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Sometimes a homeowner calls asking how much we charge per linear foot for tunneling. In most of these cases, they have an estimate from another company and are doing a little comparison shopping.

While we could give out a number, it’s not as easy as that. There’s a lot more to it.

The problem is knowing the per linear foot charge does not give an accurate picture of how much a job is going to cost in the end.

And there are multiple reasons for this.

No Questions Asked?

First I want to say, be wary of any company who will give you this price over the phone no questions asked. If you do come across a company who does this, be aware that that price is going to go up at some point.

And remember. Anyone can say anything over the phone. You can even get it in writing. But the real test is will they back it up? There are numerous plumbing companies in the Dallas/Fort Worth area who employ a foot in the door tactic by giving a low bid upfront. Then once they’re there and you’ve got a hole in your slab and several feet of tunnel under the foundation… surprise! It’s going to cost more.

And not only can (and most likely will) the price go up but we’ve come across too many homes where the work promised and paid for wasn’t done.

It’s not unheard of for a company to quote 20 feet of tunnel and plumbing just to get under the slab and either get tired of it or run out of money because they quoted you too low and can’t finish the job. So they don’t.

And they know most, if any, homeowners aren’t crawling up under the slab to check and see if the work was done.

We’ve worked on multiple houses recently where homeowners were told one thing by other companies. Then we go out and find those companies did not do what they said (and took the money for). And then those companies won’t pick up the phone.

No One-Size-Fits-All Plumbing Pricing

So we do have a general per foot charge. But that can change depending on any number of factors. Because every house is different, we can’t know for sure what that will be until we know what we’re dealing with.

First we have access holes. Any tunnel has to start with an access hole whether that be inside the home or outside of the home.

Then there’s the actual tunnel. And don’t forget, there’s plumbing that has to be done as well. It doesn’t matter how much you excavate, we’ve got to actually plumb it in the end. And that involves a labor charge.

We’ve also got to clean up and haul everything off (trash, dirt, etc.). This is labor as well. And in most situations, we need to get a permit for that.

And there are possible obstacles which affect also pricing.

Here’s a short list of potential obstacles:

1. Driveways
2. A/C units
3. Wood decks
4. Rainwater drainage systems
5. Roots (sometimes massive roots)
6. Swimming pools
7. Sheds

Some homes are located in areas that are prone to more rock where others are more sand. There are also major trees around many homes. Sometimes there’s massive amounts of concrete.

Also how far do we need to dig from an access hole? The further away you get from an access hole, the more expensive it gets.

All of these things have to be taken under consideration making the per linear foot price an almost useless number to know.

Unnecessary Tunneling

We worked with a homeowner who had been told he had a sewer leak in the master bathroom. The company told him he needed 25 feet of tunnel and an access hole. So he called us to find out how much we would charge for that amount of work.

Because we always verify another company’s findings — which I talk about in this post — we went out and found a leak on the fittings at the double sinks in the master bath. According to the diagram the other company gave the homeowner, they were proposing 25 feet of tunnel and not a single foot went to where the leak was.

And not only were they not tunneling to the leak but they proposed tunneling under the tub and the toilet where there were no leaks (something we determined in our leak location test). And the tunnel itself was not how you tunnel.

And remember. Anyone can say anything over the phone. You can even get it in writing. But the real test is will they back it up? There are numerous plumbing companies in the Dallas/Fort Worth area who employ a foot in the door tactic by giving a low bid upfront. Then once they’re there and you’ve got a hole in your slab and several feet of tunnel under the foundation… surprise! It’s going to cost more.

And not only can (and most likely will) the price go up but we’ve come across too many homes where the work promised and paid for wasn’t done.

It’s not unheard of for a company to quote 20 feet of tunnel and plumbing just to get under the slab and either get tired of it or run out of money because they quoted you too low and can’t finish the job. So they don’t.

And they know most, if any, homeowners aren’t crawling up under the slab to check and see if the work was done.

We’ve worked on multiple houses recently where homeowners were told one thing by other companies. Then we go out and find those companies did not do what they said (and took the money for). And then those companies won’t pick up the phone.

No One-Size-Fits-All Plumbing Pricing

So we do have a general per foot charge. But that can change depending on any number of factors. Because every house is different, we can’t know for sure what that will be until we know what we’re dealing with.

First we have access holes. Any tunnel has to start with an access hole whether that be inside the home or outside of the home.

Then there’s the actual tunnel. And don’t forget, there’s plumbing that has to be done as well. It doesn’t matter how much you excavate, we’ve got to actually plumb it in the end. And that involves a labor charge.

We’ve also got to clean up and haul everything off (trash, dirt, etc.). This is labor as well. And in most situations, we need to get a permit for that.

And there are possible obstacles which affect also pricing.

Here’s a short list of potential obstacles:

1. Driveways
2. A/C units
3. Wood decks
4. Rainwater drainage systems
5. Roots (sometimes massive roots)
6. Swimming pools
7. Sheds

Some homes are located in areas that are prone to more rock where others are more sand. There are also major trees around many homes. Sometimes there’s massive amounts of concrete.

Also how far do we need to dig from an access hole? The further away you get from an access hole, the more expensive it gets.

All of these things have to be taken under consideration making the per linear foot price an almost useless number to know.

Unnecessary Tunneling

We worked with a homeowner who had been told he had a sewer leak in the master bathroom. The company told him he needed 25 feet of tunnel and an access hole. So he called us to find out how much we would charge for that amount of work.

Because we always verify another company’s findings — which I talk about in this post — we went out and found a leak on the fittings at the double sinks in the master bath. According to the diagram the other company gave the homeowner, they were proposing 25 feet of tunnel and not a single foot went to where the leak was.

And not only were they not tunneling to the leak but they proposed tunneling under the tub and the toilet where there were no leaks (something we determined in our leak location test). And the tunnel itself was not how you tunnel.

The shortest distance from point A to point B is a straight line. So it would make sense to go from the access hole straight to the leak. But instead of going from an access hole straight to the leak, they planned on some ludicrous “f” shaped tunnel.

Having been in this business as long as I have and seeing all the tricks these guys play, I am confident they knew the leak was at the sink. There’s no way they couldn’t know. And that’s why they didn’t draw tunnel there.

They planned on digging to the toilet, “fixing” the leak and then coming back and saying, oh and by the way, there’s another leak under the sink. We need another 10 to 15 feet of tunnel to fix that leak.

We went in, made an access hole and three feet of tunnel to the actual leak and fixed it. That’s right. Instead of 25 feet of tunnel, only three were needed.

So what would have happened if we just gave a price over the phone and asked no questions? The homeowner would have ended up paying FAR more than was necessary and possibly still have a leak.

Considering All the Factors With Underslab Tunneling

I’ll leave you with this last example. A homeowner called us for a quote on 175 feet of tunnel with 11 access holes. After two days of unanswered calls, she finally got this back from them.

