All Forum Posts by: Ben Nantell
Ben Nantell has started 7 posts and replied 14 times.
Post: Blockage in main sewer line

- Contractor
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Posts 14
- Votes 8
@Joshua D. Thank you Joshua!
Post: Blockage in main sewer line

- Contractor
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Posts 14
- Votes 8
@Michael Gessner there is a big tree in the front yard that could be problematic with its roots. But roto rooter said they couldn’t hydro jet from
The catch basin. I’ve gotten a few other opinions. Hydro jetting seems like it should work for the issue and the cost on that is much less.
Post: Blockage in main sewer line

- Contractor
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Posts 14
- Votes 8
@Michael Gessner thank you Michael. It’s a clay pipe. They didn’t think the pipe was collapsed but they couldn’t tell the issue. The camera went dark and they basically stopped and went to find where the camera was in the line and told me at that point what needed to be done.
Post: Blockage in main sewer line

- Contractor
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Posts 14
- Votes 8
Hi BP community. I recently bought a 3 flat in Chicago. First investment property, doing the house hack to start. I'm 6 weeks into owning it and the garden unit tenants are having sewer back up into their shower basin. I had Roto Rooter come out to power rod the pipes. They got about 65 feet down the line from the catch basin and he was telling me it was getting stuck. They brought in a camera and basically pushed it down the line until there was just backed up water and it became black on the camera. They didn't offer any other solutions besides excavating through the concrete down to the main line to add an access line. They quoted some number around $9,000. This was a big shock to hear. Does anyone have any other possible ideas for a solution? I called a few other plumbers and they can do a power rod / hydro jet for between $2,000-$2,500 but there is no full guarantee that will solve the issue. Would it be better to just get the line repaired? Should I look into replacing the entire main sewer line? Do you think just the hydro jetting will be a good solution? Please help