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Buying & Selling: Looking Below Ground
It’s hot, hot, hot right now and not just because it’s summer. Local real estate is doing quite well, and in conjunction with that, we are getting a lot of calls from realtors and homeowners. How should you address issues with your sewer system? How can you be proactive as a buyer? Here are some helpful tips when it comes to inspections, issues and closing the deal, that both sellers and buyers should know.
First, ongoing maintenance is critical. If you have records showing yearly maintenance of your drains by a reputable drain cleaner, this is a sign to a buyer that you have cared for your property and have kept damaging root intrusion at bay. If, however, you have had to clean your drains more frequently, this could be a sign that you need to address a repair or replacement of your sewer service. Beware of Drano-type products that are dangerous and can actually eat away at your piping. A foaming root killer like Bio-Clean is better.
Second, get a video inspection of your sewer service. This is pretty much standard procedure in the home inspection process nowadays. Most general home inspectors don’t offer this service and will either subcontract out or refer to a contractor, such as Joe Frei Excavating. We can assess the condition of your line, and give you an honest recommendation of what you need to do. On average, we charge $100 to $150 for a typical sewer inspection (expect to pay $125-$500 from local rooter-type companies). Beware of contractors that advertise free inspections – their sole intention is to sell you a new line.
Third, if you are a first-time buyer, you should know that as a homeowner, the sewer service is the homeowner’s responsibility, from the house to the point in the street or alley that it intersects with the city’s main line. The service, usually a 4″ line made of plastic, cast iron, clay tile or fibrous orangeberg, is rarely covered by a homeowner’s insurance policy. Average replacement costs start at a minimum of $6,000 so you can see why it’s important to know the condition of the line. Is the seller going to pay for a new line if needed? Are you prepared to have it replaced at some point in the future? This is one of the larger costs when it comes to owning a home – make sure you are informed.
Fourth, know what to expect from an inspection. When we camera a line, we are looking for root intrusion, low spots or bellies, damage to the pipe, poor workmanship and breakage. There are many, many times when we can pinpoint the exact location of an issue and just repair the troublesome spot. Do not feel pressured to replace your whole line if the rest of it is in great shape. And if you need a flash drive for your records, we can provide that.
Fifth, know that there is a segment of this industry that is all about high-pressure sales. There’s “conveniently” a crew that just happens to be around the corner that fix your line right now. You might feel as if you are backed into a corner if you are selling your home, have a sewer issue, and are afraid to lose a contract. Get a second opinion! Last week, a homeowner called us for a sewer replacement. He already had it camera’d by another company, who gave him a pretty high bid for replacement. We bid it for considerably less (thousands!) and when we showed up with our equipment, Joe camera’d the line again. It was a perfect line! Joe could not, in good conscience, replace this homeowner’s perfectly intact service and we pulled off the job. Do your homework, ask your neighbors and friends for referrals, and call the city or county utility inspectors to see if a company you are considering is efficient and passing their inspections the first time.
Buying or selling a home can be exciting, stressful and full of new experiences. If you would like more information about the utilities in your home, or one you are planning to purchase, give us a call at (719)447-1114. Phone calls and estimates are free!
Sewer Maintenance VS Sewer Repair
Buying Time vs. Fixing the Problem:
When it becomes more cost effective to perform a sewer repair rather than sewer maintenance.
Is drain cleaning a long term solution for sewer lines that back up?
No. Mechanical snaking and hydro jetting are maintenance solutions designed to clear soft blockages and hair-thin roots; but won’t repair structural defects, can can actually make them worse in some situations.
If your residential lateral has a belly, structural fracture, or heavy root intrusion, recurring cleanings only buy temporary time while the underlying pipe damage worsens. Paying a few hundred dollars each year might just delay the inevitable, and getting it fixed permanently could save you a lot of money in the long run.
The Hidden Risk of Repeated Root Cutting
Many homeowners in older Colorado Springs neighborhoods attempt to manage tree root intrusions by hiring a drain technician to snake the line annually. While this temporarily restores wastewater flow, it creates a false sense of security. After replacing hundreds of sewer lines over the years, it’s clear that repeated and frequent cleanings are not risk-free.
- The Band-Aid Effect: Mechanical blades and high-pressure hydro jetting tools can only cut the roots growing inside the barrel of the pipe. It doesn’t address the roots sitting in the cracks, waiting to come right back
- Root Thickness Expansion: Over time, the roots left outside the pipe continue to mature and thicken. Acting like a wooden wedge inside a split log, these expanding roots slowly push the old clay or PVC joints apart.
