What's going on with my sewer drain?

[Niloc75]

Nope. Are you recommending them based on our pricing discussion in this thread?

Have you contacted Pioneer Plumbing in Ballard?

Pioneer Plumbing, Heating & Sewer Solutions | Seattle, WA

Our certified, licensed, and insured Seattle plumbers are experienced in handling all plumbing emergencies from leaky faucets to full sewer repair.

pioneerplumbing.biz

206-789-8029

 

[Terry]

Nope. Are you recommending them based on our pricing discussion in this thread?

I've known the owner since the 70's
He runs about twenty guys, and they do work on sewer lines and also plumbing.
I missed an earlier post of yours. Did they come out today and take a look?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jeff H Young]

I've never seen a plan like that showing drain line in the house and would ignore the drawing its pretty useless camera and locate if necessary .

 

[Niloc75]

Pioneer came out today, and they had the best price (at least for the initial portion of the work). Thanks for the recommendation. I got 3 estimates in total. One was in the Pioneer price range, the other, from "2 sons plumbing", was almost twice as high for the exact same work order. Seems to provide evidence for my theory that some companies are gouging unwitting customers.

 

[Niloc75]

By the way, the price from Pioneer was ~$5400, including permits and sales tax. The work order is:

1) excavate approx 7' down at NE corner of house and install a dual cleanout
2) hydrojet to remove the blockage, which is approx 80 feet from basement cleanout
3) once blockage removed, investigate further down the line

assuming the blockage is removed and there are no other major issues beyond that point, I'm getting the impression that I don't really need to line the (clay) sewer at this point...

any additional ideas/thoughts are welcome.

 

[John Gayewski]

Based on what little we have to go on here I'll guess that your sewer has a root problem. It's great they are adding a double cleanout, that what we do. We also try to replace as much of the clay as we can if there's a root problem.

A root problem won't go away even if they clear all of the roots and you treat the piping every year. It'll still need cleared out regularly.

So it's pay me now (replace the pipe, or line the pipe) or pay me later by all of the maintenence.

I'm guessing the more expensive bid went with my theory. That once they get in there it'll be more work than the simple work order. At which point the other guy will probably say "do you want to pay us more to keep going?" you'll say nah and pay later with the maintenence. Or sell the house.

There are more plumbers that want good customers and recommendations, than want to gouge.

 

[Terry]

There are more plumbers that want good customers and recommendations, than want to gouge.

I've known the owner of Pioneer Plumbing since 1980. Some of his guys were my apprentices back in the 70's. They are good guys and that's why I recommended them.
The last time I talked to Brian Larson we talked some about old times. They will be doing the 80 gallon three phase commercial water heaters at Pam's place. He did laugh at the memory of me working there, and how he asked me to quit racing the other plumbers at lunch. They were pulling muscles trying to outsprint me. I was younger then.

 

[Niloc75]

I've decided to change the work order with Pioneer, and wanted to get feedback from this forum. Instead of installing dual clean-outs at NE corner of sewer, I'm proposing that we abandon the sewer line on east side of house entirely, and install one cleanout (or maybe two?) on the North side of house, about 3-5 feet west from the NE corner (where they were originally planning on digging)(see attached drawing). Then I'd have the sewer stack re-directed inside the basement/under the slab heading to North wall/under foundation to meet up with a 'stub-out' that pioneer would provide me. This would make it easier to install a (gravity) toilet in NE corner of basement, and allow me to avoid the belly issue and the original cast iron pipe currently connected to sewer stack. Also about 20 ft less sewer to upgrade/line if/when I decide to that...

Thoughts in general? Any concerns with having new PVC/ABS installed under slab in basement? Ok to just have 2 cleanouts in total, one attached to the stack, and the outside one mentioned above? Any concerns re: bathroom rough-in with this new sewer route?

much appreciated--
(my house is 6020 in the attached sewer map)

 

[ryanwc]

(my house is 6020 in the attached sewer map)

I don't have any advice for you, unfortunately. But seeing this map was a revelation for me. We've had a sewer line clog, and one confusing aspect was that after it was cleared out, the front-yard cleanout had no visible water flow even with several faucets running. So I've wondered whether we have a second connection. I called the city today asking whether they have such a map, but I was doubtful till seeing this.

 

[Jeff H Young]

I don't have any advice for you, unfortunately. But seeing this map was a revelation for me. We've had a sewer line clog, and one confusing aspect was that after it was cleared out, the front-yard cleanout had no visible water flow even with several faucets running. So I've wondered whether we have a second connection. I called the city today asking whether they have such a map, but I was doubtful till seeing this.

Dont assume that every clean out you can see water flowing or that you have 2 sewers coming in. based on what you said Nothing supports that though nothing prooves otherwise either . usually the sewer dept. has as builts that show to the property line and thats about it . but they can have useful info. did you get the info Ryan?

 

[Sylvan]

I worked on a home built in 1865 and it did have 2 sewer lines The front sewer line was connected to a main sewer down hiill and the back sewer entered into the Hudson river

I thought the sewer line entering the Hudson was for storm but after I used dye I found it was also another sanitary line which we capped from entering the Hudson and put in a sewer ejector pit to pump it to the other line