During your free estimate appointment we will be assessing many factors that make your trenchless waterline replacement unique.  We will be looking for things that make trenchless replacement go smoothly, or make it more difficult, affecting price. 
 
We will be looking for natural obstructions or obstacles, like trees, boulders or very rocky soil.  We may need to route around trees with large root systems. Though rare, some very rocky soil may not be compatible with trenchless waterline replacement.
 
We will also look at how your utilities are configured. Overhead utilities are a lot easier to locate and avoid than utilities that are buried underground. Underground utilities may require careful hand digging to locate and avoid when boring your new waterline. When many utilities or cables cross the direct path of the new trenchless waterline, you can expect the bid to reflect some additional cost in the total price.  
 
We will measure the number of feet from the water meter to the point of entry at your home.  We will also measure the current diameter of your waterline. Some customers take this opportunity to improve water pressure by going a size larger in diameter, especially if any future home additions or an ADU or shop addition is planned.  If the line is already undersized for the number of bathrooms it supplies, we will recommend upsizing the line.  The most common size of line that we install is 1”.  The average length of a main water service line in Portland Oregon is around 30'.  For a larger home, or a very long line, you may want to consider a 1.25” water line replacement. The length and diameter of your waterline is one of the main factors that affect bid price. 
 
Water meter boxes are usually located next to the street, either embedded in the concrete or in the grassy area next to the curb. Meter boxes that are embedded in soil or grass are ideal.  When the meter box is embedded in concrete, cutting and removal of concrete will be necessary to complete the trenchless water line installation.  This does add some additional cost to the estimate price.
 
The method in which your waterline enters your home will also affect the bid price.  A main water line usually enters the home through the crawl space, basement foundation or the garage. A spacious crawl space, which is easily accessible, is the least expensive scenario.  If the crawl space is very shallow, moving and working in it can be very difficult.  Waterlines that enter through a concrete basement foundation require additional drilling, patching and waterproofing of the concrete foundation.  If the waterline enters through your garage, cutting, removal and patchwork to the concrete floor may also be a factor.  For these reasons, trenchless waterline replacements for homes with a basement or shallow crawl space, or when the waterline enters through the garage, tend to be a little higher price than homes where the waterline enters through a spacious crawl space. 
 
During your appointment, we will also discuss any additional items that you may need or want at the time of the waterline replacement, such as, a sprinkler connection, emergency shut-off valve, backflow preventer, additional outdoor spigots, etc.