What is the Cost of Sewer Repairs in Boston, MA, and the Surrounding Areas

New England Pipe Restoration is the premier sewer repair provider in the Northeast. We offer both time-tested traditional dig-and-replace sewer repairs and innovative trenchless techniques that make sewer repairs simple and efficient, reducing or eliminating some of the costs and issues that usually surround a major sewer repair project.

It’s often difficult for customers to get a feel for how much they should budget for their sewer repair process because the total project cost has a relatively wide range. New England Pipe Restoration is happy to explain the factors involved in pricing a traditional or trenchless sewer repair, so you can get an idea of where your project will likely fall in that range and how much you should plan to spend.

While we’d love to be able to offer a one-price-fits-all cost of sewer repairs in Massachusetts and beyond, the truth is that it’s impossible to accurately predict the cost of a sewer repair project before visiting the location because there are so many variables that influence the work. That’s why we begin ever sewer repair project with careful inspection and analysis to make certain that we fully understand the situation in your sewer system. With this information, we’re able to calculate the costs more precisely, which ensures that you’ll know what you’re paying before we begin our work. Our estimate will include all the project costs at the most affordable rates, and we’ll provide you with ample time to review it so that you’ll be comfortable.

Average New England Sewer Repair Costs

Because sewer repairs are complex, it’s difficult to create a standard rate, so they’re usually simplified to a “cost per linear foot” to help with price comparisons. Even with this common denominator, the range is substantial for sewer repair rates because so many other factors influence the total project cost for the process.

New England Pipe Restoration is a full-service sewer repair provider, and one of our specialties is trenchless repairs, which can be broken loosely into two categories: Pipe restoration and pipe replacement. Pipe restoration is most often completed with cured-in-place pipe lining (CIPP) technology, and the range for pipe lining falls between $80 per linear foot and $250 per linear foot. Residential restoration projects usually cost a total of $5000 to $9000, depending on the length and diameter of your pipes. Small repairs with easy access can cost as little as $3500, while a large-scale issue that involves difficult access conditions and city connections can climb fairly high, especially if the work interrupts the flow of traffic. That said, these costly projects are rare, and most customers’ home repair projects can be completed at a reasonable rate.

Pipe replacement is usually done with pipe bursting, which costs approximately $60 to $200 per foot of pipe length depending on the pipe width. Total project cost is generally the same as pipe restoration, with residential repairs costing $3500 at a minimum to $20,000 maximum, and most within $5000 to $9000 for the complete process.

We can also help with traditional dig-and-replace sewer repairs as well. For these repairs, the cost per linear foot will fall between $50 and $250, with a total repair project cost of $3000 to $25,000. Additional costs for landscape repair, repaving, and other related project expenses will add to this total, and the range for those expenses can vary widely depending on the amount of property restoration needed after the replacement has been completed.

How the Sewer Repair Cost is Calculated

Whether you’re able to take advantage of cost-effective trenchless sewer repair methods or you need to go with traditional sewer replacement, we’re able to work with you on your sewer repair costs. It’s helpful to understand the factors involved in the pricing of repair projects so you can get a rough idea of where you’ll fall in the typical range.

New England Pipe Restoration evaluates the situation carefully to identify how each of these factors affects your repair process, then creates a comprehensive estimate that fully details the project cost. We believe in transparency, so we’re happy to explain the things we consider when planning your estimate so that you can more easily understand your bid and budget for the expense.

Here are the sewer features we will review during the diagnostic sewer inspection process. Your estimator will thoroughly evaluate your unique situation and recommend the repair options that best fit your needs and budget based on these circumstances.

1. Length of Pipe to Repair:

As you might guess, the primary factor in any sewer repair is the length of pipe that needs to be repaired or replaced. Short sections of repair will be toward the lower end of the range, and long repairs greater than one hundred feet will be more costly. Residential repairs usually fall mid-range, because fewer homes have sewer lines longer than fifty to one hundred feet. On your quote, the number of feet in need of attention will be clearly indicated.

2. Pipe Diameter:

The other pipe dimension to consider is its width, particularly in trenchless pipe lining and pipe bursting projects. Pipe lining requires a repair resin to restore the damaged pipe, and a wider pipe requires more resin to cover the surface which will increase the rate. Pipe bursting also costs slightly more for larger pipes, simply because larger tools and a wider HDPE replacement pipe is needed. Municipal and commercial applications are most often impacted by this parameter due to the large size of high-volume mains. Fortunately, nearly every household sewer line is at the minimal three to four inches, which keeps the impact of this factor low for homeowners and rates more affordable.

3. Sewer Complexity:

The third sewer characteristic that plays a role in the cost is the complexity of the system. Logically, the more side connections, bends, elbows, and joints in the sewer lines, the more parts needed to finish the repair and the longer it will take - which in turn makes the project cost more. Most residential properties have a simple sewer line that’s a straight shot to the municipal main for the most part, so repairs in these pipes tend to be easier and less expensive. On the other hand, industrial, commercial, retail, and multi-family housing environments tend to be on the complicated end of the spectrum and will see a higher project cost.

