400 foot service line installment difficulty level?

[reubenjacques]

Hi. I live in North Carolina. I currently have no water service at my house (I use a line running from my neighbor's house lol) but I plan to have a water tap/meter installed by the city soon. My house is about 400 feet from where the meter will be and there are other utilities in the way. How difficult of a job would it be to install the service line myself? I have minimal experience with plumbing but I would really like to tackle this job myself if possible. My biggest concern is crossing those other utilities. Also, with the meter being 400 feet from my house, should I get a 3/4 inch meter or 1 inch meter? Is there significant friction or loss of pressure over 400 feet? Thanks for any advice.

Joe

 

[havasu]

What is the elevation change?

Whatever you do, call "811" for a dig alert evaluation.

 

[breplum]

The greatest cost of the job is excavation. Once that is completed, it only takes a few hours at most to lay pipe and connect.
I recommend a plumber for the plumbing and whatever you choose for excavation. Frankly, excavation subcontractors can be a deal or robbery, depending on how it plays out in your particular locale.
I had a 400’ run that I didn’t want to excavate and at the time, the sub I had a relationship with wanted $4k. Kinda high, yeah, but cheaper than plumbers digging. The excavation sub put six guys on the hand-dug trench and everyone was happy.
In the end, the whole job cost the homeowner $6k less that any other quote they got.

 

[Twowaxhack]

What other utilities ? Do a locate and hand dig those portions.

What’s the water pressure and is the meter higher or lower in elevation that the house ?

 

[reubenjacques]

There's currently no line of sight between the meter and house due to vegetation, so it's hard to tell exact elevation change, but I'd say there's little to no elevation change. The other utilities are power, water, and internet. No gas lines. And the path is almost entirely gravel road with very little shoulder to work with. Lots of trees and tree roots.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I might would put the pipe down the center of the road then.

 

[psklein578]

If you have hard freeze in NC be sure the line is buried deep enough. Deeper if its under the road.

 

[Twowaxhack]

It doesn’t have to be deeper if it’s under the road.

Just cut the trench 2” wide and make the bottom flat.

I think 24” deep would be good. I don’t know your frost line.

 

[havasu]

This is what I would consider...

 

[Twowaxhack]

Or a ride on trencher. Yes.

I’d probably use some flavor of 1.25” pipe. 1” ID would work if you have great starting pressure (70 psi +)and you use less than 10 gallons per minute of flow.

 

[hukre]

I live in a house which was built in 1989. The distance from the meter to the house is about 500 feet. The builder put in a 3/4" copper line. Never had a problem with not enough water or low pressure.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I live in a house which was built in 1989. The distance from the meter to the house is about 500 feet. The builder put in a 3/4" copper line. Never had a problem with not enough water or low pressure.

It’s amazing how poorly something can be done and still operate.