Sewer line replacement cost calculator
A planning range from the things that actually move a sewer quote, and a check that compares the method quoted with the defect found.
The short answer
Enter the repair method, the length of pipe, its depth and what sits on top of it. The calculator builds a planning range line by line — pipe work, restoration, permit, camera, cleanout and the street section — and, if you enter a quote, shows where it sits and flags methods that can't fix the defect the camera found.
Planning range
$5,550 – $14,700
Where the money goes
- Dig and replace (open trench) — 50 ft
- $5,000 – $12,500
- Restoration — lawn
- $300 – $1,200
- Camera inspection
- $150 – $500
- Permit and inspection
- $100 – $500
Emergency and after-hours work commonly adds 25–100%. Sources and every assumption are on the methodology page.
Check a quote against it
Reference: replacement cost under a lawn
Typical depth, average regional labour, permit and camera inspection included, street section excluded. Planning ranges computed by the calculator above.
| Length | Dig and replace | Pipe bursting | Pipe lining |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 ft | $3,550 – $9,700 | $2,850 – $8,200 | $2,950 – $8,800 |
| 50 ft | $5,550 – $14,700 | $4,450 – $12,600 | $4,750 – $13,800 |
| 75 ft | $8,050 – $20,950 | $6,450 – $18,100 | $7,000 – $20,050 |
| 100 ft | $10,550 – $27,200 | $8,450 – $23,600 | $9,250 – $26,300 |
Reference: replacement cost under a driveway
The same assumptions with the line running under concrete. This is where trenchless methods pull ahead, because the driveway doesn't have to be broken out and replaced.
| Length | Dig and replace | Pipe bursting | Pipe lining |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 ft | $5,250 – $14,500 | $3,450 – $10,100 | $2,950 – $9,000 |
| 50 ft | $7,250 – $19,500 | $5,050 – $14,500 | $4,750 – $14,000 |
| 75 ft | $9,750 – $25,750 | $7,050 – $20,000 | $7,000 – $20,250 |
| 100 ft | $12,250 – $32,000 | $9,050 – $25,500 | $9,250 – $26,500 |
How the estimate is built
Pipe work is priced per foot for each method, adjusted for depth — fully for an open trench, by half for bursting pits, and not at all for lining — and for regional labour. Restoration is priced by method and surface, because an open trench restores the whole run while bursting restores two pits and lining usually restores nothing. Fixed items — permit, camera, cleanout, street section — are added as ranges.
The quote check compares a total against that range and, more usefully, against the scope: lining quoted for a belly or through a collapse, a spot repair on Orangeburg, bursting under a slab, or no camera footage before a large job.
Frequently asked questions
- How accurate is a sewer line cost calculator?
- It gives a planning range, not a quote. Real prices depend on local labour, soil, access, other utilities and what the contractor finds once digging starts. Use it to budget and to spot a quote that's far outside the range or mismatched to the defect.
- What's the cheapest way to replace a sewer line?
- The smallest repair that actually fixes the defect. A spot repair for one damaged section, lining for sound-shaped pipe under hardscape, and digging for shallow lines under open lawn are each the cheapest option in their own situation.
- Why is my quote so much higher than the estimate?
- Common reasons are emergency or after-hours pricing, the section under the street being included, deep lines, restoration of concrete or landscaping, difficult access, or asbestos-containing pipe. Ask for an itemised quote and compare each line.