Sewer Line Repair in Fort Collins & Loveland

Why sewer lines fail in Northern Colorado

Every line fails for its own reasons, but the same few causes show up again and again along the Front Range.

Older pipe in older neighborhoods. About 31% of homes in Fort Collins and 34% in Loveland were built before 1980 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year estimates). Homes from that era often still have their original clay, cast iron or fiber (Orangeburg) sewer lines. Clay joints let roots in, cast iron corrodes from the inside, and fiber pipe deforms and collapses with age. If your house sits in an established area such as Old Town, Andersonville, Buckingham or downtown Loveland, a camera inspection is the only way to know which you have and how much life it has left.

Tree roots. Mature street trees are one of the best things about Fort Collins and Loveland, and one of the worst things for an old sewer line. Roots find the moisture at a cracked joint, grow inside and catch everything that flows past. Snaking clears them for a while; lining or replacing the damaged section stops them for good.

Expansive soil. The Colorado Geological Survey calls expansive soil Colorado’s most significant geologic hazard and lists disrupted pipelines and sewer lines among the damage it causes. As clay soils swell and shrink with moisture, they can pull joints apart, crack pipe and create sags (called bellies) where waste settles and builds up.

Freeze, thaw and depth. Larimer County sets frost protection for foundations at 30 inches below grade. Service lines that were laid shallow, or that run under a driveway where frost goes deeper, are more exposed to freeze-thaw movement.

Settling in newer subdivisions. Newer homes usually have PVC lines, which resist roots and corrosion. Their weak spot is the trench: if the backfill was not compacted well, the ground settles and the pipe sags or separates at a joint. Landscaping, fence posts and sprinkler installs also damage more new lines than people expect.

What goes down the drain. Grease, “flushable” wipes and paper towels do not break down. In a line that is already rough or rooty, they build into a blockage fast.

Camera inspection first, no guesswork

We run a waterproof camera through your line from a cleanout or a pulled toilet, all the way to the main. The video shows:

• What is wrong: roots, cracks, offset or separated joints, sags, collapses, corrosion or a buildup of grease and debris.
• Where it is: a locator on the camera head lets us mark the exact spot and depth on the surface, so any digging is a small, targeted hole instead of a trench across the yard.
• What the pipe is made of and how much of it is damaged, which decides whether lining, bursting or a spot repair will work.

You get the recording and a written summary. It is useful for insurance, for a home sale, and for comparing quotes. National cost guides put a sewer camera inspection at about $100 to $500 (This Old House, 2026). More about camera inspections and sewer scopes.

What sewer line repair costs

National cost guides put an average sewer line replacement at about $3,320, with most homeowners paying between $1,390 and $5,320. Excavated replacement runs about $50 to $200 per foot and trenchless methods about $60 to $250 per foot (This Old House, 2026, based on Angi data). Your price depends on:

• Length and depth of the line, and how much of it is damaged.
• What sits on top of it: lawn is cheap to restore; driveways, patios, mature trees and the street are not.
• The method the pipe’s condition allows.
• Permits and fees. In Fort Collins a plumbing permit costs $65 plus sales tax on the project valuation. Work in the street or right of way can add permit, traffic control and pavement repair costs.

You get a written, itemized quote after the camera inspection, before any work starts. See the sewer line replacement cost guide for a full breakdown.

Main water line problems too

The water line that feeds your house is also yours to maintain. In Fort Collins, the city maintains the main, the curb stop and the meter, and the property owner is responsible for the service line from the curb stop to the house, any damage it causes, and the plumbing inside. A sudden jump in your water bill, low pressure or a wet spot between the curb and the house can all mean a service line leak. Fort Collins Utilities also has an online lookup for galvanized service lines. Water line repair and replacement.

Licensed, insured and in writing

Every job is done by licensed sewer technicians and covered by liability insurance. Ask to see the license and the certificate of insurance before work starts. Every quote is written and itemized, and the warranty on new or lined pipe is stated in writing with the quote.