Broward County, Florida · Sewer & drain
Sewer line repair for Broward houses whose cast iron is out of time.
Cast iron drain pipe lasts 50 to 75 years by CISPI's figure, and closer to 40 to 50 in South Florida's damp sandy fill. Most of Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach was built inside that window. We scope the line first, hand over the footage, and quote against what the camera actually found.
- 50–75 yr
- cast iron service life
- CISPI
- 40–50 yr
- in South Florida ground
- regional practice
- 1972
- median year built, Fort Lauderdale
- Census ACS
- $150–400
- camera inspection
- reported range
Services
What we do
- Sewer Line RepairSewer line repair covers everything from clearing a blockage to replacing a failed section of pipe. Which one a house ne…Detail →
- Sewer Line ReplacementSewer line replacement is the right answer when a line has lost grade, collapsed, or corroded along its length rather th…Detail →
- Cast Iron Pipe ReplacementCast iron drain replacement swaps original 1960s and 1970s pipe for PVC to current Florida code. Yard runs and under-sla…Detail →
- Sewer Pipe LiningSewer pipe lining cures a resin sleeve inside the existing pipe, forming a jointless new pipe within the old one and avo…Detail →
- Trenchless Sewer RepairTrenchless sewer repair works through access points rather than a full trench, using either cured-in-place lining or pip…Detail →
- Sewer Camera InspectionA sewer camera inspection sends a camera on a push rod along the line from a cleanout while a surface locator marks the …Detail →
- Hydro JettingHydro jetting drives water at high pressure through a rearward-facing nozzle that scours the full bore of the pipe. Unli…Detail →
- Main Sewer Line CleaningMain sewer line cleaning addresses a blockage in the pipe every fixture drains into, which is what causes two fixtures t…Detail →
- Sewer Line Root RemovalSewer line root removal cuts and flushes the root mass out of the line, usually by hydro jetting with a root nozzle. Bec…Detail →
- Emergency Sewer RepairAn emergency sewer repair starts with containment. When sewage is backing up into the house, the first priority is stopp…Detail →
The order things happen in
From camera to replacement, and where most jobs stop
Sewer work escalates in a fixed order, and every step exists to avoid the one below it. A quote that skips straight to replacement without a camera has skipped the evidence.
| Step | What it establishes | What forces the next step |
|---|---|---|
| Camera inspection | Whether the line is blocked, broken, bellied or root-infested, and where along its run | Anything the camera names as structural rather than a blockage |
| Hydro jetting / cleaning | Restores full bore by cutting scale, grease and roots out of an intact pipe | Roots return on a short cycle, or the camera shows the wall is gone behind the scale |
| Spot repair | Replaces one failed section through a single dig, leaving the rest of the run alone | More than one failure point, or a pipe whose whole run is at the end of its service life |
| CIPP lining | Rebuilds the pipe from the inside with no long trench, keeping driveway and lawn intact | A collapsed line, a severe belly, or offsets the liner cannot bridge |
| Full replacement | New pipe, new grade, and a service life measured from today rather than from the 1960s | — |
Escalation order reflects standard trade practice. Which step your line needs is a question the camera answers — nobody can price a sewer line they have not seen.
Our guarantee
We Fix It Right the First Time or It's Free
If the section we repaired fails again from the same defect, we come back and redo the work at no charge.
Every quote is itemised into excavation, materials, restoration and permits, and the camera footage the quote is based on is yours to keep. You can hand that recording to another contractor for a second read.
Answers
Before you take a quote
Sewer pricing is opaque and the diagnosis is hard to verify. These pages set out what drives the cost, what the camera should be able to name, and who is responsible for the line.
- Sewer Smell in the Bathroom: What Causes It and What to Check FirstA sewer smell in a bathroom almost always means drain gas is escaping into the room instead of venting to th…
- CIPP Pipe Lining: How It Works, What It Costs, and When It Will Not WorkCIPP lining pulls a resin-saturated felt sleeve into an existing sewer pipe, inflates it against the pipe wa…
- Sewer Line Replacement Cost: What Actually Sets the NumberSewer line replacement cost is set by the foot, by depth, and by what has to be restored afterward. Reported…
- How Long Do Cast Iron Pipes Last?How long cast iron pipes last depends on the ground they sit in. The Cast Iron Soil Pipe Institute puts cast…
- Sewer Line Repair Cost: What You Are Actually Paying ForSewer line repair cost is set by access, not by pipe. A spot repair on an accessible yard line is the cheape…
- Main Sewer Line Clog: How to Confirm It and What to DoA clog in the main sewer line affects more than one fixture and backs up at the lowest drain in the house. I…
- Broken Sewer Line: What the Signs Look Like in a Florida HomeA broken sewer line shows itself through repeat backups, a persistent sewer smell at floor level, drain flie…
- Tree Roots in a Sewer Line: What Gets Them Out and Keeps Them OutTree roots cannot penetrate sound sewer pipe. They enter through a crack, a failed joint, or a corroded sect…
- Who Is Responsible for the Sewer Line From the House to the Street?For the sewer line running from the house toward the street, the City of Pembroke Pines Utilities FAQ states…
Service area
Broward County, city by city
Pipe material follows build year, not city limits. Florida construction moved to PVC in the late 1970s, so each city page is written against its own U.S. Census housing-age data rather than a swapped city name.
