How much does it cost to replace underground water pipe?

Question

Our underground water pipe is 275 feet long and leaks closing to the water meter. What is the reasonable price to replace the whole 275 feet water pipe? The pipe leaked 6 years ago and previous owner spent $3489 just replaced the leaked part with copper. Currently we have plumber estimate as $9800 by using directional boring. Not quite sure if it is reasonable.

Answer 1

City or State code plays a factor here. Flexible K copper is not cheap plus some states require the line to be 8 feet deep. If you have old black pipe or galvanized pipe, yes you should replace the whole thing. If you can have it 3 feet deep then you can do this your self and pay a plumber to hook it up. Save big bucks. Contact your City on there requirements. Plumbing store for the copper. Rental store for a ditch witch to dig a trench. Plumber to tie in all of your fittings and to the meter. Under ground requires a flaired fitting to connect the copper lines.

But for a plumber to do the job for under $36.00 per foot seems like a great price to me. It would be a great deal more here in Ohio.

Answer 2

Do it yourself you can rent trenchers at HD or Lowes to go under sidewalks just push a pipe on the end of a hose with water runing through it. if you have to go under a wide driveway just use longer pipe.Or if you don't want to mess with it pick up some day laborers and give them each a shovel.Its not rocket science.

Answer 3

You are probably paying and extra $3,000 to have the directional boring done, is there a reason your not just doing it in an open trench?

Answer 4

I live in iowa and my water co. charges 11 dollars a ft.