Sewer Excavation in Lithia Springs, GA

Sewer excavation is heavy, physical work: a trench is opened along the building sewer, the failed pipe is cut out, new pipe is laid at the right fall, and the ground is closed and restored. It is natural for a homeowner in Lithia Springs to wonder whether some of that labor could be done by hand on a free weekend. Part of it can. The trick is knowing which part, and what the county expects before anyone starts.

What Douglas County's rules say

Lithia Springs addresses fall under Douglas County, and the county's Building Permits & Inspections office requires plumbing permits for any new or renovation work. Under the county code, plumbing permits go to holders of a state master plumber license, or to a homeowner working on their own primary single-family home. Another section makes it unlawful to start a plumbing installation until the permit is issued and its fee paid.

Jobs a homeowner can reasonably take on

• Finding the outdoor cleanout and clearing grass or mulch away from its cap.
• Moving cars, trailers, playsets and potted plants out of the work path.
• Lifting stepping stones or loose pavers by hand and stacking them out of the way.
• Digging up and potting shrubs or perennials you want to keep.
• Flagging sprinkler heads, low-voltage lighting and buried pet fence wire, which utility locators do not mark.
• Photographing the yard, fences and driveway before the work starts.
• Seeding, laying sod or replanting once the trench has been backfilled and graded.

Where do-it-yourself digging goes wrong

The hazards sit in the middle of the job. Trench walls can slump with little warning, and soil is far heavier than it looks; workplace safety rules treat trenches five feet deep or more as needing shoring, sloping or a trench box. A shovel or rented machine can also strike a gas, power or fiber line, so Georgia 811 has to mark utilities before any digging. Then comes the pipe itself. Holding a steady fall over a long run takes a laser or careful string work, and a low spot will collect waste for the life of the line. Joining new plastic to old clay or cast iron calls for the right shielded coupling. A rented excavator working close to the foundation, the gas meter or a slope can do damage that costs more than the labor saved.

Splitting the work with a crew

The most common arrangement is simple: the crew handles locating, digging, pipe work, testing, inspection and compacted backfill, and the homeowner does the prep beforehand and the finish work afterward. Put that split in writing, with the point where the crew's work ends clearly stated, such as rough grade with topsoil spread. Before anything is decided, make sure digging is really the right fix. A sewer camera inspection shows whether the pipe is broken or only blocked, and pipe that is cracked but intact may suit a liner.

Not every buried pipe is the sewer

Homeowners sometimes find a broken pipe in the yard and assume it is the sewer line. It may be a downspout line, a yard drain or a foundation drain instead, and those carry rainwater, not waste. Reaching one of those means digging out a drain line, a different job from the sewer. A quick look at where the pipe starts and ends usually settles which one you have.

Do-it-yourself questions in Lithia Springs

Can I dig my own sewer trench in Lithia Springs?

The county does leave room for an owner working on their own primary home to take out the permit, but legally possible is not the same as wise. A trench wall can give way, a shovel can find a buried gas or power line, and a pipe laid with a dip in it will clog for years. Many owners keep the prep and restoration for themselves and leave the trench and the pipe to a crew.

Can I fill in the trench myself to save money?

Only after the new pipe has been tested and has passed any inspection the county requires, and even then the first layers matter most. The soil right around the pipe should be free of rocks and placed by hand so the pipe is supported evenly, then the rest compacted in thin layers. A common compromise is for the crew to backfill and compact, and for you to spread topsoil and seed.

What should I do before the crew arrives?

Clear the work path of vehicles and yard items, flag sprinkler heads and buried wires, and pot any plants you want to save. Uncover the cleanout cap if you know where it is, and take photos of the yard and driveway. Tell everyone in the house that no sink, toilet, shower, dishwasher or washing machine can be used while the line is open.

Plan your share of the job

Want to work out which parts of a sewer repair you can take on yourself and which belong to a crew? Call Alpha Plumbing and Sewer at (404) 409-4448 and we can divide the job up with you before any digging starts.