Sewer Replacement

Sewer replacement is the long-term fix for a side sewer that has failed along its length. Pro Sewer Repair cameras the line first, then shows you every option that fits — spot repair, BlueLight lining, pipe bursting or open excavation — before a price. Full replacements carry a transferable lifetime parts-and-labor warranty, subject to the written warranty terms.

When does a Seattle sewer line need to be replaced instead of repaired?

A sewer line needs replacing when the pipe material itself is failing, not just one joint or one section. On camera that looks like clay with open or dropped joints every few feet, concrete that has lost its crown to sewer-gas corrosion, Orangeburg that has gone oval, or cast iron scaled shut under the slab. One collapsed section in an otherwise round pipe is a spot repair; more bad footage than good is a replacement. The section-or-whole-line guide walks through how we draw that line.

Seattle's side sewers were built in generations, and each fails in its own way. Streetcar-era houses on Capitol Hill, Queen Anne and Wallingford have vitrified clay in three-foot sections; 1920s–40s houses in Green Lake, Ravenna and Magnolia have clay or concrete; postwar ramblers in Lake City and north Ballard often have Orangeburg fibre pipe. The house-age pipe guide tells you what is probably under your house before anyone shows up.

What are the ways to replace a sewer line?

There are four, and the right one depends on the pipe's condition, its route, the access on your lot and what you want the yard to look like afterward. We show all of them on the screen with the camera footage, and we tell you plainly which ones your line does not qualify for.

Two of those are trenchless. Lining rehabilitates the inside of the existing pipe, so it needs a round host; pipe bursting installs a brand-new pipe, so it can work where the old pipe has lost its shape, if the route and access allow. The lining-or-bursting guide compares them in detail, and what trenchless does not mean explains why "no digging" is a promise nobody should make before a camera has been in the line.

How does a sewer replacement with Pro Sewer Repair work?

1. Camera inspection. A technician runs a camera from a cleanout, a pulled toilet or a roof vent to the city main and traces the route and depth on the surface. You watch the monitor with them. See what happens during a camera inspection.
2. Options, in writing. You receive every viable method with its scope, restoration, permit handling and warranty spelled out — not just a number. The bid-comparison guide shows how to line ours up against anyone else's.
3. Permit. Permit requirements are explained and built into your written scope. In Seattle the permit is issued by Seattle Public Utilities and the work is inspected before it is buried, so the record stays with the property.
4. The work. How long the work takes depends on the method and the line; it is in your written scope. Details are in how long a trenchless job takes.
5. Proof and closeout. Where it applies, a final camera pass shows the finished line, the inspector signs off, access and restoration follow your written scope, and you get your written paperwork.

What does the transferable lifetime warranty cover?

Full sewer replacements from Pro Sewer Repair carry a lifetime parts-and-labor warranty that transfers to the next homeowner, subject to the written warranty terms you receive with your estimate. Get the document, not the sentence — what a transferable lifetime sewer warranty actually means explains what to look for in any contractor's terms. For lining and bursting, you get written paperwork for your job.

Who is responsible for the Seattle side sewer permit, and what does it involve?

The side sewer is private property from the house to the connection at the public main, so the permit is the owner's responsibility — we explain the requirements and build them into your written scope. Since October 1, 2025, Seattle Public Utilities issues side sewer permits (the function moved from SDCI); work in the public right-of-way can also need a separate SDOT permit, and permits are generally valid for 18 months. The Seattle side sewer permit guide covers the process, fees and inspection steps and is reviewed when SPU rules change. Outside Seattle, each city or sewer district issues its own permit; we explain it in your written scope.

What does a sewer replacement cost in Seattle?

We do not publish a price range, because the number depends on the method, the length and depth of the run, what is on top of it (lawn, driveway, a street connection), the permit, and restoration. What we do publish is the rule: you get every viable option priced in writing after the camera, never a quote from the curb. Financing is available through Service Finance when it helps you choose the long-term fix over another round of clearing the line, and a homeowners insurance guide explains what a policy usually will and will not pay for.

Why a sewer company for sewer replacement?

Because the line under your house is what we do all day. Pro Sewer Repair has been family-owned in Seattle since 2017 — founded by Rob Kuchan, in the underground trade since 2012 — and it is a sewer company first: sewer replacement, trenchless repair, lining, bursting, camera inspection and drain cleaning, not water heaters or faucets. The crews run HammerHead trenchless equipment and BlueLight UV lining, a real person answers the phone 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and estimates and second opinions are free. Already have a bid? Bring it — we will help you compare scope, method, permit handling, restoration and warranty, not just the number.

Sewer replacement is available across our whole service area; the city pages below cover the pipe generations and permit authority in each place. Call (425) 478-3133 or request an estimate online.