What is that? How is anyone supposed to understand what needs to be done looking at that “diagram”?

Now compare that to what we do.

We came up with two options for this homeowner, neither of which involved 175 feet of tunnel and 11 interior and exterior access holes.

In both options, we propose rerouting much of the line outside of the house instead of tunneling under the house. With rerouting, we dig a trench outside and attach that pipe to the pipes in the house and to main sewer line.

Option #1 involved not replacing the pipe to the wet bar in the house instead removing and capping off the wet bar. This is becoming more common with homeowners as most don’t use wet bars anymore. With this there are two exterior access holes, 57 feet of tunnel and 170 feet of trench outside.

And option #2 keeps the wet bar with 68 feet of tunnel, 3 exterior access holes and 170 feet of trench outside.

With our two options, we saved the homeowner about $25,000 to $30,000.

Rerouting vs. Tunneling

So why didn’t the other company offer rerouting the pipe instead of tunneling?

As I mention in this post, other companies want to tunnel AS MUCH as possible. They want to make more money so they always propose the maximum amount of tunneling. They are 100% looking out for themselves, not their customers.

Our goal is to give the most accurate estimate possible to prevent the need to come back and ask for more money later.

It’s not that it never happens. Nobody can know the exact situation until they get under the slab, but with our customer first motto, we do everything we can to give the most accurate estimate possible.

If you have any question about any of this or have been given an estimate by another company that you’re not sure about, please give us a call at 972-494-1750. Or email [email protected].

We’re happy to help in any way we can.

There is a lot to consider when buying or selling a home. And there is a lot of bad advice out there for both.

While I can’t speak to everything involved in the sale of a home, I can make recommendations when it comes to the plumbing systems for both buyers and sellers.

The Different Perspectives of a Buyer and a Seller

Before I get into what buyers and sellers should do, I want to quickly explain a theory I came up with to make selling and buying a home better for all parties involved.

Anyone who is selling a home wants to get out of the sale doing and spending as little as possible. The goal is to do nothing more than what is absolutely necessary, preferably nothing. Then when that seller goes to buy a new home, as the buyer, they want the seller to do everything.

So the seller wants to do nothing and the buyer wants to do nothing. But it’s rare that either one of those scenarios plays out whether the seller and the buyer are the same person.

It is my belief that if everyone approaches the sale of a house from the buyer’s perspective — which the seller themselves might soon be or already is — theoretically everything works out better for everyone in the long run.

I would love to see this shift in seller mindsets. If everything is paid for on the seller’s side, it will be a better situation for everyone as well as all the houses that are bought will be in better shape.

Underslab Plumbing from the Buyer’s Perspective

OK since we don’t live in that ideal world just yet, this is what I recommend for buyers when it comes to the underslab plumbing of a house they are looking to purchase.

Cast Iron Underslab Sewer Systems

For any homes in the Dallas/Fort Worth area built before 1985, it’s likely the sewer pipes are made of cast iron. While it’s possible some homes built around that time have PVC pipes, most were built with cast iron sewer pipes.

As I’ve talked about before on the blog, cast iron pipes were designed to last, at most, 50 years. Since many of the cast iron systems around today are at least 35 years old, it’s likely the pipes will need to be replaced soon, if not immediately.

Because of this, if you are looking to buy a house with a cast iron sewer system, I don’t recommend a sewer leak test. It’s a waste of money at this point, in my opinion.

In fact, not only do I not recommend a test with cast iron sewer pipes but we have changed our policy and will no longer perform these test on cast iron at all. It is such a waste of time and money, we will no longer do any repairs on cast iron, only replace.

With this in mind, I recommend you get an estimate to replace all of the pipes. And you should be able to get a free estimate. (We do free estimates for cast iron replacements.)

If you’re planning on buying a home with a cast iron sewer system under the slab, be prepared to replace that whole system. This is not a question of if, it’s a question of when. So either have the seller replace the system before you buy it, or get the money from the seller to do it.

And if you plan on getting the money from the seller to replace it after you buy it, I recommend getting a significant amount more than the estimate. For example, if the estimate is for $20,000, try and get $30,000.

As the buyer, you are assuming all of the risk and responsibility for the work after the house is sold. So if you don’t get enough from the seller, the additional cost comes out of your pocket.

One quick note, even though I don’t recommend a test in this case, it’s possible you may need to get one to justify this to the seller.

But, I repeat, never buy a house with a cast iron system without preparing for a replacement.

An Example

Several years ago, we worked with a seller in a situation that influenced why I give the advice I give today re: cast iron sewer pipes.

By the time we started working with the seller, there was already a contract on the house. After a leak isolation test, we found five leaks. The estimate to repair the leaks was $7,000 and to replace the system $12,000. (You can read this blog post to see why we no longer do repairs on cast iron systems with three or more leaks.)

The seller being the seller, had no interest in spending the money to replace the system despite our recommendation to do so and opted for the repairs instead. But once we got under the slab to make the repairs, we found there were actually 10 leaks, not five. And after giving the seller multiple discounts, we ended up doing a $15,000 job for $10,000.

But that’s not the end of the story. Because of our one year warranty, the buyer called us about a year later saying the insurance company came out and found 10 more leaks in the system.

We compared that information with ours from the previous year. There were five new leak areas and five that were in the same areas we made repairs earlier.

As I’ve explained in previous posts, when you attach a piece of PVC pipe to cast iron, the deteriorating nature of the cast iron means you will soon end up with two leaks — the spots on each side where the PVC was attached.

While we did get the system to where it wasn’t leaking after the repairs, we had to piece it together. We did what the seller wanted. But the bottom line is the pipe was bad to begin with. And because of that, we recommended to the buyer to replace the system as we did with the seller.

Pay Now or Pay Later

However, by this time, we were in the middle of raising our prices. We hadn’t changed our pricing in a long time so it was a steeper increase than it would have been had we been making incremental changes throughout the years — another very important lesson we learned from this job.

So the $12,000 replacement estimate was now $17,000.

“Technically” the seller did what was required of him, fix the leaks. But he also did a horrible disservice to the buyer and would no doubt not want the same done to him. What could have been $12,000 and taken care of a year before was now $17,000.

And we did a horrible disservice to both the seller and buyer. We should have refused to do the repairs and insist the seller replace the system. And if the seller was determined to only make the repairs, we should have walked away from the job and let him use a different plumbing company.

PVC Underslab Sewer Systems

Always, always, always insist on a test if it’s a PVC system no matter how old the house or the pipes.

We’ve seen houses with zero leaks and houses with 15 leaks in the PVC pipes. We’ve even tested a seven-month-old house and found three leaks.

Now, you might get some resistance from the seller and the seller’s agent. There is a lot of misinformation floating around that hydrostatic testing damages pipes. It does not. It only finds problems if there is a problem. The test itself does not cause damage. In fact, we have an entire blog post about it here.

