New sewer line

Hello, I had my main line cleaned out because the toilets backed up. In the camera I was shown roots in the sewer line. Plumber said maybe it would work, maybe not. After 2 weeks, toilets still sluggish, so I called another plumber and told him the problem and asked if using any chemical product would help the problem. (I'd heard from internet sites and on that plumbers webpage that it can sometimes work.) He came out today and said he needed to confirm that the problem was the sewer line and charged 285 to do another camera. I agreed thinking he would then give me an estimate if I did need to replace the line or if the chemical process would work. After he saw the backed-up sewer line, he said that with more water going in it would eventually back up into the house. Said I needed to replace the line, but would have to charge me 125.00 more to pinpoint where it could be replaced. Then said after pinpointing he still wouldn't know the price of the job till he found how far down the line was.I felt uncomfortable and said no to doing the pinpointing because I felt that the extra charges were beginning to happen with each new sentence. He said the job could run from 2800 to 13,000. Are there reputable plumbers I could call who can give me a price on the job without all these little extra charges and who can know almost for sure what the problem is? I feel the 285 for the camera was absolutely worthless as I already knew the sewer line had cracks and roots causing slow drainage.
Thanks--a frustrated home owner.

You need to ask around in your area.

frances said:

He said the job could run from 2800 to 13,000. Are there reputable plumbers I could call who can give me a price on the job without all these little extra charges and who can know almost for sure what the problem is? I feel the 285 for the camera was absolutely worthless as I already knew the sewer line had cracks and roots causing slow drainage.
Thanks--a frustrated home owner.

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I'm going to try to give you another perspective.
The camera he used, somewhere from $5K to $10K, depending if he bought it new or used.
Be VERY careful what you look for, there is a VAST difference between reputable and cheap.
Cheap gets you a handyman with basic hand tools, a shovel and some duct tape.
Reputable gets you a knowledgeable licensed/insured plumber with the right tools for the right job, warranties his work and gets it done right the first time so you don't lose sleep.

frances said:

I feel the 285 for the camera was absolutely worthless as I already knew the sewer line had cracks and roots causing slow drainage.

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You are absolutely correct, and that second plumber could have told you "2800 to 13,000" without ever taking that camera out of its bag. All of the charges he did mention, however, would still have been necessary for preparing an actual estimate.

Why did you not call the first plumber back out?

leejosepho said:

Why did you not call the first plumber back out?

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Now thats the $20,000 question.

Now, just to play devil's advocate, since I haven't done drain cleaning for a long time: wouldn't the use of the locator be included in the camera work? I realize he has to use a separate piece of equipment and all, but it can't take very long to find the sonde. And if the equipment is any good at all, wouldn't it automatically read the depth? Enquiring minds want to know.

I'm planning to do drain cleaning at a future date, and often bump heads with a local drain cleaner who could use some info since he just got his first camera.

Herk said:

Now, just to play devil's advocate, since I haven't done drain cleaning for a long time: wouldn't the use of the locator be included in the camera work? I realize he has to use a separate piece of equipment and all, but it can't take very long to find the sonde. And if the equipment is any good at all, wouldn't it automatically read the depth? Enquiring minds want to know.

I'm planning to do drain cleaning at a future date, and often bump heads with a local drain cleaner who could use some info since he just got his first camera.

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All depends on the equipment. Oh and the person using it.

Drain cleaning equipment and a camera with locator means late nights and holidays away from family. The price tag is way to high for me and I don't mean $$$.

sewer line-old plumber

The reason I didn't call the other plumbing company back was that the people who used to do the work there (who I was happy with in the past) have since either gone somewhere else (plumbing company wouldn't tell me where they could be located) or have retired. The guy they sent out this time to do the snaking didn't do a good job even on the main line, so a different man was sent out to re-do it. His attitude was not the kind of attitude I'd want around me or my family if a big job was needed. Plus, I checked with neighbors and they'd had the same problems with the new owners. Sending "rookies" out, and then the neighbors finally having to hire other plumbers after many mistakes--so that convinced me for sure. So, I began looking for someone else on the internet. The guy I had this recent incident with had been recommended by a TV ombudsman as "a good guy" on the plumbers website. But after he left and I had the bill with his Contractors License # on it, I checked with the Board and he has many unresolved complaints. Should have checked his license first. Also just went to the city permit dept. and this plumber doesn't even have the kind of license that would be needed if it turned into a sewer lateral repair. That confirmed to me that I was just ripped off.

from the city

The man at the city Public Works dept. said most of these kinds of problems can be solved with a hydro jet cleaning and that some plumbers are all too willing to tear up a line because they get more money. Really upsets my faith in humanity.

frances said:

The man at the city Public Works dept. said most of these kinds of problems can be solved with a hydro jet cleaning and that some plumbers are all too willing to tear up a line because they get more money. Really upsets my faith in humanity.

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I do drain cleaning often enough to know that running a cable down a line is well and good but replacing the line is better.

The guy at the city desk is not in the field and should keep his mouth shut.

A jetting machine is great, but costs a lot more than a snake. You will never get a warranty longer than a year. Your roots will grow back and you will end up paying for it again.

If you dug it up with whom ever is on the town list of pro's that can do the work get it done.

Problem solved no more sewer running into your house.

I always think that if you have chronic root problems, it's time to replace the pipe. It's pretty hard to get the roots to stop growing and the condition of the pipe just keeps getting worse.

In addition to plugging, you've got a sewer that's leaking into the ground instead of a city sewer or septic tank.

It will always pick the worst times to plug up. Emergency drain cleaning is not cheap, it keeps adding up.

It is sewer work there is nothing clean about it. The prices never go down and the work gets harder.

Why bother trying to patch the problem just fix it right the first time and never think of it again

Snaking and Root-X are just postponing the inevitable replacement... The question is when you have had enough!

If you pay for a camera inspection the price of the camera should include the inspection, locating, a vhs tape or, dvd of the inspection. You should also witness the inspection and making of the video! This should be dicussed up front. If he will not provide information that can be used to obtain quotes from others, tell him he is welcome to inspect it for free and give a quote... have a nice day!

Inspections should not be $285 for the inspection, $150 for locating, $100 to make a tape, $150 to get an extension cord out of the truck to plug it in, $10 per basement stair it gets carried down etc.etc.

You were right you had a pirate in your home!

thank you

Thanks all for the information and opinions. I absolutely agree that to replace is better, but I am on a fixed income and to spend a couple of hundred to jet once or twice a year is a more affordable situation than to replace. When I sell the house, then those things can be done and can come out of the selling price. Now to hope the hydrojetting works.