Replacing laterals, surprised by neighbors

[Phil Thien]

The village where I live needed to replace the original sanitary sewer in the street. It is approx. 80 years old. All the houses on this street therefor need new laterals at least to the property line. Our laterals are also nearly 80. Much of this work, I'm told, was done even before the construction of the houses commenced.

We (homeowners) pay for this, at a rate of approx. $50/foot.

Homeowners have the option of having the new laterals run as close to the house as possible, at the same $50/foot. This typically would add 22 feet, so $1100.

All this cost is financed over 10 years at 4%. Or you can write-out a check.

It seems like most of the homeowners are having the new plastic run just to their property line, and leaving their old clay tiles beyond that. I had figured maybe these houses had PVC replacements previously, but the construction guys doing the work said, "nope."

They could get within about seven feet of my foundation (due to my porch), I would have loved to have them get even closer.

I told my wife having them run as far as they could was a "no-brainer," now I think she is wondering who the guy with the no-brain is because so many neighbors aren't paying the extra $1100.

But frankly I'm surprised people aren't having as much clay replaced with plastic, as possible. BTW, the plastic they're using is seamless. All the houses along my street have giant trees in their front yards, and this area supports one or two sewer cleaning services.

Would you pay the extra $1100 and have them run all the way to the house?

BTW, my brother brought up the point that maybe these people aren't planning on staying in their houses for long. The funny thing is, the only others I know of that decided to have the extra work done KNOW they're moving and think it is a selling advantage.

[glenn bradley]

BTW, my brother brought up the point that maybe these people aren't planning on staying in their houses for long. The funny thing is, the only others I know of that decided to have the extra work done KNOW they're moving and think it is a selling advantage.

If the folks declining were planning to sell soon it would make some sense (in their world). I tend to try to leave things nicer than I found them but, that's just me.

[Rich Enders]

In our 15 year old neighborhood the lady next door awoke to ankle deep drain water in her bedroom. Spend the money to get it professionally replaced all the way to your main drain connection.

[Mark Bolton]

I think what you may be missing is that #1 regardless of the "sense" of it, they simply may not have the money nor be willing to float the note (may not even have the money for the monthly payment). And #2 even though people deal with some grief or see others having issues if it ain't broke they will often ride it out.

[David Weaver]

People here would make that choice on money rather than on sense. The exception would be some of the folks who look at their house as something they want to stay on top of, rather than something to do the minimum amount with.

Well, there's another exception, that being the type of owners who care how the house looks, but they could care less about the actual function until disaster. E.g., they'd spend $1100 on watering the lawn for the summer before they'd spend the money on the lateral.

I'd spend the money on the lateral. I can't imagine that it would be cheaper to fix it on your own when it breaks.

[Brian Elfert]

I bought and tore down a condemned house. The previous owner had a stack of invoices from Roto-Rooter for cleaning out the sewer lateral. The lateral was transite which leaked at every joint and tree roots got in. My new house required the sewer lateral to be deeper so an all new PVC sewer lateral was installed all the way to the main. The plumber said the PVC would never get tree roots into it and no issues in twelve years yet.

If I was in a situation where I had to replace part of my clay sewer lateral I would want to replace it as far as possible to avoid tree roots in the lateral.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Phil,

I'd replace it all. It could be more expensive to have them come back to finish it at a later date.

Of course, I am the guy who when I woke up deaf and was forced to retire, I did two things to our home. I replaced the current galvanized domestic water line with a new copper line. I also had our home reroofed. Mind you, the houses on either side of ours had to have their galvanized water lines replaced years before I replaced mine and my home was older than one house and 1 year newer than the other. The roof on our home was 30 years old and when I roofed it, 30 years ago I didn't do a tear off. I did it myself and just added a 2nd layer. Thus, it made sense to do a tear-off this time.

[Stephen Musial]

I definitely wood but Mr. Murphy says that 2 weeks after the work is complete, you're going to have a backup and when they scope the line, they'll find that the clay/iron pipe is broken under the basement floor...

[Phil Thien]

I definitely wood but Mr. Murphy says that 2 weeks after the work is complete, you're going to have a backup and when they scope the line, they'll find that the clay/iron pipe is broken under the basement floor...

LOL, I agree 100%.

[Phil Thien]

I just heard from a neighbor that spoke to the village engineer, and he was told something like only eighteen of eighty people went w/ the full-length laterals.

This neighbor reports he went to a recent committee meeting where it was proposed that the village pay for the costs of the laterals.

The part of the story I didn't provide earlier is that the justification for much of this work is flooding that is occurring in a quieter, more expensive part of the village to my east. I live on a main street, where a big sewer (called the "Hampton Express," because I live on Hampton Rd.) is being replaced not just because it is old, but to try to move more sewage and alleviate backups occurring 1/2 to one mile away from me.

Apparently they are going to tear-up some alleys and now have decided to make said alleys four feet wider. So they're (village) getting some pushback from people that live in $200k houses that don't want to spend $5k+ to fix problems for people that live in $750k houses.

So apparently the board will vote on this and they will decide whether the village will distribute more of the cost of this work among others in the village because it doesn't just benefit us. None of us in the effected areas have any backup/flooding problems.

So crossing my fingers.

[Rich Riddle]

Are they requiring you to use a particular contractor or the city that is charging $50 a foot to run drain pipe? Are you able to get another bid for service?

[Phil Thien]

Are they requiring you to use a particular contractor or the city that is charging $50 a foot to run drain pipe? Are you able to get another bid for service?

No options for other contractors, there is really no means of doing that as they (prime contractor) are the ones doing the excavating.

[Judson Green]

The part of the story I didn't provide earlier is that the justification for much of this work is flooding that is occurring in a quieter, more expensive part of the village to my east. I live on a main street, where a big sewer (called the "Hampton Express," because I live on Hampton Rd.) is being replaced not just because it is old, but to try to move more sewage and alleviate backups occurring 1/2 to one mile away from me.

None of us in the effected areas have any backup/flooding problems.

So crossing my fingers.

I hope for your sake it doesn't just move the problem to your front door or basement. If this could be a problem and I was having this work done, I'd seriously consider having a backflow preventer installed.

[Phil Thien]

I hope for your sake it doesn't just move the problem to your front door or basement. If this could be a problem and I was having this work done, I'd seriously consider having a backflow preventer installed.

I've considered the possibility. Adding a backflow preventer would be a smart move, I think, but may be a challenge due to the configuration of my lines. I should at least ask a plumber what my options are.

[Jim Matthews]

It makes sense to handle something like this in a planned manner, rather than on an emergency basis.

Who wants to be the last of many waiting for a repair service on something essential?
No one really appreciates plumbing, electricity or garbage collection until it stops.

[Mike Berrevoets]

Municipal utility/roadway engineering is what I do for a living. If I were in your shoes I'd get as much replaced as I could for $50/linear foot. The excavator already there and mobilized with equipment is usually the cheapest. Plus, you can get it financed at 4% and another benefit is leverage. If something happens on your lateral during construction or with the lawn restoration the village is holding a sizeable contract and can withhold payment until you are happy.

[Stan Calow]

$50 a foot is a very good price for this, not even knowing where you're located.