You must verify the underslab situation, whether it’s cast iron or PVC, BEFORE you buy the house. Don’t just hold your breath and hope everything is OK.

Never Assume with Cast Iron OR PVC

We recently gave an $80,000 estimate to replace a cast iron system. That’s not common but it does happen. We’ve also given estimates for anywhere from $5,500 to $15,000 and $42,000.

What I’m getting at here is don’t try to guess what the cost will be because you did it before or know someone who did it on a house before. This is a common mistake with house flippers.

Every house is different. There are potential obstacles, where the system exits the house is a factor as is where the plumbing is inside of the house. There are so many different scenarios, you have to look at each house on a case-by-case basis. Make sure you know what you’re dealing with rather than going with or accepting a “guesstimate.”

So buyers, get tests and estimates. Finding out a house needs thousands of dollars in repairs after purchase can send someone into bankruptcy and foreclosure. And not only are there the cost of repairs but also the potential for damage to the house’s foundation because of the the leaks.

The cost of a test or a no charge estimate could save you from bankruptcy.

Underslab Plumbing from the Seller’s Perspective

As the seller, you are only responsible for fixing what is leaking at the time — and most sellers usually believe that’s all that’s necessary. But I suggest (again) that you approach this from the buyer’s perspective, or at the very least, consider the buyer.

Take the example from above. What I should have done — and recommend doing now in situations like this — is to get the buyer involved.

The seller from the example insisted on only spending the $7,000 on repairs and not the $12,000 to replace. So instead of wasting $7,000+ on repairs that will soon need to be repaired again — remember one leak on a cast iron system repaired will soon be two leaks — at this point, let the buyer know the situation. Give the buyer the opportunity to pay the additional $5,000 to get the entire system replaced.

Best case scenario, have the system replaced. But if you refuse to do that, DO NOT waste money on spot repairs for a cast iron system. I cannot stress this enough. Any money you spend on repairing cast iron is a waste. Give the buyer some money toward the replacement.

One, you won’t be causing more trouble for the buyer down the road. (Imagine this had been the case for you when you bought the house.)

And two, the buyer gets the replacement at the current prices. Any company you deal with could raise their prices like we did. So it’s better for everyone to pay the current rate rather than chance it a year or two down the road since you know it needs to be done soon anyway.

Fresh Water and Above Slab Plumbing Issues

Fresh water leaks are very rare. If there are any fresh water leaks, you’re looking at a couple thousand dollars at most.

And above slab problems like a leaky faucet or a running toilet aren’t going to break the bank. These typically run a few hundred dollars max.

Sellers consider going ahead and fixing these issues. And buyers if you can, get a seller to cover these but otherwise, it’s highly unlikely finding out about these later will break you financially.

Pressure Reducing Valves and Sewer Camera Testing

I don’t recommend having a pressure reducing valve installed if there isn’t one already. I explain why these valves aren’t necessary in most cases in this post.

So if you’re the seller, see if you can get by without having to pay for it or just give the buyer the money for it. Don’t go through the hassle of having it installed yourself.

If you’re the buyer, I recommend getting the money for the cost of having one installed, about $1,000 to $1,500. Put that money away or be prepared to give that amount to a buyer if you sell the house later if they insist on having one installed.

Some plumbers recommend getting a sewer camera inspection. I do not. I’ve gone in depth about what sewer cameras can and can’t find on the blog here and here.

Sewer cameras are to find stoppage hazards. (They cannot find leaks.) And it’s very rare to buy a home and suddenly discover a stoppage issue. It’s not a bad idea to get a sewer camera inspection but it’s not necessary in my opinion.

A home inspector is going to try and backup the system during the inspection by running all the water in the house and flushing the toilets with a lot of toilet paper. And if that doesn’t cause it to back up, there’s probably no issue. (You can also do this yourself.)

If you can do both a sewer camera inspection and a leak test, that’s fine. But if you can only do one, go for the leak test.

Questions? Concerns?

I strongly believe if every seller approached selling their home from the buyer’s perspective, it would work out better for everyone. Even if a seller isn’t buying a new home, if they bought the house with everything taken care of, they still end up in a better situation and are only repairing the damage that was incurred from their own time in the house.

However, until that happens, if you’re in the process of selling or buying a home now, you should have a better understanding of what is and isn’t important when it comes to the house’s plumbing.

If you have any questions or need a test or an estimate, feel free to give us a call at 972-494-1750. You can also email us at [email protected].

In the last five to 10 years, we started getting calls from customers asking about pressure reducing valves. What wasn’t an issue before suddenly not only became an issue but is also getting worse with each passing year.

Because we’re getting more questions about the valve, I thought it would be helpful for everyone to write a blog post about whether or not you need to install a pressure reducing valve.

(Hint: you probably don’t.)

What Is a Pressure Reducing Valve

A pressure reducing valve is exactly what it sounds like, a valve that reduces the water pressure in your home. And water pressure, as you probably already know, is the force with which water flows through your pipes and out of different fixtures like faucets, toilets, and water heaters. High pressure is strong and low is weak.

Residential water pressure typically falls within the 45 to 80 psi (pounds per square inch) range. Anything higher than 80 psi is considered high pressure and that is what we will be discussing.

Do I Need a Pressure Reducing Valve?

That is the question we started getting and are getting more and more often. And it’s usually from someone involved in a the sale of a house.

In these cases, typically the home inspector for a buyer comes in and does a pressure check. If it’s higher than 80 psi, the inspector recommends the buyer get the valve.

However, there are also times when a plumber comes out to do any kind of work, like a leaky faucet, and independently decides to run a pressure check. If the pressure is 80 psi or higher, he goes to the homeowner and recommends having the valve installed (which he, of course, is happy to do).

For the home inspector, this is an issue of liability. The city code for new home construction states the psi cannot be higher than 80. So any new home will have one of these valves installed. So the home inspector will always recommend getting the valve installed in any home, new or old, with a psi of 80 or higher.

However, for the plumber, it’s just another revenue stream. He can easily show the homeowner the code and say that if this valve is not installed, there’s a risk of damage to the plumbing fixtures and even flooding.

Why This Valve is Unnecessary

Most of the calls we get asking about this valve are for houses 10 to 25 years old and sometimes older.

Our stance: If a home that is 10, 15, or 20+ years old didn’t need the valve before, why is it suddenly a problem? There haven’t been any part failures or flooding because of the water pressure so it’s extremely unlikely the valve is now a necessity. Of course, there are always exceptions but for the majority of the cases, the valve is unnecessary.

But we didn’t stop there. My master plumber, Bill Hoyle, and I went to a trade show a few years ago to talk to plumbing fixture manufacturers. We wanted to know if this was an issue we weren’t understanding, and if so, should we change our stance on it?

