well, eff! my pipes didnt survive the rotorooter-ing!

[look 171]

Originally Posted by vash

it's funny how i am so much better informed because of PPOT! unbelievable.

thanks guys.

i'm not stressed. my home was built in 1942. the sewer is the last of the potential gotchas. last year i switched over to copper water supply. this year..it was chosen for me. sewer.

again, thanks.

Try to get a clean out install somewhere so they can get at the main in a later day and not have to drag equip into the house to do that. It should be required, check your local code.

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by look 171

Why not just replace it up to the drop or the end of his property? That is a real b!tch in the land of CA. You have to carry so much insurance and get all kinds of permits to bust up the street.

He's most likely not gonna be bustin' up the street... the municipality/county will do that. Most times, they do their work first, then homeowner/plumber digs TO a point where the muni/county tells them to stop, lays their pipe at the depth prescribed, and the muni/county takes it from there and does the final hookup.

And you or they usually put in one more cleanout within 5-10 ft. of the edge of the street. When we had our line replaced a few years ago, that last cleanout had a liftoff lid on it and is a foot or so below the surface.

Vash, you/plumber are gonna need to call some 800-B4-YOUDIG number and have all the utilities come out and search for and mark their underground lines. Around here, they usually get that done pronto and at no charge, and they contact the folks at the 800 number, and they call you back after all the utilities let them know they've signed off on it.

If that number isn't prominently shown in the first section of your phone book, just call your electric company... they will give it to you.

Obviously, don't do any digging before that is finalized.

Kaboom... it's 811: http://www.call811.com/faqs/default.aspx

[look 171]

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

He's most likely not gonna be bustin' up the street... the municipality/county will do that. Most times, they do their work first, then homeowner/plumber digs TO a point where the muni/county tells them to stop, lays their pipe at the depth prescribed, and the muni/county takes it from there and does the final hookup.

And you or they usually put in one more cleanout within 5-10 ft. of the edge of the street. When we had our line replaced a few years ago, that last cleanout had a liftoff lid on it and is a foot or so below the surface.

Vash, you/plumber are gonna need to call some 800-B4-YOUDIG number and have all the utilities come out and search for and mark their underground lines. Around here, they usually get that done pronto and at no charge, and they contact the folks at the 800 number, and they call you back after all the utilities let them know they've signed off on it.

If that number isn't prominently shown in the first section of your phone book, just call your electric company... they will give it to you.

Obviously, don't do any digging before that is finalized.

Kaboom... it's 811: FAQs | Call 811 - Know what's below

nope, not here with the clean outs. Most plumbers or electrican I know do not ever call that number. I have hit gas pipes before with my electric shovel before, they are pretty tough. When you feel something, you take a shovel to get the dirt out and don't just keep going. No kaboom

[Heel n Toe]

Now that I think about it, I think the onus is on the homeowner to make the call.

I understand that if you hit something and break it, you have to pay to fix it.

Calling that number prevents that.

But if vash thinks it would be more fun to break stuff, I'm with him as long as he keeps a video camera running because I'd like to see it.

[look 171]

Like I said, Non of the guys I know would call if a trench is to be dug out by hand. I have been doing this for 20 years on some very high dollar homes since college. On the other hand, If equip were to come in and dig, I would be the first one on the phone. I am sure Vash would make the right choice. That may alarm the building dept. that means permits. I don't know if vash is willing to pull a permit just to fix a freaking broken pipe. Depending on his situtation, the inspector may end up changing a whole bunch of stuff which he may not want to change and not necessary.

[vash]

called U.S.A. already. (underground service alert). i had to call them for the fence that i had installed. i know the gas line and waterline locations.

they come out the very next day, for free. first estimate is tomorrow. tying into the public main is keeping up at night.

[Superman]

I replaced my incoming water line. At least 80 feet of trenching, through a rocky, compacted, root-laden soil. I learned the beauty of the "mattock." Wonderful tool.

[A930Rocket]

I guess it's all who you know. I've got engineers that will do what I ask of them, while I'm sure there are others that won't get their shoes dirty. Suggestions for inspectors was a just that, a starting point to find them, ETC.

Having built in GA, NC and SC, good home inspectors are still hard to find. Or maybe it's just the ones people hire suck?

When was the last time your building inspector(s) recommened a subcontractor for you? It is too bad that most guys in your ared do not know what they are doing. I know a good few that really know their stuff and this is the land of everyonw's a contractor who own a saw and a hammer.

I have worked with a few structural guys. Many are very good, but I haven't met one that would like to craw under a house or get in an attic. They guys have always managed to get the city to sign off on some nutty stuff. I don't mean to be offensive, HVAC and electrical, I would agree with you.

[A930Rocket]

I'd have a clean out within 5' of the house and every 25' after that. At the tap, there's usually another clean out as well. Use a 4' level with a 1" block on the end to keep your 1/4" per foot fall going at a minimum.

[sailchef]

Not that it will help with your project..... but....

I'm replacing all the copper water pipes in one of my rentals with CPVC.That means tearing out the sink, tub and drywall in the bathrooms just to get to it. And then there is working under the house in crevices not meant for human occupation.

If I were going to do all the digging that you are doing I would replace as much pipe as I could get to. You don't want to be doing the same thing this time next year.

Lift with your legs, not your back.

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by sailchef

If I were going to do all the digging that you are doing I would replace as much pipe as I could get to. You don't want to be doing the same thing this time next year.

I'm pretty sure that's what he's planning to do... replace all the Orangeburg pipe with PVC from the house to the street.

[vash]

good news, bad news.

orangeburg pipe is very minimal. only about 10 feet. most of it is already PVC. plumber ran a camera in with an external reader that tracked depth. the PVC part is in perfect shape. tiny bits of roots. but here is the bad part. about a 6 foot section running down the side of my home sagged. water needs to defy physic to run up a small section.

i am gonna expose the PVC to about 11 feet from the street edge,where the line drops fast to final 11"!!! plumber will only need to go 2.5 feet max. to fix the drop. all orangerburg goes byebye. if there wasnt a dip, it would be an easy fix! oh well, estimate to my email tomorrow.

[vash]

DONE!
seeing what needed to be done, i'm so happy i farmed the work out. all new sewerline out to the city's ROW. i measured, and the guys hit a perfect 2% grade. the city inspector had them test the line and it passed. done and done. all with a inspection permit. LEGIT stuff.

glad i can close this chapter of my life. found a nice plumber company. wife like them too! 6 young handsome plumbers! looked like abercrombie and fitch showed up to do my sewer work. except for the good looking part, they were really professional and efficient. glad to see crazy work ethics with young guys.