# Main line clean out



## chris n (Oct 14, 2003)

Heh guys, I am wondering what the typical price is for cleaning out the main sewer line from house to street( aprox50 ft). Just in general,I know each job is different but I am pretty sure I have been way over charged this time.


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## Ron The Plumber (Oct 10, 2006)

Lets see if I was into cleaning out lines and was to figure out the rate to charge, here is my way.

Trip Fee $25
Equipment Fee $25
Diagnostic Fee $50
Labor $125 per 100' of line $2 per foot there after.
Additional lines cleared. $50 per line

Now do the math.


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## All Clear Sewer (Nov 8, 2006)

Here in Kansas I charge $70 an hour that I`m on site.
and if you wanted to make sure it`s clean $100. for video inspection after clean out.


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

We charge $190.00 per hour for a large rod job.


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## chris n (Oct 14, 2003)

Well,I just paid $366.14 and thought it was a rip off,apparently I was right.


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## All Clear Sewer (Nov 8, 2006)

How long did it take and what did he have to do to clean out the sewer? Hand Dig or was there a clean out?


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## mahlere (Aug 6, 2006)

chris n said:


> Well,I just paid $366.14 and thought it was a rip off,apparently I was right.


this morning? 

so, on a saturday you called a company (probably out of the yellow pages) got a live person to answer the phone, dispatch a technician, clean out your line (thereby saving you from what? a flooded basement? how much would that cost to clean?) and get you up and running.

on a saturday (so you don't have to take a day off of work to meet them)

all that for less than $400? far from a rip-off...


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## All Clear Sewer (Nov 8, 2006)

where in their post does it say it was a saturday :blink: I must have missed something here?:shifty:


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## mahlere (Aug 6, 2006)

All Clear Sewer said:


> where in their post does it say it was a saturday :blink: I must have missed something here?:shifty:





> *well,I just paid* $366.14 and thought it was a rip off,apparently I was right.


and since it was posted on Saturday morning, I asked if it was performed today. Saturday. Maybe it was last night. Either way, I'd be surprised if it was during normal business hours.


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## All Clear Sewer (Nov 8, 2006)

normal business hours???? What are normal business hours in sewer work.....lol...

I get calls 24/7 and they knew it was plugged between 8 to 5....rotflmao

It just means more $$$$$$$$$$$$ for me


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## dougchips (Apr 23, 2006)

All Clear Sewer said:


> Hand Dig


? Does this mean reaching your arm in and pulling the stuff out?


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## mahlere (Aug 6, 2006)

All Clear Sewer said:


> normal business hours???? What are normal business hours in sewer work.....lol...
> 
> I get calls 24/7 and they knew it was plugged between 8 to 5....rotflmao
> 
> It just means more $$$$$$$$$$$$ for me


ok, so what would your friday night/saturday morning price be?

and what would your price be if you had to pay an employee OT to do the job?


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## All Clear Sewer (Nov 8, 2006)

If I was the only one going out after hours it`s $100 an hour, if I have to bring a helper it`s 140.00 to 150.00 an hour. 

Now if we have to dig then I charge by how big of hole we have to dig + the hour charge. Now if it`s after 10pm it`s $150.00 with-out a helper and $250 with a helper "IF" I can even get one of em to go help that late .


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## All Clear Sewer (Nov 8, 2006)

dougchips said:


> ? Does this mean reaching your arm in and pulling the stuff out?


Hand dig is where you have to dig up the line by HAND because there`s no room for the back hoe 

If I have to hand dig the sewer by pulling stuff out by hand, I would hate to think what I`m gonna charge


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## chris n (Oct 14, 2003)

*Mr*

This happened on a Thursday,scheduled during normal business hours 8 am and all that he did was run a snake out to the street from the clean out. Took all of 15 minutes to unload,do the job and leave. I get this done every couple years as a preventative measure as there is a large tree out front that clogged the line about 20 years ago,it has been mostly clean ever since but was told to have it done routinely just in case.


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

chris n said:


> This happened on a Thursday,scheduled during normal business hours 8 am and all that he did was run a snake out to the street from the clean out. Took all of 15 minutes to unload,do the job and leave. I get this done every couple years as a preventative measure as there is a large tree out front that clogged the line about 20 years ago,it has been mostly clean ever since but was told to have it done routinely just in case.



I would say you were overcharged, and we are the most expensive contractor I know.


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## All Clear Sewer (Nov 8, 2006)

KillerToiletSpi said:


> I would say you were overcharged, and we are the most expensive contractor I know.


You need to call around as see what others in your area charge then you can see if you got the shaft or not.


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## dougchips (Apr 23, 2006)

All Clear Sewer said:


> Hand dig is where you have to dig up the line by HAND because there`s no room for the back hoe
> 
> If I have to hand dig the sewer by pulling stuff out by hand, I would hate to think what I`m gonna charge



Thanks for clearing that up.


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## mahlere (Aug 6, 2006)

since it was on a thursday, please disregard the Saturday comments.

But I do have a question.....were you given a price before they did the work, or was it a surprise after they were done?


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## chris n (Oct 14, 2003)

He did tell me before,but he was standing here with his snake ready to go and I had already taken off work to let him in,so said go ahead,don't think I will call this co. again.


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## 747 (Jan 21, 2005)

roto router charged me 95 dollars before then my plumber charged me 240. I will be sticking with roto router.

Ps. Roto router did yank out a bunch of roots. I have a six inch riser. It took him less then a half hour. First thing he said was turn on the water full blast in bathtub let in run.


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## ILPlumber (Aug 26, 2007)

I kinda thought this was a professional discussion board. Not a homeowner how much for dis board. If you gotta ask a bunch of folks on the net if you got screwed, you probably already know the answer to your question.

Monday morning quarterbacking is easy. Why don't you be a little more proactive. That way you're not asking strangers if you got screwed or not.:thumbdown


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## chris n (Oct 14, 2003)

I kinda thought this was a professional discussion board. Not a homeowner how much for dis board. If you gotta ask a bunch of folks on the net if you got screwed, you probably already know the answer to your question.

Monday morning quarterbacking is easy. Why don't you be a little more proactive. That way you're not asking strangers if you got screwed or not.


Thanks a lot for that advice,I am a professional,just not a plumber and only asked you plumbers for an opinion,which I got from most,thanks.By the way,nice attitude:no:


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## ILPlumber (Aug 26, 2007)

glad i could be of help. if i ever in retrospect think i got screwed on a wallpaper job. you will be the first to know.


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