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

[frodo]

there is a way around using shoring. 3' steps

 

[RayPow]

Chi42 have you found depth of Sewer line as it exists from home? Have you got another bid? Just curious, would like to know.

 

[pasadena_commut]

What is shoreing?

https://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/otm/otm_v/otm_v_2.html

re Frodo's step excavation - depends on the soil. Steps in sand? No. Sites which are earthquake prone? That's Russian roulette. 99% of the time in SoCal a stepped excavation would be safe, on the wrong day it could be lethal. Safest to shore a deep trench properly and don't risk anybody's health or life in order to save a few bucks.

 

[frodo]

https://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/otm/otm_v/otm_v_2.html

re Frodo's step excavation - depends on the soil. Steps in sand? No. Sites which are earthquake prone? That's Russian roulette. 99% of the time in SoCal a stepped excavation would be safe, on the wrong day it could be lethal. Safest to shore a deep trench properly and don't risk anybody's health or life in order to save a few bucks.

Yeah, I forgot to add use common damn sense

 

[plumb_bob_square_pants]

Common sense ain't so common. So does that make it uncommon sense?

 

[frodo]

Common sense ain't so common. So does that make it uncommon sense?

.............

 

[plumb_bob_square_pants]

Its Friday. We don't want to scratch our heads too hard. It will leave a bald spot.

 

[brians356]

Where I live (N. NV) there are "Cadillac" prices on everything, where you pick a reputable bonded contractor (plumbing, roofing, etc) out of the yellow pages and your quote will be sky high ($10k - $15k to replace a sewer line, or to replace an asphalt roof) etc, but you'll have a warranty on the job, and the company handles the workers' injury insurance, etc.

Or, you can find some freelance plumber (or a licensed one who is flexible) to boss the job for an agreed hourly or job price, and you go down to the casual labor "shape up" spot, where able, eager men (mostly from a country south of the border) stand around at dawn, and you enlist a couple for $10 / hr and provide them picks, shovels, gloves etc. as required. This approach can usually get it done for 1/5 or less of what the big contractor charges. But you probably have no warranty, and there are accident insurance issues, perhaps covered by your homeowner's insurance, but you better hope you don't need to find out.

I have a section of collapsed sewer line out near the curb, and no clean-out (house built in 1949.) My trusty licensed plumber for 25 years suggested I have the city stake out where my sewer line runs, go hire some casual labor to dig down to the pipe, and then he would come and install a proper two-way clean-out in 4 hours or so. (My CO will be away from the house, nearer the middle of the yard, because I have a big fir tree and shrubs close to where the pipe emerges from under the footing.)