We learned two things. One, most of the manufacturers had no idea what we were even talking about when we asked about the the pressure reducing valve. So how can these valves be that important if the manufacturers have never even heard of it?

And two, all the manufacturers test their fixtures from 150 to 200 psi. Meaning, these devices — faucets, toilets, water heaters, etc. — are made to handle a psi from 150 to 200, and homeowners are being made to worry about 80 psi.

Another Reason Not to Install a Pressure Reducing Valve

The valve is a mechanical part. And anything mechanical can and will fail. When the valve fails, the water pressure in your home will be next to nothing or extremely high. So you paid to have this unnecessary part installed and now you have to pay to have it fixed and deal with poor water pressure until you do.

Not to mention there is no industry standard when it comes to where the valve is installed. Usually it’s installed in one of two places, buried in the ground on the main water line either near the area the water line goes into your home or at the water meter. But again, because there is no standard, the valve can be anywhere buried under the ground on the line.

We went out to a house once where the valve had failed and there was very little water pressure in the house. It wasn’t at either one of the two place I mentioned and nobody knew where it was buried along the line.

So what seems like it should be an easy fix is not because then it becomes about searching for the valve.

Fluctuating Water Pressure

We learned two things. One, most of the manufacturers had no idea what we were even talking about when we asked about the the pressure reducing valve. So how can these valves be that important if the manufacturers have never even heard of it?

And two, all the manufacturers test their fixtures from 150 to 200 psi. Meaning, these devices — faucets, toilets, water heaters, etc. — are made to handle a psi from 150 to 200, and homeowners are being made to worry about 80 psi.

Another Reason Not to Install a Pressure Reducing Valve

The valve is a mechanical part. And anything mechanical can and will fail. When the valve fails, the water pressure in your home will be next to nothing or extremely high. So you paid to have this unnecessary part installed and now you have to pay to have it fixed and deal with poor water pressure until you do.

Not to mention there is no industry standard when it comes to where the valve is installed. Usually it’s installed in one of two places, buried in the ground on the main water line either near the area the water line goes into your home or at the water meter. But again, because there is no standard, the valve can be anywhere buried under the ground on the line.

We went out to a house once where the valve had failed and there was very little water pressure in the house. It wasn’t at either one of the two place I mentioned and nobody knew where it was buried along the line.

So what seems like it should be an easy fix is not because then it becomes about searching for the valve.

Fluctuating Water Pressure

One more important thing to note, the water pressure in any neighborhood can fluctuate. You can see 100 psi at one point and then 80 at another. One system in the neighborhood can show 150 psi and another show 75.

Water pressure changes. It’s the nature of the system. So unless the water pressure is constantly at a higher psi, we don’t recommend installing the valve.

Of course, I’m not saying you should never worry about your water pressure being too high period. But here at In-House Plumbing Company, we do believe it’s a very rare situation where it’s necessary. And if you think you might be one of those rare cases, we are happy to talk about it with you.

The Ongoing Talk About Pressure Reducing Valves

Unscrupulous plumbers looking for an easy way to make more money are going to continue to use scare tactics to convince homeowners they need this valve.

“Get this valve or the pressure will ruin your fixtures and your house will flood!” ← Not going to happen in most cases.

And home inspectors are going to continue to recommend the valves. Like I said, it’s a liability issue because of the current codes. So my recommendation for buyers and sellers is this.

It costs about $1,000 to $1,500 to have the valve installed. For buyers I recommend not having it installed but to get the money from the seller for the valve installation. Then put it in the bank or be prepared to give that amount to the next buyer if they insist on having the valve installed or getting the money to do it themselves.

For sellers, I recommend not agreeing to install the valve and to just give the buyer the money so they can have it in case they decide to sell in the future or install it themselves.

How We Can Help

There are a lot of dishonest companies looking out for their own best interest. It is important to us here at In-House to always be transparent and to tell everyone the truth about the industry. If you think you might be getting scammed by another plumbing company or aren’t sure if they know what they’re talking about, give us a call.

There’s also a lot of information in the other blog posts that might help you understand better what’s going on with your home’s system.

And as always, if you have any questions regarding this valve or any other underslab plumbing issues or anything you read on our site, we are happy to speak with you.

Give us a call at 972-494-1750. Or email [email protected].

I’ve talked before on the blog about why we recommend replacing a cast iron sewer system instead of making repairs.

And while that is still our recommendation, we have shifted our policy since publishing that post regarding cast iron repairs.

Why We Recommend Replacing Cast Iron Sewer Pipes

Let me quickly go over why we recommend replacement instead of making repairs.

Cast iron pipes were designed to last for about 50 years. And that’s in an optimistic and ideal situation. For the most part, the last houses with underslab cast iron sewer pipes in the Dallas/Fort Worth area were built around 1985.

However, by then many houses were being built with PVC sewer pipes. So most houses with cast iron plumbing were built before 1980. Meaning most people’s cast iron systems in the North Texas area are more than 35 years old.

So with that mind, it’s more than likely any system made of cast iron will need to be replaced in the next five to 20 years (closer to five than 20, by the way). Added to that, making a repair means we have to cut out a piece of the pipe that is leaking and replace that section with PVC pipe. So now there are two spots on each side of that new PVC pipe that will be a leak — not might, will — in the near future.

Because the metal will continue to deteriorate as wastewater runs through it, the cast iron on each side of the PVC pipe will crumble or crack and break. And there’s nothing anyone can do because that’s just the reality of the situation, the nature of the material; the cast iron is going bad.

So we believe it is in the homeowner’s best interest to not waste any money on repairs and go ahead and replace the system.

Our New Policy Regarding Cast Iron Sewer Repairs

However, we’re finding more and more that the cast iron pipes we come across in our work is in pretty bad shape, to put it mildly. It’s worn out and rusted and needs to be replaced, not repaired.

So now not only do we know that one repaired leak will very soon be two more leaks in the same spot, we’re also doing what is referred to in our industry as “chasing pipe.” This means we have to follow the pipe to find a good spot to attach the new PVC pipe to which is getting more challenging because as I said, we’re seeing more worn out and rusted systems every time.

This is why we will no longer do any repairs on cast iron systems. It is our experience whenever we try to make any repairs on a cast iron system, we end up having significant problems with the cast iron once we’re under the slab.

There are always more issues with the pipe than we anticipated, and we end up spending an inordinate amount of time chasing pipe. It’s a mess, to be quite honest, and always ends up costing the homeowner more money in the end.

It’s a repeating cycle. We repair the leak, a year down the road that spot now has two leaks and because the pipe is bad there are more leaks to repair in other areas. So now the homeowner is spending more money on more tests that need to be done and more money is being spent to repair a leak that’s already been repaired.

Making the repairs is a band-aid solution, at best.

Another Reason for Our Policy Change

I do want to explain briefly another reason we’ve come to this decision.