4. Extent of the Deterioration:

Once the basic pipe specifications are evaluated, the inspector moves on to the damage itself. Basically, more severe damage will cost more to repair, usually because it limits the types of repairs available for use. For example, a small to moderate leak can be easily restored with minimal CIPP lining, making it much less expensive to correct. Major issues, such as large sections of collapsed pipe or a dozen feet or more of tree root damage may be beyond repair and require full replacement, which ultimately drives up the cost. Depending on the extent of the damage, the costs will vary significantly.

5. Repair Method Selected:

Sewer repair methods are much like any other home repair or improvement project in that there are often many ways to accomplish the same goal. To some degree, the property owner’s preference plays a role in the selection of the repair method based on his or her goals and budget. For example, a leaking sewer line could be corrected by pipe lining, pipe bursting, or traditional replacement and all would ultimately achieve the same purpose: The pipe would stop leaking.

Whenever possible, New England Pipe Restoration will provide suggestions for the repair methods that will provide the best results and let you decide which is best for you. Do you want a fast and easy repair that preserves your property features? Maybe pipe lining or bursting is the way to go. Would you prefer something more traditional? Dig-and-replace is available as well. Since it’s your home we believe your personal preferences matter, so we’ll give you that choice, while outlining the different repair methods with different price structures, and explaining the cost difference for each.

6. Repair Access:

Another aspect of the repair that can make a significant difference in the cost is simply the ability to reach the pipe to complete the repair. Pipes that are buried in hard-to-reach areas, such as beneath driveways or parking lots, under mature trees, or inside concrete slabs can be extremely costly to replace with dig-and-replace technology. Deeply buried pipes can also be an issue, particularly in the New England area during winter months when the ground is frozen. These hard-to-reach pipes will require more labor and equipment to repair, which will consequently increase the project cost. For the most part, pipe access tends to be easier and less costly with trenchless repairs just because a smaller access area is needed, and they can be completed underneath paving and trees. However, this will always need to be evaluated and if access is an issue, it will add to the price of the repair.

Trenchless versus Traditional Sewer Repair Costs

Both trenchless and traditional sewer repairs are safe and effective ways to restore your sewer drains to good condition, and New England Pipe Restoration has the tools and expertise to provide whichever solution works for you. To help you choose which one is best for your unique situation, here are some important related project costs that will make a significant difference in the overall price tag.

Paved Areas

Dealing with paved areas is the most frustrating part of nearly every sewer repair, and unfortunately, one of the most common issues. Residential sewer lines often run beneath paved driveways, under bricked, stone, or concrete patios and walkways, or even beneath slabs for outbuildings. Almost without exception, every commercial or municipal sewer line runs under either a parking area or a driveway. The cost to remove all this paving for a sewer repair can be enormous and includes the labor and equipment to do the work plus the landfill fees for disposal. After the repair is finished, the surfaces then must be restored with concrete, asphalt or decorative materials, adding even more to the expense.

The more paving costs you can eliminate during a sewer repair, the better, and that’s why New England Pipe Restoration often recommends trenchless solutions in these situations. Pipe lining and pipe bursting can be completed beneath paved areas, which prevents all or most of the expense and keeps the project costs down. The less pavement repairs you must do, the less your sewer repair will cost.

Property Restoration Costs

Inevitably, sewer repairs will involve some degree of impact on the features of your property. To reach the buried pipes, the repair team will need to expose some or all the pipe to reach the areas where a solution can be installed. How much this will affect the cost of the project depends largely on what’s on the surface above access areas.

Traditional dig-and-replace sewer repairs are, by their nature, more destructive to surrounding property features than subsurface trenchless repairs, so you must expect more collateral damage to your property features with a traditional repair process. If your property is carefully manicured with garden beds, decorative walkways, and property features such as gazebos and pergolas, you already know that the cost to create and maintain that space is substantial, and the cost to restore it after a traditional repair will also be significant. On the other hand, if your property could be restored with just a grass reseeding and you’re not concerned about the appearance during the interim, traditional repair methods work just as well. The choice largely a matter of preference, so it’s up to you which you’d like to use.

Do be aware: If you have large, mature trees along the sewer repair route, you’ll likely have to include the cost of a tree removal service in your budget if you go with a traditional repair. Tree removal ranges from $150 to $800 per tree, so make sure you count that cost when you’re making your decision.

As a complete sewer repair provider, New England Pipe Restoration has the unique capability to offer you every option available to restore or replace your damaged sewer line. You can count on us for honest recommendations and fair pricing for every project, and we place your satisfaction at the top of our to-do list every time. We provide top-of-the-line sewer and pipeline repair services throughout Massachusetts, Vermont, and Maine, so call us today or fill out the online form to learn how we can help with all your sewer repair needs!

New England Pipe Restoration provides quality services in the following locations: