Main Sewer Line Repair & Replacement in Sacramento County

If only one fixture is backing up, it’s probably a branch line clog. If multiple fixtures are affected at the same time — especially the lowest drains in the house — the problem is almost certainly in your main sewer line. We confirm with a camera inspection before recommending anything.

Three things, mostly: tree root intrusion (roots seek out the moisture in sewer joints), Sacramento’s clay-heavy soil shifting and cracking old pipes, and age — clay and cast iron lines from the 60s and 70s simply reach the end of their lifespan. Orangevale root intrusion and older homes in Carmichael and Arden-Arcade are where we see the most failures.

Trenchless means we replace the pipe without digging a full trench across your yard. We use pipe bursting (pulling a new HDPE pipe through the old one, breaking it apart) or CIPP lining (curing a resin-coated liner inside the existing pipe). It works for most residential lines, but not all — if the pipe has completely collapsed or has too many sharp bends, traditional excavation is the safer option. The camera inspection tells us which method fits.

Trenchless replacements are usually completed in a single day. Traditional excavation takes 2–4 days depending on depth, length, and whether the line runs under a driveway or sidewalk. We’ll give you a specific timeline after the camera inspection.

With trenchless methods, usually not. We only need small access pits at each end of the line. If the line runs directly under a driveway or sidewalk and traditional excavation is required, we include surface restoration in the quote — you’ll know the full cost before we start.

Yes. Sacramento County requires permits for any sewer line repair or replacement. If the line crosses a public sidewalk or right-of-way, additional city encroachment permits may be needed. We pull all permits, schedule the inspection, and deliver the documentation to you.

We feed a waterproof fiber-optic camera through your sewer cleanout and record video of the entire line. You watch the footage with us in real time — we show you exactly where the problem is, what caused it, and what the pipe looks like upstream and downstream of the damage.

It depends on the length of the line, the depth, the method (trenchless vs traditional), and whether any surface restoration is needed. We quote flat-rate after the camera inspection — the number you approve is the number you pay. No hourly billing, no change orders.

Not with a properly installed new line. HDPE pipe (used in trenchless replacement) is seamless — there are no joints for roots to penetrate. Traditional replacement with properly sealed PVC joints also resists root intrusion. The old clay and cast iron joints were the problem — modern materials eliminate it.