We’ve had situations in the past where someone is selling their home and wanted us to come out and test for leaks and then do the leak repairs even though we recommended replacing. But as is the case with most sellers, they didn’t want to spend the money on a replacement. They wanted a cheaper band-aid solution to get as much money out of the sale as possible.

So we made the repairs, the house is sold, and less than a year later the buyer inevitably calls us because of leaks. And with our one year warranty, we go out and now the buyer is mad at us, not the seller who is long gone.

This is not just bad business for us but also incredibly unfair to the buyer.

Call Us About Your Options

We understand replacing a cast iron sewer system is a big investment. And not everyone has the money to do it right away. But give us a call and we will do our best to find a good solution for you. There might be an option for some cases where we could reroute the pipe or possibly even a perform a partial replacement.

We are a business, yes, but doing right by our customers is and will always be one of our highest priorities.

If you have any questions give us a call at 972-494-1750 or email [email protected].

A number of homes in the North Texas area use natural gas to fuel appliances like gas stoves, clothes dryers, water heaters, fireplaces, and furnaces.

Many believe gas is a more efficient and cost effective source to heat their homes and cook their food. But once that gas is turned off, getting it turned back on is a long and expensive process.

Why Turn Off the Gas?

Let’s quickly go over why you or the gas company might need the gas turned off in the first place.

Gas leaks

You think you smell gas and suspect a gas leak. If this is the case, call the gas company immediately so they will turn off the gas. Additionally, gas companies are constantly monitoring their lines and service. So if they suspect a gas leak, they will go ahead and turn the service off.

Gas leaks are incredibly serious and should be treated as such. Not only are you, your family, and home in danger but it is also potentially dangerous for the surrounding area as well.

Gas leaks can cause house explosions, and there have been several in the Dallas/Fort Worth area — one in Garland in 2001, another in Wylie in 2006, and three homes were destroyed by a gas leak in 2008 in McKinney. These and more left many injured and some dead.

New Tenants or Owners

If you’re moving into a new home or rental space, the old owners or landlord could have had the gas turned off.

How to Get the Gas Turned Back On

As I mentioned in the introduction, this is a long and expensive process which is why it’s important for you to know what’s involved.

If you or the gas company suspect there is a gas leak, the gas company turns off the gas and plugs the system so it can’t be turned back on by anyone but them.

Once the system is turned off for a potential gas leak, you are required to have a licensed plumber come out to test for leaks. And if any repairs are needed, the plumber usually needs to pull a permit from the city to make those repairs. Once everything is fixed, the system has to be inspected by a city inspector from the building inspections department of that city.

If your gas system passes inspection, the city inspector releases the system back to the gas company. Only the city inspector can send the release back to the company.

But this only means the gas can be turned back on. The only way to get it turned back on is by you, the homeowner, contacting the gas company. You have to call the gas company and request they turn your service back on.

And it’s an almost identical process when a landlord turns off the gas between tenants or a seller turns it off after moving out.

The main thing to be aware of in this situation is you, the landlord or the buyer, have to go through this entire process if the gas is left off for about 60 days or longer.

Code Upgrades?

But let’s throw another wrench into this already involved process: possible code violations. It’s possible, depending on when your system was built, your system does not meet current city code requirements. These upgrades and amendments happen when it’s been determined the previous codes are not safe, so then the codes are changed.

It’s during the repair process that the plumber will also upgrade your system’s codes in order to pass inspection.

Put as Simply as Possible

Let’s quickly summarize the steps to getting your gas turned back on once it’s been shut off:

1. A licensed plumber tests the system
2. If a gas leak is detected, the leaks are located
3. A permit is pulled from the city to make repairs
4. Make repairs and bring system up to code, if necessary
5. City inspector scheduled to come out and inspect the system
6. If the system passes inspection, CI releases the system back to the gas company
7. Homeowner calls the gas company to get service turned back on

We think it’s important for everyone to understand the process. And if you have a suspected gas leak, there’s no getting around it.

However, we do recommend for home sellers and landlords to save themselves and potential buyers the headache and keep the gas on, if at all possible.

If you have any questions, give us a call at 972-494-1750 or email [email protected].

The plumbing industry is in the middle of a serious crisis. There is a massive shortage of licensed plumbers not just in Texas but in the country. All of us in the skilled trades industries have watched for years as the pool of qualified candidates shrinks to almost nothing.

And every year with those smaller numbers, more and more licensed plumbers are near or at retirement age. (The average age of a licensed plumber is around 55.)

Why Is There a Shortage of Plumbers?

Go to college so you can get a good job. Go to college so you can get a good job. Go to college so you can get a good job.

Thanks to this kind of advice doled out by parents and teachers more and more students signed up to get a degree to get that supposed “good” job than have entered the trades.

But things did not go as intended for many of those hopeful college students and their parents. Instead we have huge numbers of young adults who left college — with and without degrees — saddled with mountains of debt and little to no job prospects.

The flaw with this advice was two-fold. One, college is not for everybody. And two, many of those “good” jobs no longer exist thanks to too many people vying for the same jobs, advances in technology, and corporate outsourcing.

Mike Rowe, TV host, narrator, producer, and skilled trades advocate, sums it up perfectly:

“America is lending money it doesn’t have to kids who can’t pay it back to train them for jobs that no longer exist. That’s nuts.”

Why You Should Consider a Career in Plumbing

First of all plumbing is not just a good job but it’s an excellent career. People will always need plumbers. And with ever-changing state and city regulations and codes, a licensed plumber is not only preferred but necessary. (I talk about the dangers of hiring an unlicensed plumber in this post.)

While we don’t know what will happen five, 10, 20 years down the road, it’s unlikely the need for plumbers will be obsolete, at least not for a long time. And it’s not like you can outsource a plumbing job to another country.

But one of the most immediate benefits of starting a career in plumbing, you can start making money right away. Plumbing is an earn while you learn profession. You work and train under the supervision of a licensed plumber as you prepare for your own license.

Not only are you making money right out of the gate, because you don’t need a college degree, there’s no need for student loans. So while your friends are accumulating thousands of dollars in debt and preparing for a life of searching for work and paying off loans, you’re learning a useful skill in a secure profession and making money in the process.

I also wouldn’t recommend going to college and then entering the skilled trades. No need to accumulate debt when you can be making good money straight out of high school. The military, however, is a good choice if you’re leaning in that direction. Skilled trades is an an excellent choice for anyone leaving the military and looking for work.

Also a quick note about felonies. It is possible to get a plumbing license with a felony on your record but it is extremely difficult. You have to go before a review board to get it approved. So if it all possible, do your best to not get one in the first place.

Advice to Job Seekers

If you are considering applying for a job with a plumbing company, I have some advice to increase your chances of landing the job. (In fact, this first part would benefit any applicant in any field.)

We get a lot of applicants when we post a job listing. And it’s clear from most of the applications, the prospective employee hasn’t read the job description and can’t follow simple instructions. You need to understand the position before you apply for a job and be able to follow simple directions.