- Fort LauderdaleFort Lauderdale has about 67,000 housing units built before 1980…
- HollywoodMore than half of Hollywood's housing was built before 1970…
- Pompano BeachPompano Beach has about 40,000 pre-1980 housing units and a median year built of 1974…
- Deerfield BeachDeerfield Beach's median year built is 1977, right at Florida's cast iron to PVC changeover.…
- LauderhillLauderhill's median year built is 1976 with 67.3% pre-1980 housing…
- Hallandale BeachHallandale Beach is 68.4% pre-1980 housing with a median year built of 1975…
- MargateMargate's median year built is 1978, at the tail of Florida's cast iron era. Most work here …
- Oakland ParkOakland Park has a median year built of 1972 and 45.6% of housing built before 1970…
- Dania BeachDania Beach is Broward's oldest incorporated city, with a genuinely old core and 59.6% pre-1…
- North LauderdaleNorth Lauderdale's median year built is 1978 and only 16.5% of housing predates 1970…
- Wilton ManorsWilton Manors is 73.7% pre-1980 housing with a median year built of 1971…
- Lighthouse PointLighthouse Point is 83.5% pre-1980 housing with a median year built of 1968…
- Pembroke PinesPembroke Pines is a newer city…
Frequently asked questions
Why does sewer line repair cost so much?
Almost none of the cost is pipe. It is depth, which past ten feet requires trench collapse protection; the surface above the pipe, whether sod, driveway or an interior floor; and restoration. Work in public right-of-way adds permits, repaving including striping, and a sealed surveyor's as-built.
Should I get more than one quote for a sewer repair?
Yes, on any job over about $5,000. One plumber noted seeing sewer repairs cost $5,000 and $40,000, and one Florida lining job drew quotes of $4,500 and $14,000. Have every bidder quote against the same recorded camera footage so the bids are comparable.
How do I know a plumber isn't inventing a problem to sell me a big job?
Require a copy of the recorded camera footage. A recording can be sent to a second contractor for an independent read, which removes most of the asymmetry. Some homeowners hire a scope-only inspector who is not part of a plumbing company, which also works.
Can you repair a sewer line without digging it up?
Often, yes. Cured-in-place lining rebuilds the pipe from the inside through an existing cleanout, and pipe bursting replaces it through access pits. Both require the line to be a suitable candidate: lining preserves existing grade, so a belly or an offset rules it out.
Should cast iron drain pipes be replaced?
Not automatically. Surface rust and scale are the expected condition of fifty-year-old cast iron and are not a verdict. Replacement is indicated by a named defect: channelling across multiple sections, a belly, an offset, or a collapse. A single crack in sound pipe is repairable.
Should I replace my cast iron pipes now, or wait until they actually fail?
There is no universal answer, but the two paths are not equal. A planned replacement is scheduled, competitively quoted, and done with dry floors. An emergency one follows a backup and adds remediation. In Florida a third factor applies: carriers examine original plumbing at renewal.
Will cast iron pipes affect my Florida homeowners insurance?
They can. Florida carriers examine original plumbing in older homes closely, and the cost of leaving cast iron in place sometimes arrives as a surcharge or a non-renewal rather than as a backup. Ask your carrier whether documented replacement or lining changes their position before deciding.
Who is responsible for the sewer line, the homeowner or the City of Pembroke Pines?
The City of Pembroke Pines Utilities FAQ states that all water and sewer lines from the meter to and within the dwelling are the responsibility of the property owner, and that the City maintains lines on City property only. For a specific address, call City Utilities on 954-518-9000.
Find out what the line actually looks like.
Camera inspection, defect located and marked, footage handed over — across Pembroke Pines, FL and Broward County.