Sewer line failed? See what your town pays before anyone digs.
Raw sewage in the basement, roots again, or a quote to dig up the whole yard? You likely pay a yearly sewer lateral fee. Check what it covers, then compare 3 licensed bids.
Before anyone touches your yard
See the camera video
A licensed contractor scopes the line and shows you the footage: what failed, how deep, how many feet out. No video, no dig.
Compare 3 licensed bids
Prices on the same sewer job can swing by thousands. Three bids show you the real price, and some towns require them anyway.
File the program first
Most programs only pay if the claim is approved before work starts. We point you to your town's rules so you do not lose the coverage you pay for.
What does your town's program pay?
Every municipality runs its sewer lateral program differently: who hires the contractor, the most it pays, and how many bids it wants first.
Four ways a sewer repair goes sideways
The $200 call that becomes a whole-yard dig
A drain cleaning visit ends with a quote to replace the entire line, and no second opinion.
Ask for the video, then get two more bids before you sign.
Digging before the claim is approved
Most lateral programs will not pay for work that started before approval. That is money you already paid in fees.
Check your town below, then file first.
Paying for roots, again and again
Cutting roots every year or two clears the line but leaves the broken joints that let them in.
Price a repair or liner against the cost of cleaning forever.
Unlicensed or out-of-area crews
Sewer lateral work around St. Louis needs the right license and permit, and programs can refuse to pay for work that lacks them.
Every contractor we match is licensed for your town.
Failed sewer scope on a sale?
Older St. Louis homes often show roots, offsets or broken clay on the buyer's sewer scope, and it can stall a closing. Get repair bids fast, so buyer and seller can negotiate with real numbers instead of guesses.
- Bids in writing, based on the inspection video
- Know whether the town's program applies (some exclude sale-related repairs)
- Up to 3 licensed contractors, so nobody is stuck with one quote
What is going on down there
A licensed contractor runs a camera down the line before anyone digs. These are the findings that come up most in older St. Louis laterals, many of them clay pipe.
| Footage | Finding | Usual fix |
|---|---|---|
| FT 006 | Roots in a jointTree roots find the seams in old clay pipe and grow toward the water. Drains slow, then back up. | Cleaning buys time; repairing or lining the joint is the lasting fix. |
| FT 018 | Offset jointGround movement shifts one pipe section off the next, leaving a lip that catches paper and waste. | Spot repair of the joint, or a liner when there are several. |
| FT 027 | Belly (sag)A low spot holds standing water and sludge. Common where the trench settled. | Usually a dig-and-replace of the sagging run. |
| FT 041 | Collapse or breakA crushed or broken section. Sewage can back into the basement or soak the yard. | Excavation or pipe bursting. Often the case a lateral program is meant for. |
| FT 055 | Grease and scaleBuildup narrows the pipe. Not structural damage. | Cleaning or hydro-jetting. Many programs do not pay for routine cleaning. |
Footage marks are illustrative. What you have, and what it costs, is for a licensed contractor to confirm on camera.
Three steps, in this order
Camera inspection
A licensed contractor scopes the line and records what failed and where. Most programs want this before anything else.
Program approval
If your town has a program, the claim is filed and approved before work starts. Skipping this step can cost you the coverage.
Compare bids
Get prices from more than one licensed drainlayer. Some towns require it, and it is the easiest money you will save.
Get 3 quotes from licensed sewer contractors
Tell us what is going on and where. We match you with up to 3 independent, licensed drainlayers who serve your town.
Straight answers
What is a sewer lateral?
It is the private pipe that carries wastewater from your house to the public sewer main, usually under your yard and sometimes under the street. In most of the St. Louis area the homeowner is responsible for it.
Does my sewer lateral program pay for the repair?
It depends on your town. Some cities pay a set amount, some pay a share, and some run the repair for you through St. Louis County. St. Louis City's program covers only the part in the public right-of-way. Use the coverage checker above, then confirm with your city before work starts.
Why get 3 quotes?
Prices for the same sewer job can vary by thousands, and several towns require more than one bid before they pay. Comparing bids also shows whether a full dig, a spot repair or trenchless lining is really needed.
What if a contractor says I need the whole line replaced?
Ask to see the camera video and where the defects are by footage. One bad joint is often a spot repair. Getting more than one bid is the simplest way to tell a real replacement from an upsell.
Will homeowners insurance cover it?
Often not. Many policies exclude wear, age and root damage to the sewer line, and some sell a separate service-line add-on. Check your policy, then your town's lateral program, which is what your yearly fee pays for.
Do I have to hire one of the contractors who calls?
No. You can compare their bids, use one, or use none. There is no cost and no obligation.
Do I pay you anything?
No. The request is free for homeowners. Contractors pay us for the introduction, and you deal with them directly.
Who will call me?
Independent contractors licensed for sewer work in your area. Up to 3 may contact you. You choose who, if anyone, to hire.
Is this an emergency?
If sewage is coming up into your basement, stop running water, keep people and pets away from it, and say it is an emergency in the form so the first contractor knows to come fast.