Most Manhattan sewer work happens under a building that is somebody’s home or business all day, on a street that never empties. We camera the line, find the failure, and plan the repair around the building, the DOT permit and the traffic, then fix the section or replace the house sewer to the city sewer.
Manhattan streets are crowded with utilities, so the mark-out matters more and a lot of the digging near other lines is done by hand. Many buildings have sidewalk vaults, which change where the excavation can go.
DOT limits street work on busy streets during rush hours and around the holidays, and the permit sets the hours. The pipe is the same story as everywhere: clay tile and cast iron, cracked joints, and roots from street trees on residential blocks in Harlem, the Upper West Side and the Village.
One of these is a warning. Two or more, together, usually mean the line itself.
We find out what is wrong before anyone digs. A sewer camera inspection is a paid service: you get the video and a written report, and the repair is priced from what the camera found. Anyone who quotes a sewer repair over the phone is guessing, and you pay for the guess later.
Repairs and replacements are done in extra-heavy cast iron or NYC-approved PVC, with a new house trap and cleanout where they are needed. Where the line allows it, trenchless repair leaves less of the sidewalk or yard open. More on NYC sewer line repair and NYC sewer line replacement.
A snake clears a blockage. It does not fix a broken pipe. If a backup clears and never comes back, you probably did not need us. If it keeps coming back, the line is usually cracked, sagging or full of roots, and the camera will show which.
In New York City the house sewer belongs to the property owner all the way to the connection at the city sewer, including the part under the sidewalk and the street. DEP maintains the city sewer itself, and when it finds a defect on the owner's side it can send a sewer defect notice. We handle those too: see DEP notices and compliance.
The digging is the quick part. The permits set the calendar.
Our customers took these photos on recent sewer jobs in New York City and posted them with their Google reviews.
“Victor from Lady Liberty was so so kindhearted and knowledgeable about how to address my sewer backup issue.”
R M, Google review
“They came in a timely manner on the initial request and kept me updated on the process of pulling the permits and when the job was going to be completed. The workers were professional and restored back my front yard in a clean manner plus put seeds down.”
Von W., Google review
We work across Manhattan: Harlem, East Harlem, Washington Heights, Inwood, Upper West Side, Upper East Side, Morningside Heights, Hamilton Heights, Manhattanville, Midtown, Midtown East, Midtown West, Hell’s Kitchen, Chelsea, Hudson Yards, Flatiron, Union Square, Gramercy, Murray Hill, Kips Bay, NoMad, Greenwich Village, West Village, East Village, SoHo, NoHo, Nolita, Lower East Side, Chinatown, Little Italy, Tribeca, Financial District, Battery Park City.
We also work in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx.
The property owner. In New York City the house sewer is private from the building to the connection at the city sewer, including the part under the sidewalk and the street. DEP maintains the city sewer itself.
Yes. It is a paid inspection, and you keep the video and a written report. If the line needs work, the repair is priced from that footage.
If several buildings on the block back up at the same time, the city sewer may be the problem: report it to 311. If it is only your building, it is usually your line, and the camera will show where.
Sometimes. The city treats recently resurfaced streets as protected: opening one needs DOT approval, comes with stricter restoration rules, and some work has to wait. We check a street's status before we quote, so you know before anything is scheduled.
Usually, yes. The vault changes where the excavation can go, so we look at it before we plan the work and the quote.
Yes. We work with boards and managing agents on access, notice to residents and working hours, within what the DOT permit allows.
Sewer trouble in Manhattan? Call (718) 965-3500. A person answers, 24/7/365.
Water main trouble instead? See water main repair in Manhattan.
A broken water main or water main break in Manhattan can shut down a building and a block at once. Our crews respond 24/7, after hours and overnight, to stop the water loss, secure the site, and handle DEP and DOT coordination while the street is open.