For instance, we post our job openings on Indeed. Applicants are directed to fill out a simple questionnaire when they apply. But so many neglect to fill out the questionnaire. They click apply and leave the questionnaire blank.

Also we include the salary range for the position in the job listing. And one of the questions we ask is what do you expect to make, salary-wise. So many answer with a number significantly higher than what we posted on Indeed making it obvious they did not read the listing.

And the most surprising of all, someone will go to the trouble of applying for the job and setting up an interview but then never show up. No call, no show, nothing.

1. Understand the position before applying
2. Read the job listing and follow directions
3. Show up on time

If you do those three things, you’ll jump over a huge portion — about 95 to 98 percent — of applicants.

Now specific to plumbing and some other service industries, you often need a valid driver’s license and a clean driving record. I’m sending my crew out to houses in company vehicles which means you have to be able to legally drive in the state of Texas.

The Stigma of “Dirty Jobs”

It’s time to get rid of the idea that working in the skilled trades means you couldn’t get a “good” job. It’s time for parents to stop discouraging their children from getting a job that is well paid, has a promising career path, and long-term stability.

Too often, people don’t like plumbers until they need a plumber. And with the current stigma and shortage, that’s going to get harder and harder while more and more college-educated workers line up for unemployment crushed by the stress of their unpaid students loans.

I said it earlier and will say it again, college is not for everybody. And if you know it’s not for you, I strongly urge you to consider the skilled trades if you want to create a good life for yourself and your family. It is a secure line of work and well paid to boot. And with demand being much higher than the supply, you are guaranteed work (if you’re willing to do the work).

Please give us a call at 972-494-1750 or email [email protected] if you have any questions or want to know more about starting a career in the skilled trades.

Here at In-House Plumbing we promise “A” work for a “C” price. As nice as it would be to offer the lowest price in town, it’s just not realistic — especially when the lowest prices are usually a deceptive tactic used by many in the underslab plumbing industry.

Today I want to go over a couple of the most common ways you could get ripped off. I’m also going to tell you what you can ask to know if you’re dealing with a reputable and knowledgeable plumber.

Foot In the Door

Why Some Companies Charge So Little for Tests

Almost every job in the underslab plumbing industry starts with some kind of test whether it be to determine if you have a leak or to locate leaks.

We have a flat rate for all of our tests. Some of our competitors, however, quote an hourly rate and estimate their tests take about an hour. Typically many of the plumbers doing this will only run a sewer camera to find leaks.

And if you’ve read some of our blogs, you know that it’s impossible to find leaks using a sewer camera.

So one of two things is happening here.

One, by running a camera to “find” leaks, that plumber can’t give you an accurate test result.

Or two, if that plumber is low on appointments that week or month or just feels like making more money that day, suddenly after that one hour they tell you the test is taking longer than expected and they need more time. And now that one hour turns into two or three or four and the $100 or $200 dollars you were prepared to spend is a lot more.

A Shady Business Model

It is our policy to do everything we can to find every leak when we perform a leak location test. I will admit, though, sometimes that’s not possible. Until we get under the slab, it’s hard to know every time how many leaks there are. But our goal is to find every single leak to the best of our abilities.

However, there are some plumbing companies out there whose entire business model is to find ONE leak. They tell you you only have one leak and set up a time to come back for the repair knowing full well there might be more.

Why? Because once they are there and they’ve dug a tunnel under your home or punched a hole through the slab, you’re trapped. So when they tell you “Oh we found all these other leaks,” they’ve got you exactly where they want you.

What are your options? Tell them no and watch them drive away while you’re stuck with a big hole in your floor or a long tunnel under your home’s foundation? No, you’re going to pay them whatever they ask to repair the leaks.

I’ve even known companies to locate a leak, tunnel to where they said it was to find there is no leak there. Then they either backfill the tunnel and charge you for a leak that wasn’t there leaving you with a leak still somewhere. Or they tell you they repaired the leak, go find the real leak, and charge you for both repairs.

No Repair Estimate

While nobody, including us, can give an exact price with certainty for repairs, they should be able to give you a ballpark figure per leak area in a normal situation.

We do our best to let our customers know about how much they should expect to pay for repairs. But some of our competitors give absolutely no repair estimate. The idea here is to give the customer an extremely low price on the testing because once the repairs are made, the price is much higher than other companies.

So instead of considering the price of just the testing, you should look at the price for the entire process from the initial testing, the leak location testing, and the repairs. But this doesn’t mean you should use one company for testing and another for repairs.

I actually go into detail about why this is a bad idea in this post. Essentially it can turn into a he said/she said situation and in the end nobody wins, including you — in fact, most likely, especially you.

We believe whoever does the excavation is responsible for the leak being there. So if we tunnel to a leak and it’s not there, we won’t charge the customer for any unnecessary work. And we won’t make that guarantee if we weren’t the ones to say where the leak is.

But you should be wary of a company that agrees to repair a leak they didn’t locate. Oftentimes what ends up happening is they will dig to the leak, find nothing but tell you they did and charge you for a repair. Or tell you there was no leak but charge you for the work anyway. They didn’t locate the leak so they don’t feel responsible for it not being there.

Not to mention it would be stupid to use another company’s test results — a company they know nothing about. They have no idea about the experience (or lack of) for the plumbers, the business owner’s motives, the business model, etc. That is placing a lot of trust in a company they don’t work for and a job they had no involvement in.

What You Should Ask

So here’s what you can ask to help lessen the possibility of getting ripped off.

When you call around and talk to different plumbing companies always ask how they plan to locate leaks — what type of test they perform for both the initial test and the leak location test.

If they tell you they are going to use a sewer camera, do not go with that company. As I’ve explained before, a leak is water escaping out of a pipe. So a sewer camera inside the pipe won’t be able to see that. Just because something looks like a leak inside a pipe that’s been accumulating years of waste and other refuse doesn’t mean it is.

If they can’t answer the question at all, that’s just really bad. Hang up and don’t look back.

However, if they tell you for the initial test they perform a hydrostatic test and for the leak location a hydrostatic leak isolation test using test balls, we might have a winner. Remember, a hydrostatic leak isolation test aka using test balls to narrow down/isolate the leak location or locations is the only way to find leaks in an underslab sewer system.

So then if you’re comparison shopping our testing prices with another company’s hydrostatic tests, you are comparing apples to apples and not apples to oranges.

However, don’t forget about the repair estimates as well. If they can’t give you a ballpark estimate per leak location like we can, you may not be getting as good a deal as you thought once they come to you with the final price.

Why Free Isn’t Free

Let’s say you call three different companies.

Company A tells you it’s $100 for the initial test, $300 for the leak location test, and $1,600 for a single leak repair.

Company B charges $200 for the initial test, $600 for the leak location test, and $1,200 for a single leak repair.

