this in a basement, or is this a slab on grade home?

    Personally, I'd have the problem fixed, and I would try to knock as much off of the bill as possible by doing much of the demolition and excavation work myself.

    Also, I would try to get at least 5 or 6 bids before giving the actual plumbing work to a plumbing contractor.
    The sewer line is under the house. No basement. Unfortunately, I cannot do any of this work myself.
    iamgrowler's Avatar
    iamgrowler Posts: 1,421, Reputation: 110
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    #4

    Oct 28, 2006, 04:04 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by Ruby Johnston
    The sewer line is under the house. No basement. Unfortunately, I cannot do any of this work myself.
    Yikes!!

    Before I did anything else, I would have another company come out and run a camera with recording capabilities down the drain -- Do not tell them you had this done once before, and watch them like a hawk when they do it.

    I am not trying to make you paranoid or suspicious, but some years ago we had a local rooter service who was caught recycling tapes, meaning the video being shown was footage from a different job.

    Just make sure you are not being taken advantage of.
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
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    #5

    Oct 28, 2006, 04:07 PM
    Hi Ruby,

    In my area, (Tampa Bay) all our houses are on slabs. While I've tunneled under a house to fix a leak in the water 20 foot is a long way to dig. This is as close as they can get from a outside wall? Can they pinpoint the exact location of the bell? Is it out in a open area or under something? Can you tell me what room sets over the bell? There has just got to be options other then shelling out over 10 grand. Is there a man around the house to help if needed?
    I have a idea. But I would need to know the location of the bell, what sets over it, and if could be gotten to by going in from the top od the slab rather then tunneling under it. Give me all the details that you have and we'll see if we can come up with another solution. Between you and me, that's the problem with modern day plumbers, they don't think outside the box. PS. I just read Growlers post. He brings up a good point. Have it checked by a different company and keep us in the loop. Regards, Tom
    iamgrowler's Avatar
    iamgrowler Posts: 1,421, Reputation: 110
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    #6

    Oct 28, 2006, 04:17 PM
    Between you and me, that's the problem with modern day plumbers, they don't think outside the box.
    I guess the problem I am having is conceptualizing how the pipe in question came to be bowed in the first place.

    Given the age of the home, it is likely that the line running under the slab is cast iron, which would then tie-into clay or concrete tile once outside the slab.
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
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    #7

    Oct 28, 2006, 04:31 PM
    "Given the age of the home, it is likely that the line running under the slab is cast iron, which would then tie-into clay or concrete tile once outside the slab."

    Not necessarily. Back then we were roughing with ABS and running our sewers out of Orangeberg, (remember those pipes made of fiber board and tar?)
    I was doodling around with the idea of going in from the top and either jacking the pipe up and bedding it or cut in a clean out up stream from the bell and bring it to grade with a flush clean out with a recessed boss. Cut back on all the solids going into the system, (toss the disposa and anything else putting garbage down the drain). Then when they had a blockage it could be snaked with out too much mess or they could push a expanding sewer bag, (are you old enough to remember them?) on a hose down into the main and blow it out. I realize that this may be way out but $11,500 fa Gawds sake!! What's your take on it? Tom
    iamgrowler's Avatar
    iamgrowler Posts: 1,421, Reputation: 110
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    #8

    Oct 28, 2006, 04:50 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by speedball1
    "Given the age of the home, it is likely that the line running under the slab is cast iron, which would then tie-into clay or concrete tile once outside the slab."

    Not necessarily. Back then we were roughing with ABS and running our sewers out of Orangeberg, (remember those pipes made out of fiber board and tar?) Tom
    The West Coast is usually about 8 or 9 years behind the East Coast in adopting new materials -- Take PVC DWV pipe and fittings for example, they didn't show up here in Washington until about '98 -- And PEX for potable water piping has only been in common use here for about 5 or six years.

    As for orangeberg, I came across it a few times in Boston, but it never really made it's way to the West Coast.
    iamgrowler's Avatar
    iamgrowler Posts: 1,421, Reputation: 110
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    #9

    Oct 28, 2006, 04:52 PM
    What's your take on it?
    My take on it is to defer to the man who was actually putting pipe in the ground when this house was built.
    Fr_Chuck's Avatar
    Fr_Chuck Posts: 81,301, Reputation: 7692
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    #10

    Oct 28, 2006, 05:23 PM
    I will agree 100 percent on Iamgrower, I had a rooter company come to our home in Atlanta, ( while I was out of town) and they convinced my wife and mother in law that the drain was completely colasped, and the entire line had to be dug out. They used the cameral and ran a rooter and showed them how it was completely closed.

    The only problem was a small amount of root from hedges about 4 feet from the street line.

    That is one rooter company that never got paid for any of its work, and after a letter from my attorney about it, I never got billed again either.

