Despite experiencing no apparent drainage trouble, a first-time homeowner said a plumber recommended an $8,000-plus repair after a sewer camera failed to make it to the main line.
However, the householder said the home's toilets, sinks, and tubs were all functioning normally.
Here's what to know
In a Reddit thread, the original poster described signing up for a plumbing membership that came with regular inspection visits.
At one of those checkups, the plumber attempted to inspect the sewer through the cleanout, but the camera never got as far as the main sewer line.
Although the house had no drainage symptoms, the plumber said the cleanout pipe had apparently shifted because of settling or ground movement and quoted more than $8,000 to replace it.
However, the homeowner said they had not experienced any plumbing-related issues.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
"Everything in my house works perfectly fine," they wrote, adding that there had been "no backups or plumbing problems whatsoever."
Commenters were highly skeptical of the plumber's diagnosis, especially the explanation that the main sewer line could not be evaluated until after the homeowner first paid for the $8,000-plus cleanout repair.
"You didn't hire plumbers, you hired salesmen whose boss told them to find something, anything to sell you plumbing services," one commenter said.
More background
The homeowner said the visit also led to a separate finding: a minor leak beneath a sink.
For that issue, the plumber quoted $760, but the homeowner said they fixed it themselves for just $12.
In the comments, the homeowner noted the plumber showed them the camera footage of the supposed sewer blockage only for "a few seconds," and that the plumber described the issue as a bend or "zig zag pipe."
The homeowner added that when they asked about another possible access point for a sewer inspection, the plumber replied that the membership only covered going in through the cleanout.
What commenters had to say
In the comments, Redditors piled on about the plumber's suspect practices and recommended ways for the OP to protect themselves.
"Ask for the video," advised one. "That should show any shift or blockage."
Another commenter said the plumber should have explained whether the obstruction was "an improper fitting with too tight a bend," a "broken fitting," an "offset joint," or "roots."
Among the most repeated suggestions was ending the service plan, with many commenters saying it basically amounted to a scam.
The homeowner appeared to agree, writing, "I'm canceling this subscription."
A separate line of advice involved bringing in another plumber without sharing the first company's diagnosis.
As one commenter put it, "Hire another plumber, don't tell them what the first guy told you."
Where can I learn more?
Homeowners looking to save money can often run into schemes that promise cost savings but end up being more expensive in the long run.
• On TikTok, a plumber shared an easy fix for a leaky sink.
• A frustrated homeowner finally found a fix that worked after a stubborn kitchen sink clog.
• After pouring cooking fat down the drain, a homeowner quickly regretted their major mistake.
• A homeowner turned to Reddit after a weird tub drain reaction during a clog fight.
• After boiling water hit clogged pipes, a homeowner worried they had messed the pipe up.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
