Sewage Pipes Lining quote from plumber seems terribly excessive

cameldownunder on 21/06/2022 - 14:32

Was fighting a clogged toilet for 2 days, and not winning, so I called the plumber.

The plumber unclogged the block. All good so far

Then he gets the giant pipe camera / endoscope and starts to run it up and down the main sewage pipe, and then also from the toilet connection to the main sewage pipe. And here the questionable happens:

He starts to explain that there is a gap in the pipe, and a section of terracotta has moved, and that the connection from the toilet to the sewage is going to collapse soon, and best would be to line the pipes. 2 meters of pipe ( yes the toilet is super close to the main sewage pipe )

received a quote without any details about the length of the repair for more than $ 5'000.

I crawled under the house and there is PVC going into Terracotta. The pipe is not covered, and I cannot see any issue.

Am I been taken for a ride? General Internet consensus is lining is $2000 setup and $500 per meter. That would be $3000.

IF IT WAS EVEN NEEDED .

Home & Garden

Comments

  • teacherer on 21/06/2022 - 14:35
    +1

    General Internet consensus is lining is $2000 setup and $500 per meter. That would be $3000.

    Am I been taken for a ride?

    Sounds like it

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 21/06/2022 - 14:36
    +6

    get a second opinion?

  • this is us on 21/06/2022 - 14:39
    +5

    Get a third opinion?

  • Yiannakis50 on 21/06/2022 - 14:43
    +3

    I replaced all the clay piping underneath my house back in 2017 - 3BR home - plumber charged me $940.

    If I could find the invoice I would tell you how many meters, but can't locate it.

    This is a classic example of someone taking you for a ride - Length of PVC 100mm (6m) is $30

    Regards,

  • El cheepo on 21/06/2022 - 14:52
    +4

    He probably doesn’t want/have time for the job so quoted high.
    Get a few more quotes.

    • cameldownunder on 21/06/2022 - 16:02

      I think he was not happy with the "Small" job, and wanted to fish for some fat "project".

      Anyhow, toilet is back on ( yes, had to do it myself ). I go with hothed suggestion. Leave it for now.

  • [Deactivated] on 21/06/2022 - 14:53
    +2

    get a second plumbers opinion and get them to show you the section that has moved on the camera.

    it's very common with terracotta pipes, as i think they were phased out in the 80s, so they're all going to be old builds and the ground moves over time, they had to put them in sections because of how brittle it is, even then it sometimes breaks with ground movement.

    "the drain unblockers" on youtube sometimes do camera inspections and you can see in some of them where the pipes have shifted, it might not seem like much but a lot of people get tricked by "flushable" wipes (they are flushable in the sense that they will go down the toilet, but it will cause blockages and you shouldn't flush them) and they get caught, it can even happen with toilet paper getting caught and just building up until it's blocked again.

  • Jason Genova on 21/06/2022 - 15:02
    +13

    a tradie overquoting? the nerve..

  • hothed on 21/06/2022 - 15:02
    +4

    You have cleared blockage. Leave it alone.

    If it blocks again. Dont reline it, replace with PVC.

    Dig it up yourself, 1 hour from a plumber to join together.

  • Drakesy on 21/06/2022 - 15:02
    +9

    If you can access it under the house (no excavation needed) and you know where the break is then whats stopping you from going to bunnings, getting a couple of sections of PVC, some plumbers glue and bobs your Aunty.

    Else if you can somehow blame your neighbours tree for the mess then you can get the whole thing replaced free apparently?

    • cameldownunder on 21/06/2022 - 16:03

      Its very tight under the house, and then it goes under house wall. then straight into pipe. Not ideal to dig.

      • Drakesy on 21/06/2022 - 16:31
        +2

        Ahhh well there's the costs.

      • Presence on 21/06/2022 - 16:40
        +3

        Not ideal to dig.

        There is 'not ideal' then there is '$5000' as the other option.

        Without pics its impossible to comment intelligently, but perhaps you and the boys have a few beers, dig a giant hole and get the plumber in just to fix the pipe itself?

  • Tigercjn on 21/06/2022 - 15:03

    If you want to save money and maybe even do a better job. Dig up the old pipe and connection so the plumber can simply replace it with PVC.

  • Benoffie on 21/06/2022 - 15:39

    Can't comment specifically as I don't know your states network and haven't seen the imaging but…

    Clay pipe is likely to be the service providers side (if your house is relatively new). If that is the case, this is not a you problem, it is a SydneyWater problem. Have you called them and asked them to conduct an inspection street/service side to verify precisely where this break is occurring?

    If the clay pipe is yours (and in the past, sections have simply been upgraded to PVC), then unfortunately the need for a sleeve/relining would be somewhat urgent.

    This site might help with estimating appropriate pricing - https://blog.iseekplant.com.au/blog/sewer-pipe-relining-cost…

  • AndyC1 on 21/06/2022 - 18:26
    +1

    You can take your time digging a trench to the pipe, then when you want to do the work get a plumber in to do the removal of the old pipe and install of the PVC. If you dispose of the old pipe it will be cheaper plumber job.

  • thatonethere on 21/06/2022 - 19:37
    +2

    There is a minor scam where they play back a video of blocked pipes which aren't yours.

    Unfortunately getting second quote is expensive hence their game.

    • cameldownunder on 23/06/2022 - 16:08

      The pipe on the video is clearly mine

  • El-Rhi on 21/06/2022 - 20:08

    Is the plumber actually going to do the relining, or do they subcontract to another company? Only a very few number of companies have the skills and equipment to do relinings as it’s quite specialised. If he is subcontracting, he’d be taking 10-15% for himself for organising.

    If digging is not an option, go directly to a specialist relining plumber (some will come out for free and stick their camera in to have a look) and the quote should be cheaper as there is no middleman. I had to reline around 1.5m under my foundation 4 years ago and it cost around $3k.

    Definitely get others to come out and have a look if you’re worried about it. And if you want to reline, use a specialist company, not the plumber who unblocks the toilet.

  • sajidmib on 21/06/2022 - 20:24

    I need to remove solar water heating and go into direct instantaneous gas heating … around $500 but Internet consensus is $300.

  • Trying2SaveABuck on 21/06/2022 - 22:24

    yes you are getting ripped off but chances are it will cost you a fortune shopping around as plumbers charge call out fees usually 90-150 in my experiences and chances are they will export you as well in all fairness considering the bloke showed up i think thats a win….how many times i call a tradesmen and they dont show or rock up 4 hours late its beyond funny….

  • altomic on 21/06/2022 - 23:08

    DIY. it's pipe.

    • kiwimex on 23/06/2022 - 21:48

      DIY is illegal.

      • altomic on 24/06/2022 - 08:56

        sorry, I forgot about the Federal Plumbing Act ( 1962)

  • oscargamer on 22/06/2022 - 10:50

    Lay a new pipe and reconnect the ends

  • kiwimex on 22/06/2022 - 22:50

    Plumber here! sounds a bit suspect. Where are you located? I recommend having the drain reinspected with a camera and be present to view the footage.

    I don't do relining myself, but have just recently had three sections of pipe relined here in Brisbane by another company at a cost of $7300 incl gst. Repairs took two guys almost two days. one of the relines was two separated and mis aligned pipes where they had to bore/cut the sides of the pipe to align them then run the liner through. There can be alot of variables in the works that can blow the costs out.

    Good luck.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join