We bought our current house two years ago. The previous owner said he had some minor trouble with roots from some bushes that were planted right over the sewer line. He took out the bushes and didn’t have any more trouble.
Months later our sewage backed up. We had it rooted out ($250) and were fine for many months. We used the root kill stuff. Then it backed up again. We had it rooted out ($250) and we were fine for more months. Then it backed up again.
I got a phone call at work: Bad news. The line (terra cotta) had started to collapse at a connection point. It would be about $4000 to dig up and fix the connection point and run new line over to the city’s main.
Another phone call: Bad news. The city’s main is 185yds out back. It’ll probably be more like $6000.
Another phone call: Good news and bad news. The connection to the main is actually 15yds from the line, not 185yds. But the line going from under the house to the connection is full of roots. They can root it out, but the problem will reoccur again and again. They need to replace that section of line, too. But that section of line runs under the garage. They have to dig up half the driveway and run all new line. $8500.
Another phone call: More bad news. The connection under the house is bad. More pipes must be replaced as what was originally there is actually electrical conduit masquerading as pipe. $10,000.
I hate sewage lines. Thinking about it still makes me want to cry.
The year before our nextdoor neighbors had theirs replaced. They did have the unfortunate “way out back” connection, and they’ve got hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of rare plants planted all over it. They had trenchless replacement and it cost ~$12,000. It was a very long run. They also had to have some lines under the house replaced while they were at it. If it’s not a straight run (ours had an elbow in it) they can’t do trenchless.
Another victim of tree roots here. I had cracks all allong about 100 feet of pipe, but the worst was where the pipe connected to the city tap…roots had basically crushed it. I was offered the option of using a fast-setting epoxy that they use to coat the inside of the pipes. They priced it per foot, but they weren’t going to just do a couple feet where the problems are, because that can act as a catch for more debris.
My number one highest recommendation is find someone who has had similar or more complicated work done by someone they liked, and use that person. There are enough complete idiots out there that you can get seriously screwed.
The first guys that came out were responsive and seemed professional. They started the work, thinking they could simply insert a 4 inch sleeve into the existing 6 inch pipe. When they dug it up, they discovered the existing pipe was already only 4 inches…Their new plan was to apologize, tell me they would be back to finish the work, and then never ever show up again (they left this last part out when they told me the plan). They never got paid, either, except for the original rooting.
I had various other quotes ranging from 9K to 11K, then I found the guy my BIL hired to do his, including filling an old septic tank and hooking up to the city sewer. The guy was responsive, professional, and did an awesome job with a seamless crush-proof pipe (I watched him drive his truck over a section that was not installed) for less than anyone prior.
One way to find out would be to file a claim. The folks at the Public Works Department should be able to give you a claim form. Heck, the forms might even be online.
Another word regarding terra cotta pipes: they are notorious here for simply crumbling away. I know a construction inspector who was telling me one day about a sewer main rehab project he was working on. He said that a lot of the service lines weren’t there anymore - there were basically just long tubular holes in the ground, still carrying gray water.
If you have terra cotta, you might want to check on its condition periodically.
Regarding sewer cameras: getting a line done used to be quite expensive, but I believe the cost has come down as the technology became more common. The two types I typically see are either a camera mounted on a body with tracks (like dozer tracks) or an ‘eyeball’ type which is a camera mounted on the end of a snake. Obviously, if your line is six inches in diameter or smaller, you’ll probably use the ‘eyeball’ type. The one on the ‘tracked’ body is typically used for main lines. It is probably eight to ten inches wide.
Scoping the line generally costs 150 - 200 around here, and a reputable company won’t be able to tell you much without scoping it. Of course, then they keep the tape if they make one so you can’t replay it for other companies coming in to do estimates.
Oh absolutely - permits from the city prior to replacement and an inspection from … the code inspector? building inspector? one of those … after installation. We hired a licensed plumber who came very well recommended on Angie’s List from the moment the toilet water hit the floor.
WinkieHubby really did want to play with the trencher when it was parked in our yard overnight, though.