Sewer Line Repair & Replacement in Memphis and Surrounding Areas

Sewer Repair Services Near You in Memphis

Choate's handles sewer line repair and replacement across the greater Memphis metro area, and we arrive ready to diagnose the problem on the first visit. When drains gurgle, toilets bubble, or the yard turns soggy, our licensed plumbers show up with camera equipment, pipe locators, and repair options in the truck. That means no guessing, no return trip just to figure out what's wrong, and no surprise charges after the fact.

Here's what every sewer service call from Choate's includes:

• Same-day diagnostics with a sewer camera inspection that pinpoints the break or blockage
• Video and photo proof of the issue, shown to you before we recommend a fix
• Clear, written pricing presented before work starts, so nothing is a surprise
• Repair choices explained in plain English: spot repair, trenchless replacement, or full excavation
• 24/7 emergency response for active backups in Memphis, Collierville, Germantown, and Southaven

We serve homeowners and business owners alike. For commercial properties, we prioritize getting your operation back online quickly, because a sewer failure at a restaurant, office, or retail space means costly downtime, not just an inconvenience.

Common Signs You Need Sewer Repair

The clearest warning that your sewer line is failing is more than one drain acting up at once. A single slow sink usually points to a local clog, but when sinks, showers, and toilets all drain slowly or back up together, the trouble is in the main line, and that calls for a professional look. Watch for these signs:

• Multiple slow drains or repeated backups: When several fixtures drain slowly or back up at the same time, the blockage or break is almost always in the main sewer line rather than a single fixture.
• Gurgling sounds from tubs or toilets: Gurgling after a flush means air is trapped and forcing its way past a blockage. It's an early, easy-to-miss signal that flow in your sewer line is restricted.
• Sewer odors indoors or near cleanouts: A healthy sewer system is sealed and airtight. Foul, sewage-like smells inside the home or around outdoor cleanouts point to a crack, break, or major blockage letting gas escape.
• Soggy spots or unusually green patches in the yard: A cracked line leaks wastewater into the soil, which can leave soft, sunken ground or a strip of grass that's suddenly lusher and greener than everything around it. Both signal a hidden underground leak.
• Increased pest activity near drains: A broken line gives rodents and insects an easy way in. A jump in pests around drains or in a basement can mean a compromised sewer pipe.
• Older piping or a history of root trouble: Clay and cast iron pipes crack, corrode, and separate at the joints over time. If your home has older piping or a past run-in with tree roots, a proactive inspection is smart insurance against a full failure.

Catching these signs early usually means a smaller, less expensive repair. Ignore them, and a hairline crack can become a collapsed line under your driveway.

What Causes Sewer Line Problems in the Mid-South?

Most sewer line failures in Memphis and North Mississippi come down to one of four culprits, and knowing which one you're facing determines the right fix. Here's what we most often find on the camera, and why each one matters:

• Tree roots: Roots seek moisture, so they work into pipe joints and hairline cracks, then expand until they choke or split the line. Mature trees common across Germantown and Collierville lots make this the single most frequent cause we see.
• Soil movement: The clay-heavy soil across the Mid-South swells when wet and shrinks when dry, and that constant shift stresses buried pipe. Storms, heavy traffic, and normal ground settling add to the strain until a joint separates or the pipe sags.
• Pipe corrosion and age: Older clay and cast iron lines corrode, flake, and lose structural strength with age. Many established Memphis-area neighborhoods still have original piping that has reached the end of its service life.
• Improper slope or construction damage: A line that was installed at the wrong pitch or nicked by later construction traps waste and invites blockages. These issues often hide for years before symptoms appear.

Because these causes look similar from inside the house, we never diagnose a sewer line by symptom alone. A camera pass tells us exactly which one you're dealing with before we quote a repair.

