What this covers
The sewer lateral carries everything from the house to the municipal main or septic tank. When one section cracks, sags, offsets at a joint or fills with roots, the whole house backs up. The plumber starts with a camera inspection to see the damage and locate it by depth and distance. A single bad section is repaired by digging a small, shored trench, cutting out the failed pipe and setting new pipe on compacted gravel with shielded couplings. Where the pipe holds its shape, a cured-in-place liner can repair it from inside without digging. Careful work means a test before backfill and the lawn or hardscape restored.
When to call
- Several drains gurgle or back up at once, especially the lowest in the house.
- Sewage odor in the yard or basement, or a patch of lawn that stays green and soft.
- Recurring clogs that drain cleaning clears only for a few months.
- A camera inspection that shows a crack, offset or roots in one section.
What to expect
- InspectA camera run shows the break and a locator marks its position and depth.
- Open or lineA small trench is dug and shored, or a liner is prepared for a trenchless repair.
- RepairNew pipe is set and coupled, or the liner is cured in place.
- Test and restoreFlow is tested, the trench backfilled and compacted, and the surface restored.
Get a certified company
Look up a certified company by ZIP code. Every company's license, insurance and trades are verified before it is listed, and placement is never paid.
Questions people ask
Repair or replace?
If one section has failed and the rest of the line is sound on camera, a spot repair is reasonable. Several failed sections or old clay or cast iron throughout usually points to replacement.
What is a cured-in-place liner?
A resin-saturated sleeve is pulled or inverted into the pipe and hardened, forming a new pipe inside the old one. It works where the host pipe still holds its shape.
Who is responsible for the line?
In most places the homeowner is responsible for the lateral from the house to the connection at the main or the property line. The company can tell you how your area treats it.
Related: Sewer line replacement · Drain cleaning · Sewage cleanup · All plumbing
This page describes what the service involves. The company you hire sets the scope, the schedule and the price, and your contract is with that company. We verify credentials and collect reviews from real jobs. We do not guarantee any company's workmanship. Safety steps are general guidance. When in doubt, leave the home and call 911.