The City of Saskatoon provides us with your information, as well as the priority of the replacement. In preparation for the job, we will arrange for the location of all underground utilities. Brunner’s project manager will also meet with you to discuss the scope of the job, confirm the specifics of the location and answer any questions you may have. The job is then placed into the queue based on priority.

During the initial meeting with our project manager, you will be required to sign a deferral form, which allows the cost of the sewer replacement project to be deferred to your property taxes. Brunner’s Construction must approve any alternative payment requests before the job begins.

On the day of the job, we will typically arrive between 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. At that time, our workers will need access to your house to locate the sewer connection. Sewer replacement jobs are usually completed by 6 p.m., but sometimes unforeseen circumstances (e.g. difficulties removing old sewer pipe, poor soil conditions, etc.) delay the completion of the project, potentially to the following day. However, a delay of that length is extremely rare.

During the course of the day, you can expect dust, dirt, noise and no water service for approximately six hours, but that is not always necessary for a sewer replacement. As well, there will be no sewer service from 9:00 a.m. to approximately 4:00 p.m. This includes:

• No running water down the drain
• No flushing toilets
• No showers
• No draining bathtubs
• No use of washing machines
• No use of dishwashers

Any use of the sewer during this time will make the job more difficult and delay its completion. Our crew will notify you when you are able to use your water and sewer service.

In the case of a water line replacement, the water main will need to be shut down and a Precautionary Drinking Water Advisory will be issued. If you have any questions about this process, please call the City of Saskatoon at (306) 975-2476.

During the winter months, you may be asked to leave a cold-water tap running to ensure the water line does not freeze.

There are two different ways to complete the replacement – inside or outside your house – which can vary from job to job. If the water line for the house is not made of copper or plastic, it will need to be replaced at the same time as the sewer. In that case, work will need to be done inside your house. Other conditions may require the sewer to be replaced from outside the house. In some cases, you will have the choice of whether it is completed inside or outside. This can be discussed with our project manager at the initial meeting.

The foundation excavation required inside a house is approximately 2 feet by 2 feet, but this can be larger depending on the depth of the excavation. For exterior replacements, a hole is required at the foundation of the house (approximately 4 feet by 10 feet), along with a large area for the excavated soil. In the case of a sewer replacement, two holes are required – one at the foundation and one in the street. For a water replacement or a combination water/sewer replacement, a third excavation will be required (on city property near the property line).

Once the excavations are complete, steel rods are pushed through the existing sewer pipe from the hole in the street to the foundation of the house. A steel plug (approximately the size of a football) is then attached to the steel rods and pulled back through the existing pipe using a hydraulic pipe-bursting machine. The plug bursts the pipe outwards, creating a tunnel for the new pipes (100 mm DR28 PVC sewer line/25 mm DR9 HDPE water line). They are connected at the house, as well as to the new fittings installed on the city water and sewer mains. When the water line is replaced, a valve (curb stop), curb box and rod are installed in the hole on the property line. Once all the pipes and fittings are installed, the holes are filled and the job site is cleared of excess soil. Some excess soil will remain on excavations to allow for settling.

Brunner’s Construction will strive to minimize damage to your yard. Due to the weight of the excavator, however, you should expect indentations, divots and grass/landscape damage. Brunner’s Construction makes no guarantees regarding the size of the excavation required for the job, as there may be uncertainty with subsurface conditions and existing buried objects (e.g. rocks, concrete). In rare circumstances, it may be necessary to excavate the yard from the house to the curb. Please note that homeowners are responsible for all restoration to yards.

Once the job is complete, you can expect some settlement in the outside foundation excavation, as well as the property line excavation. To help with settlement, some people water the area with a soaker hose. This must be done with caution, as overwatering may cause water to enter the basement. If the foundation excavation is inside the basement, we will patch the concrete floor before leaving the job site. Please note that Brunner’s Construction is not a professional concrete finishing firm and offers this service as a courtesy. You are welcome to hire your own concrete finishers if your are concerned with the quality of the concrete finishing work. We will leave the appropriate amount of room to accommodate the concrete.

Sidewalk, boulevard and road repair will be completed by the City of Saskatoon. If you have any questions regarding these repairs, please contact the City at (306) 975-2476 or at the number supplied by your city representatives.

If an existing water line is replaced, it may be necessary for you to hire an electrical contractor, as a ground is sometimes attached to the existing metal water service. Since the new line is plastic, it is necessary to install a new ground rod/plate.

Due to the configuration of the existing plumbing, a licensed plumber may also be required to reconnect the waterline or reconnect the sewer line inside the home. Brunner’s Construction generally provides this service, but in some circumstances a plumber may be required. If you do not have access to a plumber, our project manager can provide assistance.