- Accelerated Structural Failure: As the cracks widen, wastewater leaks out, washing away the surrounding soil. This hollows out the ground beneath the pipe, causing the line to lose its structural bedding, drop its downward grade, and can ultimately collapse. Not to mention, it is a major health hazard.
- Line Degradation: In Orangeburg lines (commonly used throughout the southern parts of Colorado Springs) repeated cleaning can slowly thin out the walls of the pipe or chip off the ‘blisters’ that are notorious for forming at the bottom of these lines, making it easier for roots to come in or increasing the likelihood of a collapse. Having pipe-bursted and repaired orangeburg lines throughout Security-Widefield and the Springs, these lines are notorious for building up quickly and even collapsing unexpectedly.
When to Stop Snaking and Start Replacing
If you are forcing a mechanical cutter down your main sewer line more than once a year, it is just delaying the inevitable. Continuing to run aggressive cutting blades through a fragile, cracked pipeline increases the risk of punching a hole through the pipe wall, and which could trigger a collapse and blockage, resulting in a backup into the home and needing an emergency repair.
It is recommended to also have your line scoped before and after a cleaning to check for potential issues to address before they become a costly emergency.
Before cleaning: look for offsets or breaks that could be made WORSE by running a cutter or hydrojet through the line
After cleaning: look for breaks or offsets that were covered up by roots or debris that could indicate a more permanent repair is needed.
While a cleaning may seem cheaper in the short term, permanent repairs done proactively can end up saving you hundreds or even thousands of dollars compared to waiting until it becomes an emergency. Here is why:
- Having a contractor pull a last-minute emergency permit for certain types of repairs can cost you significantly more
- Overtime inspections that CSU has to do on the repairs (late afternoons or weekends) can be several hundred dollars more than a normally scheduled one, especially when certain repairs (like those involving asphalt or concrete repair in the right-of-way) require multiple inspections
- The best and most reliable contractors are usually booking jobs 1-2 weeks in advance and can’t always guarantee that they can move their schedule around for an emergency. Waiting to the last minute could mean you may not end up with a top-quality company…
If you want to be proactive and schedule an inspection, here are a few of our trusted sources to evaluate your sewer line:
Joe Frei Excavating (shameless plug): 719-447-1114
Mainline Services: 303-596-5803
https://www.mymainlineservices.com/colorado
Arrow Drain Cleaning: 719-651-8072
Colorado Springs Homeowner’s Guide to Sewer Repair
What are the common types of residential sewer pipe failures and how are they fixed?
Residential sewer line failures typically fall into five categories: structural root intrusions, bellies, offset joints (positive and negative), fractures, and total pipe collapses. In Colorado Springs, these failures are heavily accelerated by the region’s expansive bentonite clay soils and historic tree canopies. Permanent remedies range from trenchless pipe bursting to traditional open-cut excavation, with local repair costs averaging $4,500 to $12,000+ depending on length, depth, and utility line proximity.
1. Tree Root Intrusion
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What It Is: Tree roots penetrate vintage pipe joints (especially older clay tile and cast iron) to access moisture, growing into dense root mats that trap solid waste. As they grow, they can even cause the joints to separate or crack.
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Preferred Remedy: Mechanical snaking or hydro jetting provides immediate relief but serves only as a temporary fix. Permanent structural remediation requires trenchless sewer repair such as CIPP (Cured-In-Place Pipe) lining to seal the joints, or pipe bursting if structural integrity is compromised.
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Colorado Springs Cost Guide: $150 to $600 for cleaning; $4,500 to $10,000+ for permanent trenchless structural lining, depending on the length being replaced. Linear pricing may range from $95-$140 per foot, with $/ft typically decreasing as the repaired footage increases.
2. Sewer Line “Belly” (Sag)
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What It Is: A structural low spot where a section of the lateral line sags below the proper downward slope, causing wastewater and solids to pool and form chronic blockages.
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Local Causes: Saturated, highly expansive bentonite clay soils heaving and shifting along the Front Range, or improper bedding during the home’s initial construction.
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Preferred Remedy: Traditional open-trench excavation is mandatory. Trenchless sewer repair methods cannot correct a slope issue; an excavator must physically dig the line, remove the shifting clay, pack the trench with a stable stone aggregate base, and relay new PVC pipe to establish a permanent downward grade.
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Colorado Springs Cost Guide: $4,500 to $12,000+ (deep lines requiring specialized shoring run on the higher end).
3. Offset Joints (Positive vs. Negative)
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What It Is: A misalignment where two sections of pipe shift vertically or horizontally, breaking the seamless flow line.
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Positive Offset: The upstream pipe segment sits higher than the downstream segment. This creates an internal “waterfall” effect that allows escaping wastewater to potentially erode the supporting soil outside the joint.
