New Construction Plumbing in Douglasville, GA

Between the foundation and the public sewer main runs the pipe connecting the home's drains to the public main: the building sewer, also called a sewer lateral. On a new house it is built once, as part of the new construction plumbing, and done properly it gives the home a drain that is built to be serviceable. Seven points decide how well it lasts.

What a well-built lateral gets right

A well-built private lateral gets seven points right: size, slope, alignment, materials, jointing, testing and backfill. Those seven words make a handy checklist for anyone building a house:

• Size. The pipe must be large enough for the home's drainage load, and the pipe design sets minimum sizes accordingly.
• Slope. Too flat and solids settle. The minimum fall depends on pipe diameter and material, and an even grade matters as much as the number itself.
• Alignment. Straight runs, fittings made for the pipe system at changes of direction and cleanouts where the layout calls for them keep the line serviceable.
• Materials. Pipe and fittings must be rated for underground sewer use and suited to the depth and soil.
• Jointing. Joints are made the way the pipe's manufacturer specifies, solvent-welded or gasketed, with bedding and support designed to limit movement; correct joints alone cannot compensate for settlement.
• Testing. The line is tested for leaks before it is covered, using the method the pipe manufacturer allows.
• Backfill. Bedding and the first layer of fill support the pipe evenly and keep stones off it, so it holds its grade for the long haul.

Planning the route on the site plan

The lateral's route is drawn before construction, not improvised in the trench. Start from the elevation of the public sewer connection, then work back to the house to find how deep the building drain must exit the foundation. Mark where the lateral crosses the driveway, the water service and any landscape walls. A house that sits below its sewer connection needs a pumped system, and that changes the foundation plan. The lateral is the outdoor end of the job; inside, the new construction plumbing moves through underground, rough-in and final stages as on any house.

Checking the line before move-in

A new lateral can still be crushed by heavy equipment, settled by poor compaction or partly blocked by construction debris. A sewer camera inspection after final grading can reveal debris, visible deformation and standing water that suggests a low spot; it does not measure the exact slope or prove watertightness, and it gives the owner a recording of its condition from the start. Any defect it finds is far simpler to correct before landscaping goes in, and our main sewer line repair team can make that correction.

Douglasville sewer lateral questions

Who owns the sewer lateral?

The private lateral running from the house toward the public sewer is generally the property owner's responsibility. Exactly where private ownership ends and the utility's begins can depend on the connection, so confirm it with the sewer provider for your property. Building the line correctly the first time spares the owner repairs later.

Next step for your new home

Planning a new house in Douglasville and want the sewer lateral worked out before site work begins? Talk with Alpha Plumbing and Sewer at (404) 409-4448.