How Much Does It Cost to Repair or Replace a Water Service Line in Vermont?

by Lauren Leazenby
replace water sewer line

You step out your door to find that your front yard is a waterlogged mess — and it’s not even mud season! Such a leak is a telltale sign your water service line's had the radish. It also means you’re going to have to have this underground pipe repaired or replaced. Vermonters can expect to pay a technician more than the national average price for water service line repairs. But if you need to have the whole line replaced, your bill will likely be a bit lower than the average American’s.

This May Also Interest You: How Much Does It Cost to Repair or Replace a Water Service Line?

Your exterior water service line carries water from the public water main into your home. But make no mistake: Once the pipes run under your property, they’re your responsibility — so you’re likely on the hook for any repair or replacement costs.

How deep your pipes are buried deeply impacts the price you pay for these services. Water service lines are buried as deep as local building codes require — but usually, the depth is determined by the frost line in your area. And the deeper the technician must dig to get to your broken or otherwise compromised line, the higher the cost.

graphic visualization showing a cut-away of a home exposing its rooms and home systems specifically focused on the water service line

The nationwide average water service line depth is 4.58 feet. In Vermont, these lines aren't buried quite as deep — at only 4.0 feet on average. For context, in f-f-f-freezing Minnesota, pipe depth is more than 8 feet.

Repair and replacement costs also vary depending on where you live. The national average for diagnosis is $222, for repair is $1,039 and for replacement is $3,581.

Below, you’ll find average service prices based on aggregated HomeServe data reported by our network of contractors across the Green Mountain State, which should give you an approximation of how much you’ll pay to fix your out-of-commission water service line.

Water Service Line Diagnosis

Before any work can begin, the technician will need to come out and run some tests to see what’s wrong with your system. We don’t have sufficient data to provide an average diagnosis cost for Vermont, so budget in the national average of $222.

Water Service Line Repair: $1,240

A whole host of things can cause trouble with your exterior water service line — from invading tree roots to clogs to general wear and tear. Whatever’s up with your system, the repair process will likely start with excavation to expose the pipe. Depending on your situation, the technician may need to clear a blockage, find a leak or fix the pipe — and, of course, fill the hole back in.

Vermont’s average repair price is about 19% higher than the nation’s.

Water Service Line Replace: $2,933

Small sections of leaky or broken pipe can be repaired, but massive clogs or fully compromised pipes might necessitate a full replacement. Water service line replacements cost Vermonters about 18% less than the average American.

More Related Articles:

Video produced and directed by Eric Rossi: