Installation work we handle
New construction
The building sewer from the foundation stub-out to the public connection or the point the site plan calls for. We work from your plans and coordinate timing with your builder so the line goes in before driveways and landscaping.
Additions, ADUs and remodels
A new bathroom, a guest suite or a detached unit often needs a new branch to the building sewer, or a larger line if the existing one is undersized or poorly routed. We check the existing line on camera first so the new work does not tie into a pipe that is about to fail.
Septic-to-sewer connections
When central sewer becomes available on your street, the private line from the house to the new utility connection has to be installed and the house plumbing re-routed away from the septic tank. Sarasota County has been replacing septic systems with central sewer in parts of the unincorporated county through its Phillippi Creek Septic System Replacement Program since 2001, with roughly 14,000 septic tanks expected to be eliminated over the program's life.
Low fixtures and ejector pumps
Where a fixture sits too low to drain by gravity to the sewer, such as a pool bath or a lower-level room on a sloped lot, an ejector pump can lift the waste to the building sewer. We can assess whether one is needed and size the line for it.
What a correct installation gets right
- Slope. Too flat and solids settle; the plumbing code sets minimum slopes by pipe size, and we install to them.
- Pipe size. Sized for the fixtures the building actually has, with room for planned additions.
- Cleanouts. Placed where the code requires and where future maintenance will need them, including near the property line where the utility calls for one.
- Bedding and backfill. Pipe laid on consistent bedding and backfilled in compacted layers so it does not settle into a sag later.
- Routing. Clear of foundations, tree locations, pool equipment and other utilities, with as few bends as practical.
- Connection. Tied to the public system the way the utility specifies, inspected before it is covered.
How an installation project runs
- Site review. We look at the plans or the property, the connection point and any existing line that will be reused or abandoned.
- Utility and permit check. We confirm who provides sewer service at the address, what the connection requires and what permits apply.
- Estimate and schedule. Written scope, pipe material, route, restoration and the steps that depend on inspections or the builder's schedule.
- Sunshine 811 locates before excavation.
- Install and test. Lay the line, set cleanouts, test the line and arrange the required inspection.
- Connect and backfill. Final connection, camera record of the finished line and backfill.
Septic-to-sewer conversions: what is and is not sewer work
Converting from septic to central sewer involves two different kinds of work:
Sewer line work
- Re-routing the house drain to bypass the tank
- Installing the new private line to the utility connection
- Cleanouts, testing and the plumbing inspection
Septic work
- Pumping out the old tank
- Abandoning the tank and drainfield as Florida's onsite sewage rules require
- The separate permit for that abandonment
Septic systems are regulated separately in Florida and need different licensing and equipment. We will tell you which parts we perform ourselves and which need a registered septic contractor, and we can coordinate the sequence so the house is never left without a working drain.
Sarasota County publishes a sewer connection process, a new sewer connection application and septic-related credit programs on its Public Utilities pages. Check those before you commit to a schedule, since deadlines and assessments are set by the County.
What affects installation cost
- Length and depth of the run, and how far the connection point is from the house
- Whether the site is open (new construction) or finished (lawn, driveway, landscaping)
- Number of cleanouts and fittings, and whether an ejector pump is needed
- Connection requirements and fees set by your utility
- Permits and inspections for your jurisdiction
- Work at the house: re-piping under or around the slab to reach the new line
For builders and remodelers
Send us the site plan and the plumbing riser or fixture schedule. We will confirm the route and connection, flag conflicts with other utilities early, and schedule around your pours and inspections. We provide camera footage of the completed line for your records.
Where we do this work
We work across Sarasota and nearby Sarasota County communities, including downtown and the in-city neighborhoods, North Sarasota and The Meadows, Siesta Key, Gulf Gate and South Gate Ridge, Palmer Ranch and Fruitville and the Sarasota County side of Lakewood Ranch. The service area page lists every ZIP code we cover. If you are near the edge of that area, ask; we will tell you plainly whether we can reach you.
Questions we hear often
Do I have to connect to sewer when it becomes available?
Connection requirements and deadlines are set by the utility and local ordinance, not by contractors. Check the notice you received or contact Sarasota County Utilities or the City of Sarasota for your address.
Can you reuse my existing sewer line for an addition?
Often, if it is in good condition and large enough. We camera-inspect it first. Tying new fixtures into a deteriorating line just moves the problem.
Do you handle the septic tank abandonment?
Septic abandonment is separately regulated in Florida. We will tell you up front whether that part is in our scope or coordinate with a registered septic contractor.
How long does a new sewer line installation take?
On an open new-construction site, the line itself often goes in within a day or two; inspections and the builder schedule set the overall timeline. Finished properties take longer because of restoration.