Sewer Line Replacement in Broomfield, CO

Signs it's time to replace, not patch

• Main-line clogs keep returning after cleaning
• A basement or lower-level drain backs up before anything else
• Toilets gurgle when a tub or washer drains
• Odor or wet ground along the route from the house to the street
• Camera video showing roots, cracks or sags in several places

If the camera finds one bad section on pipe that is otherwise sound, a repair may be enough. Damage spread along the run is the usual case for a full replacement.

Broomfield's setup

Broomfield is a consolidated city and county, so its Community Development Building Division handles permits for the whole jurisdiction. The division states plainly that sewer line repairs require a building permit; it can be reached at 303-438-6370 (option 5 for a plans analyst) or buildingpermits@broomfield.org. Because the city and county are one government, there is no question here of whether a city or county office applies.

Our fact sheet for Broomfield did not confirm which entity provides sewer service to every address or where the boundary between public and private sewer pipe sits. Check your utility bill for the sewer provider and ask it where your responsibility ends before you approve a replacement.

Broomfield has grown quickly along US-36 between Denver and Boulder, so many homes have plastic sewer pipe. In those, replacements usually follow a sag from settled soil, a section crushed by later work, or root intrusion at a weak joint. Older sections of the city can still have clay or cast iron lines that fail along their whole length.

What affects the cost

• Length and depth of the private line
• Method: trench where the slope is lost, trenchless where the route can be reused
• Surfaces and plantings over the line, including driveways and mature trees
• Interior piping that may need work at the same time
• Building Division permit and inspection

What happens when you call

You'll be put in touch with an independent local plumber who works in Broomfield. Expect a camera inspection before a firm price, since the material, depth and location of each defect drive the method. The plumber will typically pull the Building Division permit and arrange the inspection before backfilling.