does it make sense that i am charged 9800 for a plumbing job?

Question

Sewer main clay pipe was cracked allowing severe root growth causing backups in units a and b. Additionally, the cracked caused a shift in the joint creating a belly of standing water in the pipe. Cut out a section of the concrete sidewalk in front of units 370 and 372, trenched to access sewer main branch line for spot repair. Cut out affected section of clay pipe from egress clean out to main line tie in. Repiped with new ABS pipe, connecting with stainless steel shielded transition couplings. Performed leak test and backfilled, compacting under new pipe to prevent shifting. Poured concrete to grade with broom finish. Cleaned property, ran camera for final inspection to verify root intrusions and shift were corrected.

this is the job description without an itemized pricing.

thank you

this is the job description without an itemized pricing.

thank you

Willson Dinayen · Answer

Mike, I would not call $9,800 fair or unfair from the description alone. Sewer work turns on feet, depth, and what is under the concrete, and a lump sum does not show any of that.

Before approving it, I would get three things in writing: the length replaced and trench depth, whether the permit and inspection are included, and the final camera footage showing the new pipe and the joints on either side. Keep that footage with the invoice.

I would also ask whether the rest of the clay line was scoped. Roots rarely stop at one joint, and a second backup in units A and B will cost more than a camera run. Get a second bid on that same written scope, and then you are comparing prices, not a price to a paragraph.

Kyle Jones · Answer

Mike, the part I'd worry about isn't just whether $9,800 was fair. It's whether you paid to fix one section of an old clay line and the next backup is already sitting a few feet away.

- Ask for the camera video of the whole run, from the cleanout all the way to the tie-in at the street, not just the section they replaced. If there are more cracked joints or roots past the repair, you want to know now.

- Ask for the bill broken out: feet of pipe replaced, trench depth, square feet of sidewalk cut and repoured, and whether a permit and city sign-off were included. That's the only way to compare it with another plumber's number.

- Get the warranty on the repaired section in writing, including the new couplings and the concrete.

- Find the tree. Roots found water once, and they'll go looking for the next weak joint in the old clay.

If the full video shows the rest of the line is clean, the price is a lot easier to live with. If it doesn't, the bigger bill is still coming, and it's better to budget for it now than find out from another backup.

Kyle

JD Martin · Answer

No good way to answer. How many feet of sidewalk? How many feet of pipe? How deep?

Divin Kanyama · Answer

@Mike Young The scope reads like a legitimate, complete repair. Spot-repairing the clay line from the cleanout to the main tie-in, using shielded couplings, leak testing, compacting under the new pipe, and finishing with a camera inspection is the right way to fix a belly and root intrusion. The camera run at the end is the part I'd want in writing.

But without a price breakdown, I can't tell you yes or no. Sewer work varies a lot by depth, length of the run, and how much concrete gets cut and replaced. A single lump sum could be fair or padded, and there's no way to tell from this.

Before approving, I'd ask for:

· Labor, materials, and concrete work priced separately

· The length of pipe being replaced and the trench depth

· Whether the permit and inspection are included

· A copy of the final camera footage

· Warranty terms on the pipe and the concrete

It's also worth getting a second bid on the same scope. If the number holds up once it's itemized, I'd say yes, since this is a repair you don't want to put off. If they won't break it down, that tells you something too. Keep in mind I'm only going off this write-up, so a licensed plumber who has seen the line should have the final say on scope and price.

Richard F. · Answer

Without a visual of the area they were working, it does not seem out of line. I am assuming duly licensed and insured contractors were used.

I really question the partial replacement however. Roots are not usually limited to one or two joints, and once the tree finds the water source, other roots will shift towards it. Did you view the video for the full run of sewer line to the street connection, or are you just accepting their assessment of condition? Odds are that there are, or soon will be, other issues based on the age of the clay pipe. Furthermore, unless the main waste lines inside the units has been updated, plan on that project soon as well. Cast iron and galvanized lines both will corrode from the inside out, causing sections to develop hairline cracks often full length that will very slowly seep, causing extensive damage behind the walls.

does it make sense that i am charged 9800 for a plumbing job?

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