The last thing any homeowner wants to deal with is a sewer line problem in their home. This can be caused by a sagging or broken line, or there may be a significant clog prevent the sewer line from working correctly. When the sewerage cannot move through the line it has to go somewhere, and this is when a sewer backup occurs. This is an unsanitary and very messy problem, and it has to be fixed quickly to make the home habitable again. This is when a homeowner will contact a local certified plumber for sewer service estimate. In this article, we will give you some insight into the process and what you can expect.
4 General Initial Questions
When you contact your local certified plumber for a service quote, it’s likely that you will be asked some initial questions over the phone. The service team uses this method to get a better general idea about the kind of problems that you’re experiencing in your home. The exact questions asked may vary slightly, but generally speaking, they are designed to garner the same information. Here are the four initial questions that you should be asked.
Do you have lower level plumbing fixtures, such as a floor drain, a bathroom or a laundry basin in your home? If the answer is yes, are any of these fixtures clogged and backed up?
Does the sewer backup have a foul sewage odor?
Does this backup get any worse if you run other plumbing fixtures?
Has this problem occurred before, and if it has, when did it last happen?
The answers to these questions will help the plumber to determine how serious the problem is and how they should respond. If the plumber thinks that you may have a main drain clog, they will consider this to be an emergency, and they can dispatch a technician as soon as possible. If the sewer backup is less serious, it’s likely that the plumbing company will arrange an in-home consultation at a mutually convenient time.
An In-home Consultation
The estimate process can be carried out in your home; a plumbing technician will bring a sewer line camera to investigate the extent of the problem. The camera is gently fed into the drain; this will provide visual feedback, and sensors in the camera will help pinpoint the exact location. Then the plumber will outline how to proceed to get the problem fixed; the following four points should be covered in detail.
The technician should explain what they’ve found, the camera can provide a very detailed diagnosis, and this will give you a clear idea of the type of problem encountered. The technician will explain the options, and this will allow you to make an informed decision on how to proceed.
Depending on the exact nature of the problem, there could be more than one way to fix the sewer line problem. A sewer line repair may be possible, but in many cases, a replacement will be a better option. The location of the problem will also determine how the process will take place. In some cases, a trenchless replacement may be possible, and this is good news. A trenchless repair is faster, and it creates far less disruption in your home and yard.
Once you’ve decided on a course of action, it’s time for the plumber to provide you with an estimate for the work. The camera inspection is very thorough, so the quote needs to be accurate with no hidden extras. In very rare cases, there could be a problem with an unforeseen factor, but this should be explained before any further work is carried out.
The plumbing company will then gather all of the details that they will need to carry our the sewer line service. This information will help the plumber to plan out the repair or replacement in the most efficient way possible. This should help the process to go smoothly and minimize the disruption in your home as much as possible.
An in-home sewer line inspection and consultation can vary in length from 1 hour up to 3 hours. The timing can vary depending on access issues, the scale of the backup, and the inherent complexity of your sewer line system.
10 Questions to Ask During the Sewer Estimate Process
The best way to evaluate a plumbing company before they begin work is to ask some pertinent questions. This can be a daunting process because most people are not formally trained plumbers, and they don’t know what to ask. In this section, we will look at ten questions that you can ask a potential plumber.
Do you have insurance?
Are you OSHA certified?
Are you licensed?
Do you guarantee a drug free workplace?
Do you use sub-contractors?
What is your warranty?
How many sewer repairs or replacements do you handle each month?
Will the quoted price increase after work has started?
Will you use a camera to inspect the sewer line?
Do you carry out background checks?
The answers should be self explanatory; your plumber needs to be licensed and insured to ensure that they are safe to work in your home. The workers should be drug free, and if sub-contractors are used, they must have background checks. The last thing you need is criminals working in your home when you’re distracted with other matters. After the work is completed, you should have a warranty to guarantee the work. A longer or extended warranty is preferred to offer you greater protection for a longer period of time.
It’s also important to have a physical location, you may need a point of contact, and less reputable plumbing companies will not have a place of business that you can visit. This is a very easy way to separate the genuine plumbing companies from those that you want to avoid. As far as pricing goes, you can always seek multiple quotes and choose the one that suits your budget.
If you need a sewer service estimate, contact your local certified plumber for expert help. A great plumber will carry out the processes mentioned above and offer a clear quote to fix the problem.
By Giovanni Longo President Flood Brothers Plumbing
Giovanni Longo is a 3rd generation master plumber who has been practicing his craft and trade in the greater Los Angeles area for well over a decade and a half. A plumbing and hydraulics-engineering innovator, Giovanni’s particular world-class expertise focuses on dealing with challenging sewer system designs as well as resolving complex commercial and residential draining issues. As a certified Flood Mitigation expert, he is also well versed in a wide variety of water damage and remediation solution.
