Fixing cracked main pvc sewer line

[dsailer]

The main 4" PVC line coming into my poured concrete wall in the basement apparently settled and the pitch became more steep. This pushed the end of that pipe just inside my basement up and the 90 degree elbow cracked. The plumber recommended digging outside and putting in a couple of elbows that would provide some leeway to adjust the pitch properly. l can see how that would work except I'm a little worried about the bends increasing the chance of a clog.

I was looking around on the net and saw they do have 11 degree elbows , which I suppose would help (rather than using 22.5). In fact, the pitch change is pretty noticeable and may even be close to 11.5 degrees.

I can't really see an other solution except digging the whole thing up. I'm not sure if the root cause was the main sewer line at the street falling down a few inches. I may check with my neighbors!

This elbow in the basement also has a clean out on it which he recommended moving outside which made a lot of sense to me.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[phishfood]

I wouldn't be very concerned about a couple of 1/16 bends (22.5 degree) causing clogs.

 

[dsailer]

I wouldn't be very concerned about a couple of 1/16 bends (22.5 degree) causing clogs.

Ok, thanks for the response!

 

[dsailer]

So the estimate came back for this job: $2,200. Needless to say, I'm not too happy about it. The work includes digging down 5' to the sewer line just outside the house far enough to add a couple 22.5˚ bends to resolve the issue with the grade of the pipe. Trench should likely be no more than 4 feet. And then replacing the 90˚ elbow and a "T" for a washer drain just above the elbow. This cost does not include regrading, replanting, etc. That's on me. Which will likely include me fixing my sprinkler system myself after the break that.

The estimate does not have a cost breakdown, but I did one myself:

PVC: $60
Excavation: $500
Plumbing Labor: 4 hours @ $80 (their quoted rate): $320

Total $880


I understand that a plumbing business has expenses (marketing, insurance, physical building, employee benefits, etc). But frankly, I find this a bit excessive. This is the affect unions, regulations, licensure and excessive home owners insurance coverage has (my deductible is higher than most, I'm sure)

It is human nature to build upon and protect what we have. Plumbers are no different. See this for example:

http://www.plumbingzone.com/f2/why-am-i-not-welcome-public-forum-17592

"Whole nations have been devastated by improper handling of their water supply."

Seriously? I would like to see this backed up. (Comparing the U.S. in 2015 to Europe in the 14th century doesn't count).

It is also human nature for me, the home owner, to keep what I have and what I see is an 8$ 4" piece of PVC cracked and when it's all over, I won't be paying anyone $2,200 to fix it. At the moment, it's working just fine with 5$ of epoxy putty slapped on.

rant off

 

[ExtraMilePlumbing]

On you're break down you forgot to double it for the helper. One man will go crazy doing that himself . And depending on you're dirt it might be very hard scoop up

 

[ExtraMilePlumbing]

Also for the diagnosis fee . And if permits are beign pulled that a two hour window waiting for the inspector

 

[Caduceus]

Well, I feel a bit insulted by the rant. so here's my advice; get several estimates instead of just one. What type of a person takes the first bid anyways? C'mon, where's the common sense. You sounded so smart in your rant.
Once you have decided on a bid, check the background on the contractor through the BBB or other media for quality, reputation and licensing/insurance. What is this your first time spending money?
Next, have the contract explain every detail of the contractor's responsibility and yours as well as applicable warranties. As long as he's not union, cuz those guys don't get paid to write, just work.
Or if you find no satisfaction through this process just buy a back up pack of epoxy mix just in case. You're practically a licensed plumber by now and it only cost you five dollars.
With your new $5 plumbing license you can now dig out the 5 foot deep hole yourself, and by the way, go ahead and dig it four feet long....I would love to see the party that you have in that little spot. You can get the materials and do the installation...again, all by yourself. You can get any permits and inspections and back fill it....all by yourself. And if there are any problems you won't have anybody to blame but....you guessed it, yourself. Now you can leave independent and union plumbers free of you lack of insight and worldly experience that judges them so harshly and they can continue to be let loose to find other victims to take advantage of while roaming aimlessly around the streets like half-brained zombies sucking the currency from the bank accounts of the weak and infirm. You have done the world a service and made it a better place by exposing these animals for who they are and the effect they have on the increased bureaucracy in our state and local legislature, increase in insurance costs and increase in suffering of babies. You should visit more plumbing forums looking for advice and then let them have an earful of how they need to justify their existence. I'm sure it would go over well.

