NWOCHI
Northwest Oregon Certified Home Inspector

I client of mine had interest in an old Portland home in North Irvington. By old, I mean early 1900s. In speaking to the listing agent, she told me that when the home been under contract previously, it was discovered thru a sewer scope that the home’s sewer line connected to the neighbors’.

That is a party line.

The previous homebuyer terminated the contract even though the sewer scope showed that there were no problems with the cast iron line. Apparently, the scope was only performed until the point it met the neighbor’s line and no further. Why they didn’t expand the scope, I don’t know since I wasn’t there. But that homebuyer ran away because he didn’t like the idea of his line going into the neighbor’s yard. I can’t say I disagree.

The thing to consider about party line is that even if all the lines involved pass the test today, a future problem could spell big bucks. You see, a future problem with any of the lines in the system will draw the City of Portland’s attention. The city will probably then force homebuyers to get off the party line and connect directly to the main. Cha Ching!

I can’t say it enough, perform a sewer scope if you're buying an old house in Portland. I think most homeowners with party lines don’t even know they have them.

The Sewer Scope Inspection - A Must for Home Buyers - February 27, 2007 

I scheduled a sewer scope inspection for the Chippewa property, and met Eric, at the property today around noon.  The seller had provided a tape of a sewer scope inspection they had done last fall.  I picked it up Saturday from the listing agent's office.  I thought maybe I could save the buyers $150, and use the seller's tape.  When I viewed it on Saturday afternoon, I couldn't make heads or tails out of it.  First, the camera jumped around so bad, you couldn't see anything.  There was also no narration as to what I was seeing.  It was very poor quality, and I was not happy with the tape at all; so I called the Sewer Scope Co. to have them come out.  I've used them for several years, and I think Eric does a great job.  Most of all, I trust him.  I've stood over his shoulder as he ran the camera, and I have learned a lot over that last couple of years.

The seller told us he was told the sewer was clear.  As Eric ran the camera today, we saw that there was nothing blocking the sewer line, but halfway out into the yard, the pipe had separated and there was a major offset.  Once the buyers moved in and really started using the toiletrs, a sinkhole would develop in the back yard.  Also rainwater would wash dirt into the sewer line and enlarge the sinkhole.  Eric figured that within months of occupying the home, the buyers would have to have sewer work done.  He also noted that this was not something that just happened overnight; it had been there for a good while.

The seller happened to show up as Eric was finishing, and we pointed it out to him.  He was a really nice guy, but naturally, he was rather upset.  He was going to call the people who did his sewer scope and let them know about it.

Obviously, we are going to ask the seller to repair the separated sewer line.

I hate to think what might have happened if I had just taken the seller's word for it, and not followed up with ours scope.  I think the seller probably did not know about the separation.  This property is a top knotch rehabb, probably one of the best ones I have seen in a good while.  Where he could have cut corners and gone cheaply, he didn't.  Because of that, I feel that if he knew of the separation, he would have corrected it during the rehabb.  He was probably just going on what he was told by his sewer scope people.

Anyway, the buyers would have closed on the house and a couple of months after closing I would be getting a call from some very upset clients, who are already having to repair their sewer line.  I don't think it would be pretty...

This is one example of why I feel it is so important to have a sewer scope performed during the inspection period.  Especially with the older homes in the St Louis area.  The sewer lines under the basement floors are cast iron, and most is original.  Many of the homes in the city are 70 years old to over 100 years old.  The cast iron under the floors is old, brittle and rusting through.  This causes collapses and sewer backups.  It can also be expensive to repair (in the thousands of dollars).  The basement floor has to be dug up, new pvc line installed, and the trenches filled over again with concrete. 

True, just because you have a sewer scope performed and it's passes inspection, you could still develop a sewer problem at any time.  But at least, the buyer will know going into the deal the overall condition of the sewer line.



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