Do I really need a clean-out for my sewer pipe?

Recently, we hired a plumber to camera our sewer pipe from our crawl space.

The plumber discovered the following:

Between one of our bushes and the municipality's sewer, our sewer pipe slopes downward and then slopes upward. Our sewer pipe should not be sloping upward at all.

The pipe is sloping downward and then sloping upward, due to the shifting of the ground over time. This sloping is causing some sludge to come down and stay down. The sludge has trouble going up and into the municipality's sewer system, due to gravity.



The plumber gave us two options:

1) Replace the section of pipe between the bush and the municipality's sewer. The new pipe would slope appropriately. This process would cost at least $10000 and would take 2 days.

2) Install a clean-out outdoors. The clean-out can be used to rod the sludge out of the pipe and into the municipality's sewer. Installing a clean-out would cost only $3500 and would take only 1 day.

The plumber recommends the cheaper option, option 2.



$3500 seems to be too high for a clean-out. Why is the price so high? Is it because the plumber will be digging a 7-foot hole, in order to install the clean-out?

Also, do we really need a clean-out? My understanding is that the clean-out is supposed to make the rodding process easier. But, even without the clean-out, the sewer pipe can still be rodded from the crawl space. So, is it a good idea to spend $3500 just to make rodding easier?

Do you expect them to dig the hole by hand? In both prices they are most likely going to have to use a mini excavator. The cost for rodding from the yard i would think would be cheaper than someone getting in the crawl space and rodding from there. I would say bite the bullet and just get it fixed right and replace the section of pipe. As far as filling the ditch in your crawl space, I would buy an easy tool and spend a Saturday moving dirt on your belly.

You have a very bad bid. Get another immediately. I just paid $900 fo similar problem including clean out. Replaced about 10 ft of clay pipe with pvc tied into county sewer at curb installed clean out with about 7 ft riser. This clean out at curb is only good for see if stoppage is on your side or municipalities side.
Your municipality may require it. There should not be an additional charge for this C.O. Where are you at, what city, state? This plumber is taking advantage big time. Call some one else quick.

You do need a clean out at the house were it comes out from under so you don't have to crawl under house to rod. One at curb should be optional but included in repiping. By the way it only took my plumber 1day using a small backhoe for digging 7 ft deep replacing 4"pipe 10-12ft, 2 man crew. I can't believe the bid you got. It is rediculous. My job was only 2 years ago. Pensacola, Escambia, Florida. To install a new 4" C.O. Where my 3" next to house was to make rodding easier was only $100. Depth was only 3 ft. God I hope you haven't signed a contract with the guy. If he's not a crook instead of a plumber than I'd hate to live where you do. Cost of living must be outrageous.

It's me again. I read your problem again. If the sewer pipe comes out from your house 7 foot deep that's redeculous. I've never heard of that when a house is roughed in the 3to 4 ft stub out is never that deep usually only 3 ft deep. They said 1 day for a 2 hour job to install C.O. There. Rediculous. Hope to hear good news from you. If you haven't guessed I'm a retired 76 year old plumber. This kind of crookedness by a fellow tradesman makes me mad as hell. Hope he's just a crook not a master plumber.

RayPow said:

You do need a clean out at the house were it comes out from under so you don't have to crawl under house to rod. One at curb should be optional but included in repiping. By the way it only took my plumber 1day using a small backhoe for digging 7 ft deep replacing 4"pipe 10-12ft, 2 man crew. I can't believe the bid you got. It is rediculous. My job was only 2 years ago. Pensacola, Escambia, Florida. To install a new 4" C.O. Where my 3" next to house was to make rodding easier was only $100. Depth was only 3 ft. God I hope you haven't signed a contract with the guy. If he's not a crook instead of a plumber than I'd hate to live where you do. Cost of living must be outrageous.

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I live in a suburb of Chicago, Illinois.

Previously, some other plumbers were supposed to install a new sewer pipe into our home (because those same plumbers had determined that our existing sewer pipe had several separations). Those other plumbers abandoned the project.

We wanted this new plumber to finish where those other plumbers had left off. But first, this new plumber had to camera the existing sewer pipe. This new plumber found that our existing sewer pipe had no separations. However, the sewer pipe was sloping in the way I described in my original post. So, the plumber offered us the two choices I described in my original post.

you are required by code to have a 2 way cleanout where the sewer exits the building

and you are required to have a cleanout every 100' from that point on.


I can not say that his bid is high because different areas of the US have different labor rates
BUT what I will say is to get 3 estimates so you can compare apples to apples.

RayPow said:

You do need a clean out at the house were it comes out from under so you don't have to crawl under house to rod.



wrong, wrong, you are required by code to have a clean out where the sewer exits the building One at curb should be optional but included in repiping. By the way it only took my plumber 1day using a small backhoe for digging 7 ft deep replacing 4"pipe 10-12ft, 2 man crew. I can't believe the bid you got. It is rediculous. My job was only 2 years ago. Pensacola, Escambia, Florida. To install a new 4" C.O. Where my 3" next to house was to make rodding easier was only $100. Depth was only 3 ft. God I hope you haven't signed a contract with the guy. If he's not a crook instead of a plumber than I'd hate to live where you do. Cost of living must be outrageous.

