How much does it cost to have plumber replace the main stack in your house out the street?

Question

It looks like I may have to get rid of my main stack in my house which is all cast iron. The insurance company doesn't like it. So, I was wondering if anyone knows how much it costs to have someone replace all of it right out to the street. Does anyone have any idea?

Answer 1

Depends on a lot of factors-where you live, the distance from the house to the sewer main, the size of the pipe, etc.  Expect to pay anywhere from $2-6000 based on the above factors.  Your best bet is to get a few estimates, and ask for and check references.  Most contractors will give you an estimate for free.  Good luck.

Answer 2

I paid $3000.00.  to replace the pipe that runs from the street to the house.  They don't replace it; they start over.  They dig a new trench and lay new pipe.  If you have more time than money, you could always dig your own trench, lay your own pipe, and just pay a guy the hourly wage to come and hook up the pipes.  The underground pipe from street to house is the most expensive part because of the labor.  

Answer 3

The stack is the large pipe inside your house that goes from the basement to the upper floor.  It is the largest diameter pipe in the house.  It will be vented to the roof, as will the pipes connecting to the stack if they are more than a certain distance from the stack.

The pipe that routes the contents of the stack out to the sewer main in the street is called a lateral.  It is, as the name implies, the section of pipe that runs laterally from your house to the street.  It has a slight pitch down toward the sewer main, not too much, because it needs to float the solids out to the main.

I'm not sure why the insurance company doesn't like the cast iron stack, but replacing it depends on how many connections there are and how easy or difficult it is to get to them.  So, sorry, I can't really estimate the cost.  If you tell us how many bathrooms you have and any other drains in your home, from a laundry room or a mud room or whatever you might have, a plumber might be able to ball park it.

Good luck

Answer 4

As you write your problem is with the vent stack, not the sewer main line. You need to open up a wall and remove it and replace it with black ABC Plastic pipe and reattach it to your sewer main with a rubber coupling and two hose clamps. Remember to replace the hangers for the pipe so it remains firmly in place. Good Luck.