New Construction Plumbing in Austell, GA

Every new house needs a way to send wastewater to the street, and in new construction plumbing that pipe, the building sewer, is one of the least glamorous and most consequential on the job. It goes into an open trench, it must hold an even fall along its whole length, and once buried it is costly to revisit.

Where the building sewer starts and stops

Inside the foundation, the building drain gathers every fixture. A short distance beyond the wall it becomes the building sewer, which crosses the lot to the public sewer connection. Its route depends on three things: the elevation where it leaves the house, the depth of the public sewer, and whatever lies between, such as footings, a driveway, retaining walls or the water service. A lot that falls toward the street makes the job simple; one that falls away may call for a deeper exit from the house or a pumped system.

The trench, one step at a time

1. Locate first. Existing utilities are marked before digging, and the depth of the public sewer connection is confirmed so the fall can be worked out.
2. Dig to grade. The trench bottom is shaped to an even slope without low spots, since a dip turns into a belly where solids settle.
3. Bed and lay. Pipe rests on stable bedding, joints are made up, and cleanouts go where the layout and the pipe design call for them.
4. Test and check. The line is tested and left exposed until the test result and the pipe have been checked.
5. Backfill with care. The first layer around the pipe is kept free of rock and debris and placed in lifts before the rest of the trench is closed.

Why the open trench matters

An open trench is a nuisance on a busy site. It blocks deliveries, fills with rainwater and tempts the grading crew to close it early. The pipe must not be buried before it has been tested and checked, so the check should happen as soon as the pipe is ready, with the trench protected until then. An open trench can collapse. Leave excavation access and protection to the qualified crew, and keep visitors outside the work zone. Rain that washes soil from under the pipe can undo careful grading, so the shorter the wait, the better. Lining up that check with the excavator's schedule is one of the most practical things a plumber does on a new build.

The other lines in the yard

The water service is normally run from the meter to the house during the same period, in its own trench or with proper separation from the sewer. Its size depends on the fixture count and the length of the run, and it should enter where the main shutoff will be easy to reach. Gas piping for a range, dryer or gas water heater belongs in the plan from day one. If an existing service line on the lot is to be reused, our main water line repair crew can check it first. Inside the foundation, the house then moves through rough-in, top-out and final, the usual order for new construction plumbing anywhere in Georgia.

Austell sewer and water line questions

When in the build does the sewer line go in?

Usually right after the underground plumbing inside the foundation, so the building drain and the building sewer can be tested and inspected while the ground is open. Some builders hold that trench until heavy equipment has finished crossing the yard, which keeps trucks from crushing new pipe. Either way, the route should be fixed before the slab is poured.

What happens if the lot slopes away from the street sewer?

The house may need to send its waste out at a lower point, or some fixtures may need a pump to lift wastewater up to the sewer. The answer depends on how far below the public sewer the lowest drains sit. Work it out at the planning stage, because the choice affects foundation depth and the whole underground layout.

Does the water line need its own trench?

Often it does, although a shared trench can work when the required separation between water and sewer piping is kept. The plumber and the excavator settle this together based on the lot, the depths involved and the pipe manufacturers' instructions. Either way, the water service should reach the house at a sensible spot for the main shutoff.

Planning your sewer and water lines

On a new home in Austell, a short conversation at the site-planning stage can save a long dig later. Reach Alpha Plumbing and Sewer at (404) 409-4448 to talk through the layout.