Step 1. Locating the main line
One factor that can greatly affect the cost of sewer line replacement is the location of the main. The manhole cover is usually located near the road, on the side of your street or in the middle of the street. Or worse, it can be on the other side of the street, which will be more costly in this case.
Step 2. Finding the house trap
Another important thing to find out is the house trap which can either be outside in the yard or inside the basement. If outside, it would be much easier to perform the replacement, meaning it will be less costly than when it’s in the basement. This is because the plumber needs to cut the concrete floor open to access and remove it.
Step 3. Checking for any obstructions
Once the house trap is located, it would be safe to assume where the line runs out to the road. If so, the next thing to know is whether there are some major obstructions along the pipeline. Are there big trees and other major structures that significantly obstruct the line? If yes, then a sewer line replacement will be costlier.
In addition to these factors, there are other things that affect the total price of the job. These can include the distance of the sewer line and the fact that there could be other utilities that may be located in the same trench, making the project more complicated and so, more expensive. Another factors are the possible requirements of the city that govern the project, and the size of the existing sewer. So, overall, before you decide to take on sewer line replacement project or if it’s necessary, keep those things in mind to know what to expect.