    The person doing it, was not properly trained, and worked on commission if he sold more services.
    Ruby Johnston's Avatar
    Ruby Johnston Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
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    #11

    Oct 29, 2006, 09:48 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by speedball1
    Hi Ruby,

    In my area, (Tampa Bay) all our houses are on slabs. While I've tunneled under a house to fix a leak in the water 20 foot is a long way to dig. This is as close as they can get from a outside wall? Can they pinpoint the exact location of the bell? Is it out in a open area or under something? Can you tell me what room sets over the bell? There has just got to be options other then shelling out over 10 grand. Is there a man around the house to help if needed?
    I have a idea. But I would need to know the location of the bell, what sets over it, and if could be gotten to by going in from the top od the slab rather then tunneling under it. Give me all the details that you have and we'll see if we can come up with another solution. Between you and me, that's the problem with modern day plumbers, they don't think outside the box. PS. I just read Growlers post. He brings up a good point. Have it checked by a different company and keep us in the loop. Regards, Tom
    No man around. The belly is under the kitchen and is evidently about 10 to 12 feet. I have had the camera done by two different people with the same result. The sewer line is cast iron and there are no breaks anywhere. There is a sun room adjacent to the kitchen which makes the tunneling so long. We had an original quote of $23,495 from the first people we called. Outrageous! Even the 11,500 seems ourtrageous to me. One suggestion was to put the kitchen sink and washer and dryer on a separate line and just leave the bathroom on the original line. However the cost is approximately the same because of the way the front of the house is situated. Any other suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks, Ruby
    labman's Avatar
    labman Posts: 10,580, Reputation: 551
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    #12

    Oct 29, 2006, 11:47 AM
    Tom's idea of going down from the top may work. It is not that big of a deal to cut the slab, jackhammer the concrete, dig down and replace the pipe. You would need to carefully back fill and compact it to keep from undermining the rest of the house. Should be able to have it done for a lot less than $11,000.

    I have seen it done in a factory that likely had thicker floors than yours. More room too.
    andrewcocke's Avatar
    andrewcocke Posts: 439, Reputation: 22
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    #13

    Oct 29, 2006, 12:31 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by labman
    I have seen it done in a factory that likely had thicker floors than yours. More room too.
    Ive seen that quite a bit myself in various factories. In fact, I have worked in many restaurants (which are almost always on slabs) where they may remodel and you see the different shaded tiles in the floor where they had to tear them up to place pipe, electrical conduit, etc under the slab.
    Ruby Johnston's Avatar
    Ruby Johnston Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
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    #14

    Oct 31, 2006, 08:49 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by speedball1
    Hi Ruby,

    In my area, (Tampa Bay) all our houses are on slabs. While I've tunneled under a house to fix a leak in the water 20 foot is a long way to dig. This is as close as they can get from a outside wall? Can they pinpoint the exact location of the bell? Is it out in a open area or under something? Can you tell me what room sets over the bell? There has just got to be options other then shelling out over 10 grand. Is there a man around the house to help if needed?
    I have a idea. But I would need to know the location of the bell, what sets over it, and if could be gotten to by going in from the top od the slab rather then tunneling under it. Give me all the details that you have and we'll see if we can come up with another solution. Between you and me, that's the problem with modern day plumbers, they don't think outside the box. PS. I just read Growlers post. He brings up a good point. Have it checked by a different company and keep us in the loop. Regards, Tom
    I have decided to not do anything. Can clean out the line many many many times for the prices I have been quoted. Thanks for your help!
    labman's Avatar
    labman Posts: 10,580, Reputation: 551
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    #15

    Oct 31, 2006, 09:06 AM
    Be very careful to disclose the problem if you ever sell the house. Otherwise, the buyer could have it done and send you the bill for whatever the original $23,495 has inflated to.

    Selling a house may not rid you of a problem you chose to live with.
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
    Eternal Plumber
     
    #16

    Oct 31, 2006, 01:56 PM
    Ruby,

    We respect and understand your decision. To help keep the line clear I
    Would discontinue using the garbage disposal if you have one. The less solids you put down the drainage system the less chance of a blockage. Good luck, Tom
    andrewcocke's Avatar
    andrewcocke Posts: 439, Reputation: 22
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    #17

    Oct 31, 2006, 04:54 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by labman
    Be very careful to disclose the problem if you ever sell the house. Otherwise, the buyer could have it done and send you the bill for whatever the original $23,495 has inflated to.

    Selling a house may not rid you of a problem you chose to live with.
    This is true, if you ever decide to sell, your realtor can list it strictly "AS IS/NO WARRANTY"

    Then its up to the buyer to do an inspection. Selling it that way may give you a dent in your asking price, but hopefully not more than what this job would have cost.

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