 

[ExtraMilePlumbing]

Caduceus you knocked that one out the ball park

 

[dsailer]

Caduceus, maybe instead I should have the same licensed professional come back who did the original install. The one who apparently thinks it's ok to bend pvc as much as needed to get it to fit. This is the 3rd break I have in this house in 4 years and every one of them was bent excessively. That's 3 more issues than the number I've had with my own work in 30 years.

Btw, I'm waiting for other estimates but apparently you can read my mind and know that I haven't done that. C'mon what is this, the first time you've had a conversation about a plumbing job with a home owner?

Where did I judge anyone harshly in my original post? All I did was detail what I got in the way of an estimate. If you felt the facts were harsh, well I guess that says something about the estimate doesn't it?

You know what's suspiciously missing from your rant-reply? Anything that disputes the excessiveness of the estimate, which was the main point of my post. But you apparently thought the main point was my temporary 5$ epoxy patch. Nice straw-man.

So, to sum this up, my post detailed why I thought an estimate was excessive using facts. You, rather than explain why I'm wrong, rambled on combatively like a child.

Knocked out of the park? More like:

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6a0lhLcYcs[/ame]

 

[Caduceus]

I'm not going to have a battle of the wits with an unarmed adversary. If you cannot see where your statements would be insulting to a tradesmen like myself that use their free time to help people who need advice at no charge, then you have bigger issues than a cracked pipe to deal with. You made your position clear about how you feel about plumbers and the generalization was unfair.

 

[frodo]

This is America, you have the right to choose to hire any one you want to slap some epoxy on your pipe.

I do not think you realise the actual problem, your pipe did not settle and break, your foundation is moving, you need to stop *****ing about paying a fair wage and get a foundation company to check out why?
and when you find out the soil is either clay or a failed stem wall. make sure in the contract you sign that fixing the plumbing, electrical, is covered on the foundation co's dime.

just a question. what business are you in? does your company bill for their services? or are they in the habit of doing work for cost?

 

[Caduceus]

This is the affect unions, regulations, licensure and excessive home owners insurance coverage has (my deductible is higher than most, I'm sure)

It is human nature to build upon and protect what we have. Plumbers are no different. See this for example:

http://www.plumbingzone.com/f2/why-a...ic-forum-17592

"Whole nations have been devastated by improper handling of their water supply."

Seriously? I would like to see this backed up. (Comparing the U.S. in 2015 to Europe in the 14th century doesn't count).

When just under 2% of the nations work force is union and you blame unions for high costs, you show ignorance and insult hard working union men and women. When you blame regulations, you think our lisences are a scam and feel any handyman can do our jobs, but you'll be the first to point the finger and cry for retribution when things go wrong. Insurance premiums rise because of the increasing prices and costs of just about everything, everywhere. Would you pay 1990s premiums and then expect modern services when you have a claim? And have you considered fraud as a factor? Like people who slip and fall on properties to get a golden check? Also, maybe you haven't been in the loop, but do a little research when it comes to water borne illnesses that still exist because of a lack of, or poor installation of, fresh water supplies and proper sanitation treatment. There's too much to educate you about on this thread and your challenge reeked of arrogance.
Does that clear things up a little?

 

[Caduceus]

I should also address why it would be wrong for me to consider the bid excessive. I did not see the job. I do not know the company's cost of doing business. I didn't see a hard copy of the proposal, just your briefing as you saw fit to present it. I don't know your local codes and fees schedule. I could go on with variables, because I'm an experienced plumber. But you are not. Yet you already determined what it SHOULD cost you, so you just wanted validation from a plumbing forum so you could have verbal ammunition to beat this guy down on his price. Seriously. How many forums did you go to in search of the right words to tell this guy he's a rip off and you could prove it cuz anothrr guy on the internet said so. I participate in many, maybe I'll look around. It would be unfair for me to bid a job over the Internet against your local plumber by what you tell us. It is also unfair for your blame-game rant to include people and entities that you don't know or understand. You should have simply addressed your issue and left out the editorial. Again, you have shown a good amount of arrogance in your previous reply and I feel this is how you behave on Facebook. This isn't Facebook. Leave it there, don't bring it here.