Veteran-built.
Cast iron drains and pipe lining (the "sock")
Pipe lining fixes a cracked drain from the inside: a felt tube (the "sock") soaked in epoxy is pulled or blown into the old pipe and hardened into a new pipe inside the old one, usually without digging up floors.
What to look for
Warning signs
- Several slow drains at once
- Gurgling toilets
- Backups after heavy rain
- Sewer smell
- Roots or rust flakes in a camera inspection
Do it yourself
- Find the cleanout and keep it accessible.
- Use enzyme cleaner monthly. Never use chemical drain cleaner on old cast iron.
- Snake small clogs at the fixture.
- Get a sewer camera inspection and keep the video.
Supplies for the DIY fix
Enzyme drain cleaner
Foaming root killer
Drain auger 50 ft
Inspection camera
Cleanout plug
Tools
Drain auger
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What this looks like on a real job
Old sewer pipe exposed
Sewer cleanout
New sewer line in the trench
Checking trench depthGood, better, best contractor options
Hydro-jetting
$
High-pressure water clears roots and scale. A maintenance fix, not a repair.
Pipe lining (CIPP sock)
$$
An epoxy-soaked liner hardens inside the pipe. Little or no digging. Works when the pipe still has its shape.
Pipe bursting or replacement
$$$
For collapsed or flattened pipe: pull new pipe through the old path, or dig and replace with ABS or PVC.
$ under about $500 · $$ about $500 to $5,000 · $$$ over about $5,000. Rough guide only; every house is different. Get three written bids from licensed contractors.
Partner: Coastal Rooter
Get a licensed pro referral
Tell us what you are seeing. We will walk the property, tell you honestly if it is a DIY job, and refer licensed partners for the rest.
Jobs that require a contractor's license under California law are referred to CSLB-licensed contractors.
Broker, not a contractor. David Thomas Mejia is a California real estate broker (CA DRE #01448424), not a licensed contractor. Work that needs a California contractor's license should be done by a CSLB-licensed contractor; check any license at cslb.ca.gov. Cost ranges on this page are general estimates, not bids.