And company C quotes $0 for the initial test, $400 for the leak location test, and $1,600 for a single leak repair.

At the end of the day, your total cost is $2,000 no matter which company you go with.

So you may think you’re getting a deal with that zero cost testing. But really nobody is getting a deal. You think you’re getting a deal with “free” testing but really nobody is giving you something for free. What you need to understand is that when someone in this industry says their tests are free, someone still ends up paying for it.

If you’re lucky and are dealing with one of the more honest companies, the testing is still not “free” because that cost gets passed on to other customers. When you consider we find zero leaks in 60 out of 100 tests, where do you think they make up for these “free” tests? It’s added onto the other services.

And if you’re not lucky and are dealing with one of the more dishonest companies in this field, you’re more than likely going to be paying for repairs on a nonexistent leak.

Nothing is free. It’s sleight of hand, it’s marketing, to get you to do what they want you to do. Everything that is “free” costs somebody something.

Give Us a Call

It’s an unfortunate truth that there are a lot of companies in this industry who are knowingly and unknowingly ripping people off. It’s one of the reasons why my wife and I started In-House Plumbing Company.

We do NOT play games. There’s no sleight of hand or sleazy marketing being done here.

Honesty and integrity are of the utmost importance to us. So we work everyday to make sure you get all the information you need to make an informed decision.

As always if you have any questions or concerns, give us a call at 972-494-1750. You can also email [email protected] and we’ll get back as soon as possible.

 

The Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex has a population of more than 7 million. And because we serve a large portion of the metroplex, it only stands to reason we receive many, many calls and emails everyday. And many of those turn into customers.

After almost 18 years in business and countless customers, not to mention the experience we had coming from other companies, we’ve got our scheduling and processes almost down to a science.

However, it’s understandable why something that is so second nature to us might not seem to make as much sense to someone calling just wanting to know if something is wrong with their underslab plumbing and, if so, to get it fixed right away.

Because I believe in being as transparent and open and honest as possible, I want to take a little time today and explain why we schedule tests and repairs the way we do.

How It Begins

So let’s say someone calls and says they think they might have a leak. We talk with the homeowner to get a better understanding of the situation so we can then determine what test we need to schedule.

It’s usually around the point when we’re setting up a time to come out and test the system that the homeowner asks if a repair does need to be done, can we do it the same day we do the test.

The answer to that question is no. And this is where the confusion comes in. It might seem at first glance a logical thing — find the problem, fix the problem all in one visit.

However, that’s not the best way for us to do business. It’s inefficient for us and is a disservice to our customers as well.

The Initial Testing

We know, for the most part, an initial test is going to take 45 minutes to an hour and a half.

Also on average, out of 100 tests about one is a fresh water leak — usually above ground like a leaky faucet — about 40 are sewer leaks and the rest are not plumbing issues and won’t need any repairs. (There are always exceptions but generally this is how it usually goes.)

Because we know how long the tests take, we know how many tests we can schedule in a day. What we don’t know at this point is what, if any, repairs are needed and how long it will take to make those repairs.

So say we came out, performed a test, found a leak, and determined it’s a three day job. We would have to cancel all of our other appointments for the next three days leaving those customers hanging out to dry.

But let’s flip that scenario. Instead, we go ahead and schedule three days for the initial testing and any potential repairs. We have to make sure the schedule is clear for those three days, meaning no other customers can get any testing or repairs done.

Then we come out to find there is nothing wrong and no repairs are needed (which, remember, is the case about 60 out of a 100 times). We now have three days with nothing on the schedule.

So we are left with either zero work for the next three days, or our office staff then goes into a mad scramble to schedule appointments with all the people who we had to turn away because of this three-day appointment.

As you can see this is not good for us or our customers.

The Leak Location Test and Repairs

OK! So then what about when we know there is a leak, fresh water or sewer. Why can’t we do the repairs the same day as the leak location test?

It’s pretty much the same reason as why we can’t schedule repairs for the same time as the initial testing. We know how long the leak location tests take but that’s about all we know at this point.

You have at least one leak. We know this because of the initial testing. But is it just one or is it 10? And even if it is just one, where is it? Is it in the middle of the house where we would have to tunnel or punch a hole in the foundation? Or is it near the perimeter of the house?

Added to that. Because we don’t know what kind or how many repairs will be needed, we don’t know what we need to bring in terms of materials and tools. It isn’t realistic for us to take everything we might need for every possible repair scenario.

Also the number of people needed for each part of the process is different. The initial testing is done by one person. A leak location test is a two person job. Repairs are at least two people, possibly more. So we would have to send at least two people every time which would be too many for the initial test and not enough for a repair job.

A $25,000 Decision?

But let’s take our scheduling, manpower, and what materials we’d need out of the equation for a second and talk about you, the homeowner, needing to make a split second decision about a repair.

Depending on how many leaks, where the leaks are located and the work we have to do to get to the leak or leaks, it could cost anywhere from $3,000 to $25,000. In fact, just recently, we had an $80,000 job.

Who wants to make a $10,000, $25,000, $80,000 decision on the spot? We certainly don’t want to put our customers in that position.

Efficiency and Lower Prices

We focus a lot on doing what’s best for our customers. And we’ve found that the way we schedule tests and repairs is what works out best for everyone.

Some potential customers worry that by not doing everything the same day, it will end up costing them more. But the opposite is true.

It’s more efficient for us, and it keeps our costs lower which in turn keeps our prices lower. And because we’re able to do the maximum number of jobs, we can then help as many people as possible.

I hope this clears things up a bit. But if you still have any questions about this, we’re always happy to answer them. Give us a call at 972-494-1750 or email at [email protected].

 

Deciding to buy a house is a big decision and one you probably didn’t come to lightly. You’re making a significant commitment both with your finances and your time.

So it only makes sense you want to make sure you are getting the best house for you buck.

This is why buyers are often strongly encouraged and motivated to have a thorough inspection performed before completing the sale. Because if you don’t and a problem is found before the sale goes through, it is the seller’s problem. But if it is found after the sale, it is your problem.

And the last thing you want after making a down payment and signing a 30 year mortgage is an unexpected and costly repair on your hands.

This is why I find the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) Addendum for Authorizing Hydrostatic Testing particularly frustrating.

What Is the Addendum for Authorizing Hydrostatic Testing?

The Addendum for Authorizing Hydrostatic Testing is a form stating the buyer is responsible for paying for the test, and makes either the buyer or the seller responsible for any damage that might be caused by the test (most often the buyer).

So if you want to make sure the underslab sewer pipes in the house you are about to buy is free from leaks or other damage, this addendum might make you think twice before getting a hydrostatic test. I should also mention here: this test is the only way to find out if there are any leaks or damage in underslab sewer pipes.

