Trenchless Sewer Line Replacement in Metro Atlanta

Trenchless replacement swaps or relines a failing sewer lateral through one or two small pits instead of a trench across the yard. It usually works for cracked, root-filled or broken lines, but not for a pipe that has collapsed flat or sagged into a deep belly. Before you compare prices, confirm which part of the line is yours, because in much of metro Atlanta the homeowner owns the entire lateral.

How do you know the lateral needs replacing, not cleaning?

A single backup after a holiday dinner is usually a clog. A pattern is different: the lowest drain in the house gurgles when the washing machine empties, the toilet bubbles when someone showers, or the same plumber has cleared roots from the line two or three times in a year. Soggy patches or sinkholes over the sewer path, or a sewage smell in the yard, point to a broken pipe rather than a blockage.

The only way to know is to look inside. A sewer camera inspection shows whether the pipe is cracked, offset at the joints, crushed, or full of roots, and the plumber can mark the depth and location of each defect from the surface. Ask for the video file, not just a verbal summary. If the line is basically sound with one bad spot, a spot repair of the damaged section may be all you need.

Which part of the sewer pipe do you own?

This varies by utility, and it decides who pays.

Gwinnett County: The Department of Water Resources says the property owner maintains the whole sewer lateral, including its connection to the county sewer. The county maintains the cleanout at the right-of-way; a cleanout closer to the house is the owner's.
Fulton County: In areas such as Alpharetta and Roswell, where Fulton County runs sewer, the county's lateral flyer says repairs to the lateral are the owner's responsibility even inside the public right-of-way or an easement. The county states it will not repair laterals outside the right-of-way.
DeKalb County: The City of Brookhaven's public works page says DeKalb Watershed Management owns and operates the sewer system there, including service laterals, and only DeKalb or its contractors may work on them. Call DeKalb before hiring anyone for the street-side portion.
City systems: Smyrna maintains its street sewer mains and tells residents to call a plumber for the private lateral once the mains are confirmed clear. In the City of Atlanta, sewer spills and main problems go to ATL 311.

If your bill comes from a city water department rather than a county, call it and ask where its responsibility ends before you sign a contract.

What are your options for replacing the line?

Method	How it works	Good fit	Poor fit
Open trench	Dig along the full run, remove the old pipe, lay new pipe, backfill	Collapsed or badly sagging pipe; shallow lines with nothing on top	Lines under driveways, mature trees, patios or landscaping
Pipe bursting	A bursting head is pulled through the old pipe, fracturing it outward while new pipe follows behind	Clay or cast iron lines that are broken but still continuous	Pipe that has caved in completely, or lines with many tight bends
Cured-in-place lining (CIPP)	A resin-soaked liner is inserted and hardened inside the old pipe, forming a new pipe within it	Cracks, root entry and leaking joints in pipe that still holds its shape	Badly offset joints, crushed sections or a belly that holds standing water

Lining slightly reduces the inside diameter of the pipe; bursting can keep the size or upsize it. Both usually need an access point at each end, often an existing cleanout plus a small pit near the street connection. A replacement that needs a new cleanout is a good moment to put one where a future plumber can reach it from outside.

What does sewer line replacement cost in 2026?

This Old House's 2026 pricing, which it bases on Angi estimates, puts the average sewer line replacement at $3,320, with most homeowners paying between $1,390 and $5,320. It lists traditional excavation at $50 to $200 per linear foot and trenchless methods at $60 to $250 per linear foot, a single range for both bursting and lining. Camera inspections run $100 to $500 and permits $100 to $1,000 in the same guide.

Trenchless is not automatically more expensive or less. Per foot it often costs about the same as digging, but it can avoid paying separately to tear out and pour back a driveway, rebuild a retaining wall or replace sod. A dig quote that leaves out restoration is not comparable to a trenchless quote that includes it. Our overview of plumbing prices in Atlanta covers how trip charges and hourly rates fit in.

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How should you compare two quotes?

Same length. Make sure both quotes cover the same footage, from the house cleanout to the same tie-in point.
Method named. The quote should say bursting, lining or open trench, and the pipe material and diameter going in.
Tie-in included. Ask who handles the connection at the main and any work in the right-of-way, and whether a utility fee applies there.
Restoration spelled out. Concrete, asphalt, sod and landscaping should be listed or clearly excluded.
Before and after video. A final camera run proves the new line is continuous and properly connected.
Permit and warranty. Find out who pulls the permit and what the written warranty covers, in years and in what it excludes.

What happens on the day of the work?

For a bursting or lining job, the crew usually starts by camera-checking the line again and marking the access points. They open a pit or use the existing cleanout near the house, and dig a second pit near the street or the tie-in. Water use in the house stops while the old pipe is open, so plan on not running dishwashers, showers or laundry until the crew says the new line is connected.

With bursting, a cable is threaded through the old pipe and a winch pulls the bursting head and the new pipe through in one pass. With lining, the old pipe is cleaned, often by jetting, then the liner is inverted or pulled into place and cured with hot water, steam or light. Service connections from the house are reopened from inside the liner. A final camera run confirms the result, the pits are backfilled, and the inspector checks the work if a permit was pulled.

Ask in advance where the crew will set equipment, whether they need driveway access, and who is responsible if a sprinkler line or landscape lighting wire is cut while digging the pits.

Do you need a permit and line locates?

Usually yes. Tucker, for example, requires a city permit to replace a sewer line, and the City of Decatur requires a separate sewer permit regardless of job value. Unincorporated areas follow the county building department. The plumber normally pulls the permit, but it is your house, so ask to see it.

Any digging, even a small bursting pit, needs a Georgia 811 request at least three business days ahead. The service is free, and utilities mark their own lines. Georgia 811 does not promise to mark private lines, and Atlanta Gas Light says homeowners own gas piping past the meter, including lines to grills, pool heaters and outbuildings, so a crew should hand-dig near any of those.

Which metro Atlanta homes are most likely to need this?

Age is the biggest clue. Census estimates compiled by Point2Homes show about 64 percent of East Point homes and about 69 percent of Jonesboro homes were built before 1980, and roughly 23 percent of Decatur units date to 1939 or earlier. Lines that old are often clay or cast iron, both of which crack and let roots in. Newer subdivisions in places like Alpharetta, where most homes were built after 1980, see fewer failures from material age, though tree roots and settling can affect any lateral.

If you live in one of those older areas, you can find plumbers who handle laterals through our pages for East Point sewer line work, sewer replacement in Decatur or Jonesboro.

What should you do right now?

If sewage is coming up into the house, stop using water and get the line opened first; replacement can wait a few days, a backup cannot. A drain clearing visit or, for heavy roots and grease, jetting the line buys time to get a camera inspection and two written quotes. Our guide to choosing between jetting and a cable machine explains which fits your pipe. When you are ready, see the Atlanta sewer replacement page to be connected with an independent local plumber.

Frequently asked questions

Will my homeowners insurance pay for a new sewer line?

Standard policies often exclude wear, tree roots and age-related failure, though some insurers sell a separate service-line endorsement. Read your policy or call your agent before work starts, and keep the camera video as documentation.

Can roots grow through a lined pipe?

A properly installed cured-in-place liner has no joints for roots to enter along the lined section. Roots can still get in at the ends or at any unlined connection, so ask how the transitions are sealed.

How long does trenchless replacement take?

Many residential laterals are finished in a day or two once the permit and Georgia 811 locates are in place. Longer runs, deep pits or work at the street connection can take more time.