Orangeburg pipe replacement cost when buying a house

How much does it cost to replace Orangeburg pipe?

A San Jose plumber puts Orangeburg pipe replacement cost at $6,000 to $20,000 or more. Lining a short run costs less, but only if the pipe still holds its shape. Book a sewer camera before your deadline and get a plumber's written bid.

Key takeaways

• The maker closed in 1974, so any Orangeburg line today is past its advertised 50-year life.
• A typical homeowners policy won't pay when an old sewer line collapses.
• A sewer scope runs $100 to $250, depending on the area.

What is Orangeburg pipe?

Orangeburg is a sewer pipe made of compressed wood fibers soaked in coal tar pitch. It was used in homes from the 1940s to the 1970s. It runs underground, carrying waste from the house to the city sewer or a septic tank. Plastic pipe replaced it, and the maker closed for good in 1974.

Homes built between 1945 and 1972 are the likely ones. The house's age only raises the question. A licensed plumber with a camera answers it.

Does it contain asbestos? The public works group lists wood fiber and tar, but Wikipedia's entry also lists asbestos fibres. Only a lab sample settles it. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says "a trained and accredited asbestos professional should take samples for analysis." That matters when a crew digs up or breaks the old pipe.

Is Orangeburg pipe bad?

Bad enough to price before you close. The Minnesota chapter of the American Public Works Association says pipes in use for the advertised 50 years "were well past their lifespan and likely suffered tree root intrusion." It explains why: "as the black tar pitch dries moisture from sewer flows penetrates the pipe walls, roots find their way in."

The weight of the soil deforms the pipe over time. A plumbing trade magazine, PHC Pros, says it "starts to deform and warp after about 30 years," and the result is "repeated backups of the sewer line from the house to the public sewer." Roots and sags can also show up as their own line on the report. See roots or a belly in a sewer line.

If sewage is backing up into the house, stop running water and flushing toilets, then call a licensed plumber that day. Do the same for a damp low spot in the yard over the line. The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) says those problems "must be addressed immediately."

How much does Orangeburg pipe repair cost?

Orangeburg pipe replacement costs differ mostly by method and length. Digging a trench adds the cost of restoring the yard, concrete or driveway. Pipe bursting pulls a new pipe through the old one. Lining puts a new pipe inside it.

Lining is the cheapest row, but it has limits. Express Sewer & Drain says, "If your Orangeburg pipe is collapsed, lining won't do much to fix the problem." On bursting, the two disagree. Express says crews "can replace your collapsed pipe entirely" that way, while CME says bursting "doesn't work to replace severely damaged or completely collapsed pipes." The camera and the plumber's bid decide which row applies to you.

Here's a worked example. CME puts the average home sewer line at 50 feet. At its $150 to $250 a foot, that's 50 x $150 = $7,500 to 50 x $250 = $12,500. Add the scope at $100 to $250, and the total is $7,600 to $12,750. If the camera clears the line for bursting, CME says that "typically costs 25% to 30% less." A driveway or patio over the line raises the cost of digging.

A plumber's written bid replaces all of these numbers. For the rest of your report, Kept prices every line of an inspection report for $79, usually under 4 hours, and marks the ones that need a professional quote.

Who can price it before my deadline?

A licensed plumber or sewer company with a camera can price it. The same visit shows whether the pipe is sagging, full of roots, or collapsed, and which repair it needs. Ask for the video and a written bid that names the method and the footage.

The camera visit is a sewer scope. InterNACHI's inspection standards don't require it, though many inspectors offer it as an add-on. Ask yours first.

What should I ask the seller for?

Ask for the bid's full amount. You have three ways to take it:

• A credit at closing if you'd rather hire your own plumber and pick the method.
• A price reduction if you'd rather lower the price and the loan instead of taking a credit.
• The repair before closing if the seller will hire a licensed plumber and you get the camera video, any permit and the receipt after the work.

Put the bid's scope and method in the request, not just the total. What to ask for after a home inspection covers how this fits with your other items. The buyer repair request letter template has the wording.

What if the seller says no?

If the seller says no, you still have choices. Ask for a smaller credit that covers the method the camera supports. Or accept the house and set the bid aside as your first repair after closing.

If the line has collapsed and the seller won't move on price, that's a real reason to leave. When to walk away after a home inspection walks through that call. Your contract sets the deadline and terms for cancelling, so confirm with your agent.

Is Orangeburg pipe illegal?

Whether Orangeburg pipe is allowed depends on where you live. The plumbing code your city or county adopted governs, and your local building department or a licensed plumber answers for your address. PHC Pros notes the Uniform Plumbing Code once allowed it outside homes only, and it "was never approved for use under any building."

Does homeowners insurance cover Orangeburg pipe?

Usually not for an old line. American Family Insurance lists what a typical homeowners policy will not cover, including "A tree root breaks into your sewer line" and "Your dated sewer line is corroded and collapses, which results in sewer backup." It suggests adding service line coverage. Legacy Insurance, an agency in Spokane, WA, says some policies cover a collapsed Orangeburg pipe with an endorsement, and without one "the answer is 'no'." Ask your insurance agent about that endorsement before your deadline.

Should I buy a house with Orangeburg pipe?

A sound camera result means the line works today, but the pipe is still past its expected life, so budget for replacing it. Whether to buy depends on what the camera shows and whether the seller covers the plumber's bid. Once the sewer line has a number, the rest of your report needs numbers too.

When the camera finds work and your report has other lines, upload your inspection report to Kept to price the rest of your list before you write the request.

Sources

• CPI Service, "How Much Does Sewer Line Replacement Cost?"
• Express Sewer & Drain, "What Is Orangeburg Pipe? Everything You Need to Know"
• CME Sewer Repair, "Explore Orangeburg Pipe Repair For Old Sewer Pipes"
• NuFlow, cost guide for a 100-foot sewer line replacement
• American Public Works Association, Minnesota Chapter, "The Rise and Fall of Orangeburg Pipe"
• PHC Pros, "Everything You Wanted to Know About Orangeburg Pipe (But Were Afraid To Ask)"
• InterNACHI, "Sewer Scope Inspections for Home Inspectors"
• EPA, "Protect Your Family from Exposures to Asbestos"
• Wikipedia, "Orangeburg pipe"
• American Family Insurance, "Are broken sewer pipes covered by homeowners insurance?"
• Legacy Insurance, "What is Orangeburg pipe and why does it matter?"