Why This Addendum Doesn’t Make Sense

If you know nothing about underslab plumbing and the testing the industry uses to find problems, this addendum might scare you away from having the sewer system tested. It implies that the testing itself might cause damage.

However, hydrostatic testing has been used by the underslab plumbing industry since the 1970s. So how, if the tests themselves cause damage, are they still being used to test anyone’s sewer pipes?
The short answer. Because these tests do not cause damage.

Not to mention, all cities require this test on all new homes. If the test causes damage, there’s no way the city would require them.

So if any damage or leaks are found by the test, it is because the damage was already there to begin with.

So What’s Up With This Addendum?

I believe this misconception exists because of — at best — confusion about the actual test itself and — at worst — being a scare tactic used to prevent a buyer from knowing about potentially expensive sewer pipe leak repairs and/or replacements. And as this could essentially kill the sale leaving all agents unpaid, it is an added incentive for both the seller and the buyer agents to encourage the seller to not allow the test.

The potential confusion could be related to what can be referred to as “pressurized hydrostatic tests” which are performed by other industries, for instance, utility companies and gas lines. But with a hydrostatic plumbing test nothing is pressurized.

Instead we create a “blockage” with a rubber test ball and fill the sewer lines with water, what the pipes are built to withstand. (You can read about the entire process in this blog post.) If the pipes were to incur any damage or burst because they were filled with water — again, what they are designed and built to hold — the pipes were already bad.

To illustrate this point, I like to compare this to a glass of water. If you pour water to the top of a glass, imagining the bottom of the glass as our “blockage,” and the integrity of the glass is intact, nothing will happen. But if that glass were to leak or burst, there was something wrong with the glass in the first place.

The act of pouring water and the standing water itself doesn’t damage the glass. The glass had to have had something wrong with it for it to leak or break. This also holds true for a hydrostatic plumbing test and sewer pipes.

Sewer Camera Inspections Do NOT Find Leaks

Additionally, I think it is important to repeat here that a hydrostatic plumbing test is the only way to determine if there is a leak or damage in the underslab sewer pipes. I know some agents and plumbers believe a sewer camera can find leaks but that is not possible.

A sewer camera can be used to locate lines, find blockage or stoppage problems, and to determine what type of pipe is under the house, PVC or cast iron. Because a leak is water escaping out of a crack or a hole, there is no way a camera inside the pipe can see if water is leaking outside of the pipe.

It’s also worth noting, a camera cannot reach all sections of the system leaving some portions of it unseen. And how can someone use a camera to find leaks if they can’t see the whole system in the first place?

The Addendum for Authorizing Hydrostatic Testing Should Not Be Required

Based on my 22 years of experience, my primary master plumber’s 50 years of experience, and the combined 152 years of experience of In-House Plumbing Company personnel, we know the only way to determine if there is a leak is with the hydrostatic plumbing test. And we know the test itself does not cause any damage.

And scaring people away from having one performed with this addendum is potentially leaving a new homeowner, you, with thousands of dollars of unexpected repairs from the sewer line to the foundation. The purpose of the option period is to give you the chance to check for any possible problems with the home. And this addendum contradicts the purpose of the option period. It’s like telling you to buy the house no questions asked and to just assume that everything is fine.

I recently sent the TREC a letter stating all of the information above in an effort to do away with this addendum. And I’ll be sure to keep you updated if and when I have any new information regarding the addendum.

One quick note for anyone buying a home built before 1986. If this is the case, call us before getting any tests done; the house might have cast iron plumbing. In this situation, you need to have the pipes replaced, not repaired.

So instead of a test, we can give you a free estimate to replace the pipe so you know what you’re getting into. And when you do call, make sure you speak with me, the owner, or our general manager.

If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call at 972-494-1750. You can also email us at [email protected].

Tell me if you’ve ever heard this one: Terms and conditions may apply.

If you’ve ever purchased something and it came with a warranty, there are almost always “terms and conditions,” the fine print that many never bother to read.

The same holds true in the plumbing industry. However, here at In-House we like to be very upfront and clear about our warranty.

What Is a Warranty?

So let’s quickly go over what a warranty is.

Very simply, a warranty is a promise given by a manufacturer or service provider to the customer promising to repair and/or replace what was purchased within a certain amount of time under certain conditions.

Essentially, a warranty protects both the buyer and the manufacturer/service provider. The buyer won’t get ripped off by shoddy work and materials, and the latter is protected from liability for the rest of time.
Simple enough, right? Well it is until you add in those pesky “terms and conditions.”

For example, say a hypothetical warranty covers repairs and replacement parts for the lifetime of an appliance like a fridge or a stove. Pretty straightforward, right? Yes, if the purchaser understands that the lifetime of this particular appliance may only be 10 years.

25 Year Underslab Plumbing Warranty?

Now there are some plumbing companies in the Dallas area telling customers they provide a 25 year warranty. And there are even some claiming lifetime warranties.

But here’s the thing about these “long-term” warranties. The likelihood of any company covering any repairs when you call them five, 10, 20 years down the road is pretty much zero to none. They will come out and then say something along the lines of the damage being out of their control or did not occur because of anything they did and the repair will not be covered.

Now that’s not to say that isn’t true. In our experience, if there is something wrong with the materials or the work, it is noticeable pretty early on. So while it may be true that any repairs needed 20 years down the road is not because of anything the plumber did, you are still being misled when you are told there is a 25 year—or lifetime—warranty.

In-House Plumbing Company Warranty

Because honesty and integrity are overriding tenets in how we do business, it is important to us here at In-House to always be upfront with everyone we talk to and work with.

We currently have a one year, no questions asked warranty. Sure we could also use a long-term warranty to help “sell” ourselves and our work but knowing what we know, that is all but an empty promise.

First, the clay soil in the North Texas area expands when it gets wet and contracts as it dries. Because of this frequent expansion and contraction, it’s very possible for a home’s foundation to shift.

Second, as I mentioned before, if there is a problem with the parts or if we did something wrong, in the overwhelming number of situations, the customer will know within a year.

If a problem doesn’t occur within the first year, it’s most likely not something we did. And most, if not all, plumbing companies in the Dallas area are aware of this as well. So they can “sell” you on a 25 year warranty knowing it’s unlikely they will ever have to cover any repairs.

But with our warranty—even if it isn’t our fault—if it happens within the first year, we cover it.
Now that’s not to say if something happens after that first year and it turns out it is our fault, that we won’t cover it. We will.

We don’t need a warranty, written or not, to stand behind our work. Unlike other companies in the area, we do what we say.

Watch Out For Empty Promises

So if a plumbing company uses a long-term warranty as a selling point for using their services, it’s important for you to know what is and isn’t covered. Make sure you understand what the “terms and conditions” are.

Remember, it’s extremely easy to say something but it’s another thing to back it up.

If you have any question about anything here or about something another company told you, do not hesitate to give us a call at 972-203-6479. Or you can also email us at [email protected].