[harum]

Hello! Looking for a response from whomever is familiar with plumbing contracting. A sink hole at the edge of the front yard suggests that the old clay lateral sewer line, the one between the house and the city main, has to be replaced with C.I.P. and, in addition, a Y-connection and clean-out have to be installed.

How long does it take to do the job: digging, installation, etc. That is, how many hours should I be charged for by a contractor? The lateral line is about 5 ft. deep, 20 ft. long. Thanks, h.

[massplumber2008]

Hi Harum

Sorry, but we will not be able to help you with this particular question as labor prices and material mark-ups are not the same anywhere you go.

I can suggest that you contact your local town/city hall and see if they can recommend a few reputable excavation companies. Here, the plumber is required for this type job in most states, but if you hire them, they will only go out and hire an excavating company (at a large mark-up to you) to do the work.

Further, you are not the first person to have this issue in your area, so if you promise to keep things, "off the record" the people at the town/city clerks' office can probably hook you up with the guys that do this most often in your area (i.e. the best price, too).

If you take this advice, I probably just saved you a couple thousand just in the plumber's mark-up off the excavator...;)

Good luck!

Mark

[harum]

Hi Harum

Good luck!

Mark

Thanks! This is helpful. Still, looking for an answer to the question: how many hours would replacement of a sewer lateral (5 ft. deep, 15-20 ft. long) take?

[Milo Dolezal]

In addition to Mark's advice....

there is way too many variables to establish correct price for the sewer replacement work. I would definitely hire somebody who knows what he is doing - preferably a licensed plumber. Call several licensed plumbers for free estimate, ask lots of questions and have them to type up and submit to you a detailed estimate. Three estimates should give you good idea how much is such a job worth. Select the one you feel most comfortable with - and award the contract. Advice: Sewer replacement work is all about labor and very little about materials. See if you can negotiate the price down a bit. Let us know how you did. Back to you. Milo

[massplumber2008]

Still, looking for an answer to the question: how many hours would replacement of a sewer lateral (5 ft. deep, 15-20 ft. long) take?

Like I said, there is no way we can answer that.

Follow the advice as presented above... ;)

[joypulv]

I'll take a wild guess at 4 hours @ 150/hr to excavate, depending on access, large trees, overhead wires, etc, and slightly less to backfill, depending on how nice you want it and how tamped down. So maybe about $1100.
"Don't quote me!"

[massplumber2008]

Definitely a WILD guess, Joypulv... definitely!

[joypulv]

I couldn't help it! I tried to stay out of it!

[massplumber2008]

I understand...

Tell you what, I'll match your wild guess with one of my own... somewhere around $5000.00 or so... at least in my area!

And now Harum better understands why we don't usually throw prices out...LOL!!

[joypulv]

Why 5K? Are 2 men and a backhoe 150/hr where you are? Times 33 hours?

[massplumber2008]

Joypulv, if you know anything about running a contracting business you would know that there isn't a legitimate excavating company that will bid a job like this based on the hour. There is also no plumbing contractor that would either... too many unknowns. There are also permit costs, inspections, testing requirements, etc., never mind delivery and pick up of the excavating equipment.

Anyway, you and I have clearly demonstrated exactly why we do not offer GUESSES on jobs like this or any other kind on the plumbing page. As I suggested in the beginning of the thread, labor costs and conditions under which jobs are done vary too much city to city, state to state, and county to county, etc.

The only helpful answer here is the original answer me and Milo presented to Harum...get three estimates from local companies.

[harum]

I'll take a wild guess at 4 hours @ 150/hr to excavate, depending on access, large trees, overhead wires, etc, and slightly less to backfill, depending on how nice you want it and how tamped down. So maybe about $1100.
"Don't quote me!"

Thank you! This is what I was looking for -- several hours. Meaning, not several days or under one hour.