How We Repair Sewer Lines

Choate's starts every sewer repair with a camera inspection so we can pinpoint the problem and choose the least invasive fix that will actually last. From there, we match the method to the damage rather than defaulting to a dig. Our sewer repair and replacement options include:

• Camera Inspection & Locating – We send a sewer camera down the line to find the exact break or blockage and mark its location and depth in your yard.
• Hydro-Jetting – A high-pressure water jet scours away grease, roots, and years of debris, clearing the line without harsh chemicals. See our hydro-jetting service.
• Pipe Bursting – We pull a new pipe through the path of the old one, replacing a failed line with minimal digging and little disruption to your landscaping.
• Targeted Excavation – When a line is fully collapsed or badly misaligned, we dig only where needed for a precise spot repair or a full replacement.
• Cleanout Installation – We add an access point that makes future inspections and drain cleaning faster and simpler.

For homeowners who want to avoid tearing up a driveway or mature landscaping, trenchless pipe bursting is often the ideal path, though only a camera inspection can confirm whether your line is a good candidate.

Your Visit, Step by Step

Every Choate's sewer repair follows the same five-step process, built so you always know what's happening and what it costs before we lift a shovel. This is our Assessment, Plan, Price, Repair, and Verification process in action:

1. Assessment – We confirm your symptoms, locate cleanouts, and run a sewer camera inspection that records the line, marks the trouble spot, and shows you exactly what we found.
2. Plan – We walk you through your repair choices in plain English, from spot repair to trenchless replacement.
3. Price – We present clear, written pricing before any work begins, so nothing is a surprise.
4. Repair – We complete the fix using the agreed method, whether that's trenchless pipe bursting, a spot repair, or a full replacement.
5. Verification – We run a final camera pass to confirm the line is clear and clean up the work area before we leave.

That final camera pass is the part cheap-coupon competitors skip. We prove the repair worked rather than asking you to take our word for it.

Why Choose Choate's for Sewer Line Repair in Memphis?

Choate's has repaired and replaced sewer lines across the Memphis metro since 1958, and three generations of the Choate family still run the company today. What sets us apart from high-volume "cheap coupon" outfits is proof: we show you a video of your own sewer line so you can approve the fix with confidence. Here's what backs that up:

• Family-owned and operated since 1958: More than 65 years serving Mid-South homes and businesses, now led by third-generation ownership.
• Video and photo proof on every diagnosis: You see the problem and the completed repair on camera, with written options before work starts. That's a real inspection, not a coupon and an upsell.
• Fully licensed and insured in TN and MS: Our plumbers are licensed for sewer replacement in both states under license #51398 and E51398.
• A+ BBB rating: Our record with the Better Business Bureau reflects a long commitment to doing right by customers.
• Commercial Appeal Choice Awards recognition: Our community has repeatedly voted Choate's among the area's best home-service providers.
• Flexible financing: An unexpected sewer replacement is a real expense, so we offer financing options that help you move forward without delay.
• One call covers it all: Plumbing, drain, sewer, HVAC, electrical, and generator service under one roof, from a team you already trust.

To protect your line year-round, ask about our FAM Plan (Family Assurance Membership). Membership includes priority scheduling and periodic checks that catch small sewer and drain issues before they become emergencies.

Areas We Serve

Choate's provides sewer line repair and replacement throughout the greater Memphis metro area and into North Mississippi. Our licensed plumbers regularly serve Memphis, Collierville, Germantown, Bartlett, Cordova, Lakeland, Arlington, and Millington in Tennessee, plus Southaven, Olive Branch, and Hernando in Mississippi, along with the surrounding communities. With offices in Collierville, Memphis, Jackson, TN, and Oxford/Batesville, MS, we keep crews close to home so we can respond quickly to a sewer emergency.

Call Now for Sewer Line Repair in Memphis

Have an active backup, a soggy yard, or a clog that keeps coming back? Don't wait for a small crack to become a collapsed line. Call Choate's today at 901-755-4797 or book online for fast, video-verified sewer line repair across Memphis, Collierville, Germantown, and Southaven. Our team is available 24/7 for sewer emergencies.

Frequently Asked Questions