How do I know it's the main water line and not something inside the house?
Three classic signs of a service-line leak: a wet patch in the yard between the meter and the house that stays wet even in a drought, water pressure that dropped across every fixture in the home (not just one), and a water bill that doubled with no usage change. Inside-the-house leaks usually show up at a fixture or in a wall — not across the yard.
Whose pipe is it — mine or the utility's?
The water utility owns and maintains the line from the city main up to and including the meter. Everything from the meter back to your house is your responsibility — that's the section we work on. If the leak is on the utility's side of the meter, we'll tell you that and you call the city.
What does main water line repair typically cost in Florida?
Spot repair (single point failure on otherwise healthy pipe): $1,500–$3,500. Pipe bursting full replacement: $4,500–$9,500 for a typical 50–80 ft residential run. HDD where obstacles require it: $7,500–$15,000. Open-trench replacement: $3,500–$7,500 depending on length and restoration. All quotes are flat-rate in writing before any digging.
Will my homeowners insurance cover the repair?
Florida HO-3 policies typically exclude the failed service line itself but may cover resulting property damage (a wet basement, ruined landscaping, slab moisture issues). Some carriers offer a service-line rider for $30–$80/year that explicitly covers underground service-line replacement up to $10k–$15k. Check your declarations page for "buried service line coverage."
How long will the job take and will I be without water?
Pipe bursting: 4–8 hours of no-water during the actual pull and reconnect. Open trench: similar. HDD: 4–6 hours. CIPP lining: 4–8 hours (cure window). We schedule the water-off in coordination with the utility — usually a morning start and water restored by mid-afternoon.
Will you replace the same pipe material that's there now?
Almost never. For new service-line installs in Florida we use HDPE (high-density polyethylene) — it doesn't corrode in our soil chemistry, it tolerates coastal salt exposure, it can be fused into a continuous joint-less line, and it carries a 50-year manufacturer warranty. Copper, polybutylene, and galvanized are replaced rather than recreated.
What about my lawn, sprinklers, and landscape after the dig?
Pipe bursting and HDD usually only disturb two small access pits (1.5 ft x 1.5 ft) which we backfill and resod. Open-trench replacement disturbs a 1-ft-wide strip the full length of the line — we replace sod and reconnect any irrigation lines we crossed. Restoration cost is itemized in the original quote so you're not surprised.
How long should an HDPE replacement last?
Manufacturer-rated for 50 years minimum, with field studies showing 75–100 year potential in benign conditions. Failure modes are basically: punctures from contractor digging, root pressure on shallow installs, or accidental damage from a landscape excavator. The pipe itself does not corrode.
Can I just dig it up myself and DIY the repair?
Legally, no. Florida requires licensed plumbers for service-line work on the customer side of the meter. Practically, no either — Sunshine 811 ticketing, permit pulling, utility coordination, and fusion-welding HDPE all require specialized equipment and certifications. Even a spot-repair DIY is likely to fail re-inspection.