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Negative Offset: The downstream pipe sits higher than the upstream pipe. This creates an immediate “dam” that catches toilet paper and debris, resulting in backups.
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Preferred Remedy: Sectional point repair liners for single-joint failures; complete pipe bursting or open-cut trenching for multiple offsets across the line.
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Colorado Springs Cost Guide: $3,000 to $7,500 for a structural point repair; $6,500 to $12,000 for full lateral replacement depending on repair method used.
4. Structural Cracks and Fractures
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What It Is: Longitudinal or circumferential breaks in the pipe wall that leak raw wastewater into the surrounding lawn.
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Preferred Remedy: If the pipe is structurally sound and round, trenchless sewer repair with CIPP epoxy lining creates a seamless “pipe within a pipe” without destroying landscaping. If the pipe is structural fragile or significantly deformed, total pipe bursting or open trench replacement is required.
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Colorado Springs Cost Guide: $80 to $250 per linear foot for trenchless replacement.
5. Total Pipe Collapse (Malformation)
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What It Is: The pipe completely loses its structural integrity, pancaking or crumbling inward, which entirely stops water flow.
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Local Causes: Advanced age, extreme structural pressure from shifting soils, or severe root masses that have split ancient clay tile pipelines apart over decades.
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Preferred Remedy: This is a critical infrastructure failure. Full mechanical replacement via traditional excavation or heavy-duty pipe bursting is required. All replacements must be permitted and pass a physical on-site inspection by Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) personnel before backfilling.
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Colorado Springs Cost Guide: $6,000 to $15,000+ (highly dependent on whether the line runs beneath concrete driveways, porches, or city sidewalks).
Important Pricing Notes:
The exact price for a particular type of repair can vary greatly based on the local situation. The following factors will influence the pricing you may receive from contractors:
- Length & Depth: >8ft deep gets more expensive due to additional safety measures and larger excavation equipment required. The longer and/or deeper a repair is, the more time and wear/tear it takes on the heavy equipment used to perform these jobs.
- Local Utilities: nearby gas, water, electric, or fiber lines can make the repair process slower or require additional measures to safely excavate around.
- Permitting: cutting into a street, alley, or sidewalk require permits with the municipality which the contractor must be licensed for and pay in order to perform the repair
- Restoration: if removal and repair of concrete or asphalt is involved, this is a significant cost the contractor typically covers in their estimate.
Pro Tip: Always get a second opinion on your sewer repair!!!
Not all contractors have the same overhead or repair methods available. The best thing you can do is get a second opinion to make sure that the first estimate you received isn’t wildly overpriced (we’ve seen other contractors quote 2x what we charge)
If you’re considering a repair, or would just like a second opinion, please reach out and we are happy to help!
Already had an inspection done? Send us the report and video and we can usually have an estimate back to you within 48 hours.
Phone: 719-447-1114
Email: office@joefreiexcavating.com
Mmmm…. tacos ….
We did our part for National Taco Day today! 17 tacos from La Casita!
Fore!
Installing a new bunker? Nope, just finishing up after directional boring 900′ of irrigation at the East Course.
Dump Truck Fun!
Loading concrete from a driveway in Broadmoor Glen today….. installed sewer cleanouts for easy access!
What is a Sand/Oil Interceptor?
Commercial properties have a different set of rules when it comes to drainage. For businesses that use water for car washes or for vehicles maintenance, a sand/oil interceptor needs to be installed to capture dirt, sand, minor petroleum spills, etc. that enter floor drains and keep them out of the municipality’s wastewater system. The water is filtered through the interceptor and continues on to the main, clean and not harmful to the environment. Click here for typical guidelines. In this case our favorite equipment dealer, Steel Tractor, needed the interceptor installed per the City of Fountain, as well as downspout extensions rerouted.
Going Trenchless in Broadmoor
Last week, we replaced a customer’s sewer service via pipeburst. It’s important to note that the house was under contract and the last thing the seller wanted was to turn their home over to the new owners with an ugly trench-scar in the yard. By digging two small holes, we were able to limit damage to the beautiful lawn. In fact, you can’t even see where we dug up by the house (though you might be about to spot the white caps from the new cleanouts we installed).
Using two trenchless methods, we pipeburst new pipe in from the house to the cleanouts, and then were able to install a liner for the rest of the way to the main. Shout out to Eric Scott of Stuart Scott LTD Group for being great to work with.
It’s Just Gotta Be a Good Life
Feelin’ the love from our customers. Handwritten thank-you notes AND a gift card to Cold Stone! (Shout out to Jennifer Montoya of Coldwell Banker for being so excellent to work with.) Last week, it was a bowl of highly coveted Mrs. Mac’s homemade caramels….! Life is good here at JFE.