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Here in Virginia it wouldn't be much less than what you were quoted to do that job. Chicago Illinois is going to be one of the higher cost areas. I'm not sure but I think that might be Union area which is going to drive your cost up.

Frodo is right you should have three estimates in order to compare to make sure someone's not gouging you.

RayPow said:

You have a very bad bid. Get another immediately. I just paid $900 fo similar problem including clean out. Replaced about 10 ft of clay pipe with pvc tied into county sewer at curb installed clean out with about 7 ft riser. This clean out at curb is only good for see if stoppage is on your side or municipalities side.
Your municipality may require it. There should not be an additional charge for this C.O. Where are you at, what city, state? This plumber is taking advantage big time. Call some one else quick.

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How can you compare the replacement of one sewer to the other? one could be 3' under ground and the other could be 8'

johnjh2o said:

How can you compare the replacement of one sewer to the other? one could be 3' under ground and the other could be 8'

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He said his was 7 foot deep, mine was 7 ft deep. Using small excavator doesn't increase time frame like hand digging would.

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frodo, I said you need a C.O. Right where you come out from under the house. Why the wrong wrong. Look right above the wrong wrong. Do you agree the house stub out is about 3 ft and no were near 7 ft deep. Only where the curb is might it be 7 ft deep. Do you think a 2 man crew including excavator working 2 days is worth $10,000. 4 hrs at most to install a c.o. At the house where it comes out. $3500. No work under crawl space.
I think it was you who said get 3 bids. Great call.

You can't work in a hole or ditch that is 7' deep without some kind of shoreing. This is also going to add to your costs. Weather it is a clean out or a section of pipe. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong on this but I think OSHA says anything over three foot.

RayPow said:

frodo, I said you need a C.O. Right where you come out from under the house. Why the wrong wrong. Look right above the wrong wrong. Do you agree the house stub out is about 3 ft and no were near 7 ft deep. Only where the curb is might it be 7 ft deep. Do you think a 2 man crew including excavator working 2 days is worth $10,000. 4 hrs at most to install a c.o. At the house where it comes out. $3500. No work under crawl space.
I think it was you who said get 3 bids. Great call.

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usually..the sewer exits right below the footer

which is typical 3 or 4 foot. can be much deeper, depends on the frost line

BUT..if it is a large house with a bathroom 40 foot away

yes, it can be deep..I am not saying it is.

40' is 10'' of fall

so if you have a 4' footer your invert can be below 5'

I can not, or rather will not discuss price.
because the cost is different from one end of the country to the other

what i charge $100.00 for. ole billy in sasquatch might charge $200.00

I would rather not get someone worked up over nothing

Chi42 said:

I live in a suburb of Chicago, Illinois.

Previously, some other plumbers were supposed to install a new sewer pipe into our home (because those same plumbers had determined that our existing sewer pipe had several separations). Those other plumbers abandoned the project.

We wanted this new plumber to finish where those other plumbers had left off. But first, this new plumber had to camera the existing sewer pipe. This new plumber found that our existing sewer pipe had no separations. However, the sewer pipe was sloping in the way I described in my original post. So, the plumber offered us the two choices I described in my original post.

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How did they come up with 7 ft depth for C.O. Where it comes out from house. That's very unusual. The plumber doing original house rough in is not going to come out that deep with the stub out for sewer connection. The only place it might be 7 ft deep is at the curb. Can you line up with where you think it comes out from under house and dig down and try to find it. Original stub out should be about 3 ft from house and I would think no more than 4 ft deep. If your house is off grade maybe less than that. You may also find a test tee there depending on how old your house is.

RayPow said:

How did they come up with 7 ft depth for C.O. Where it comes out from house. That's very unusual. The plumber doing original house rough in is not going to come out that deep with the stub out for sewer connection. The only place it might be 7 ft deep is at the curb. Can you line up with where you think it comes out from under house and dig down and try to find it. Original stub out should be about 3 ft from house and I would think no more than 4 ft deep. If your house is off grade maybe less than that. You may also find a test tee there depending on how old your house is.

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If I remember correctly, the plumber said that the pipe is 6 feet, 8 inches deep, at the point where the clean-out would be installed. I just rounded up to 7 feet.

plumb_bob_square_pants said:

You can't work in a hole or ditch that is 7' deep without some kind of shoreing. This is also going to add to your costs. Weather it is a clean out or a section of pipe. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong on this but I think OSHA says anything over three foot.

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What is shoreing?

It is where they brace the sides of a trench or hole so it is safe from collapsing on the workers in side.