Sewer Line Trouble in Sherman? Start With a Camera.

A camera inspection is usually the first step, because it shows whether you have roots, a belly where the pipe has sagged, a broken joint or a collapsed section. National cost data from HomeGuide puts a sewer camera inspection at $125 to $500, a sewer line repair at $1,600 to $7,200, and a full replacement at $2,000 to $10,000.

If the line serves a home outside city limits on a septic system, the questions are different. See the Grayson County page for septic permits.

How a plumber usually handles sewer line repair & camera inspection

A plumber will usually clear the line enough to get a camera through, then record the run from the cleanout toward the city main. Ask for the video and for the distance readings where any damage shows up. That footage is useful if you want a second opinion.

Repair options depend on what the camera shows. A single broken section can often be dug up and replaced. Root intrusion at joints may be handled with jetting and a liner. A line that's sagged or collapsed along its length usually means replacement, by open trench or by a trenchless method where conditions allow.

Ask how the yard, driveway or landscaping will be restored, who handles the permit and city coordination, and what warranty comes with the work.

Sherman's sewer tap rules and Denison's line permit

Sherman's amendments to the 2021 International Plumbing Code add rules that affect sewer jobs. All sewer replacements require a new sewer tap. Sewer repairs within 5 feet of the city main also require a new tap unless the building official approves otherwise. That means a replacement in Sherman involves the city as well as the plumbing company, so ask about the tap when you get a price.

In Denison, the city's permit fee table lists a residential sewer or water service line replacement permit at $50.

Housing age is part of the picture. With about half of Sherman's homes and two-thirds of Denison's built before 1980, according to Census Bureau estimates, many sewer laterals in both cities are decades old. Clay and older pipe joints are where roots most often get in.

Sources for this page

Sources: HomeGuide drain cleaning costs · City of Sherman Code Art. 3.03 (plumbing code amendments) · City of Denison permit fees · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024 5-year, via Census Reporter

What moves the price

• Where the problem is (a trap under a sink vs. a line under a slab or in the yard)
• Whether a camera, hydro-jetting or leak-locating equipment is needed
• Pipe material and age (older cast-iron, galvanized or clay vs. PVC, PEX or copper)
• Permit and inspection fees where the city requires them
• After-hours or weekend calls, which plumbing companies often price higher
• Repairing walls, floors or landscaping after the plumbing is fixed

See our Sherman pricing breakdown for more detail.

Other services and typical prices

• Drain Cleaning & Clogged Drains — $100–$600
• Water Heater Repair & Replacement — $600–$5,600
• Leak Detection & Pipe Repair — $300–$5,000
• Frozen & Burst Pipe Repair — $400–$2,000
• Toilet, Faucet & Fixture Repair — $130–$800

Areas covered

• Denison
• Grayson County