How much does it cost for a sewer cleanout to be installed? This question is valid as it seeks to find relevant answers to an important area people in need of sewer line maintenance are interested in.
If your home is connected to a public sewer, one of the vital components necessary for smooth maintenance is the sewer cleanout. This is simply a pipe with a cap that provides or serves as an access point to the sewer line.
During clogs or blockages in the sewer line, the cleanout comes in handy.
The focus of our discussion here is about sewer cleanout installation cost.
The Need for Sewer Cleanout Installation
Oftentimes, a lot is asked about the importance of sewer line cleanout.
More crucial are questions relating to when it should be installed or replaced; and how to find it. The truth is, a sewer cleanout installation is essential when your home is connected to a sewer line.
Also, the need for a more accessible sewer line cleanout is of the essence. Homes built before the 1970s pose a unique problem with accessibility to sewer lines for maintenance.
This is mostly seen with three and two-story homes where the sewer snake may not be long enough to reach the sewer connection.
Under such circumstances, installing a more accessible sewer line cleanout becomes important. Here, sewer cleanout installation is performed on an existing sewer system.
In other words, modifications are made to old sewer line cleanouts.
Installation Cost For A Sewer Line Cleanout
As always, the cost is an important factor often considered before any installation job.
With a proper estimation of installation cost, you get to plan adequately for the job. Plus, homeowners get the opportunity to make choices in terms of what service is most affordable or most reliable.
On average, you’re likely to pay around $650 to $3,500 for sewer cleanout installation.
The cost incurred is largely determined by the level of difficulty involved. Also, the cost will be influenced by the type of cleanout installed. Basically, there are three types; single cleanout, double cleanout, and test tee.
Basically, the approach taken towards having a sewer cleanout installed will impact your cost.
Here, we’re talking about calling a professional Vs. DIY cleanout installation. Some homeowners may prefer the former while others may prefer the latter as a cost-saving measure.
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Cost of DIY Sewer Cleanout Installation
We’ve provided the cost range of professional sewer cleanout installation to be around $600 to $3,500. However, homeowners seeking to cut down on cost may decide to have such cleanout installed through DIY means.
If this seems like an option you might consider, it will cost you around $650 to $900 to install a sewer cleanout. To help you better understand the cost details, it will be necessary to further break down what’s involved.
First off, you’ll need to get the necessary tools for the job. The tools required for a sewer cleanout installation job are determined by existing conditions. It will cost around $500 to get the right equipment.
Installation cost is further reduced when you have all or most of the tools necessary for the job.
Basically, the tools required for this job are those for plumbing.
Some of these include the sewer snake, channel-type pliers, adjustable cleanout wrench, tubing cutter, and video camera for inspections.
Excavation equipment may be needed for sewer lines lying further below the ground surface.
There’s the need to purchase all the pipes required. Different types of sewer cleanout installation jobs may require a varying number of pipes. The average cost for such is around $150.
If there’s a need for excavation equipment, expect to pay around $250 per day as rental cost.
Downsides to DIY Sewer Cleanout Installation
When seeking to lower sewer cleanout installation costs, most homeowners will consider DIY methods as a reliable method. In truth, you’re likely to spend less by adopting this method. However, there are downsides to it.
You might end up damaging your sewer or not fitting the pipes properly.
This situation is most common with novices having little or no idea on how to go about sewer cleanout installation. It’s best to have a professional hired for such a procedure. This eliminates the likelihood of not getting the installation right the first time.
Whatever the costs are, it’s an acceptable price to pay for a proper job.
However, this isn’t to say that a DIY procedure can’t be done right. The DIY installation will be a great idea for experienced and technically inclined persons.
In a nutshell, such a process isn’t for everyone.
Factors Affecting Sewer Cleanout Installation Cost
Before an installation job is performed, considerations for all possible cost-influencing factors are carried out.
These vary from one job to the next. Now, cost estimation is only done after putting all such factors into consideration. So, what are these factors? There are several!
They include the type of cleanout, the level or extent of excavation, who you hire for the job, and the job’s difficulty. All these will impact your eventual cost of installation.
So, let’s check these factors out as follows;
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Type of Cleanout
As mentioned earlier, there are three types of sewer cleanouts; single cleanout, double cleanout, and the test tee. Each type provides a specific function regarding sewer line accessibility.
The type you get determines how much cost you incur.
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Level or Extent of Excavation
For a sewer cleanout to be installed, excavations will need to be made. Such excavations are aimed at getting access to the sewer line to have sewer cleanout installed.
Shallow excavations can be made using a shovel or other type of digging tool.
However, for deeper excavations, bigger and more efficient excavation equipment will need to be brought on site. There are additional costs involved when mobilizing such to the site.
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Who You Hire
The service of a reputable plumbing contractor is required for effective sewer cleanout installation. Now, such plumbing services are known to have varying pricing structures. You’ll need to ask for multiple quotes to compare.
Unskilled or semi-skilled plumbers will ask for lower fees. You should avoid such as they’re likely to perform a shabby job.
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Job Difficulty
Sewer cleanout installation may involve breaking up concrete among other things to reach a sewer line. With increased job difficulty comes increased installation cost.
All you need to know about sewer cleanout installation costs have been discussed above. However, specific details will require having a plumbing technician come over to have a look.