When it comes to plumbing, some contractors have a habit of jumping to conclusions. If the building is older than 50 years, they start talking full repipe or sewer replacement before even running a proper inspection. Age becomes the excuse—“Well, it’s an old building, what do you expect?”
But here’s the truth: old doesn’t always mean broken.
At The Pine Plumbing, we’ve worked on hundreds of commercial, multi-unit, and restaurant properties across Los Angeles County. Many of them are decades old—some pushing 100. And while age can add wear, it doesn’t always mean the system needs to be replaced. We don’t make assumptions. We use camera inspections and hands-on diagnostics to find the real issue.
Here are two real jobs that prove it.
The 75-Year-Old Property Everyone Wanted to Repipe—Except Us
A property owner in Hollywood had been dealing with plumbing issues at his 4-unit building for more than three years. Every six months, something would go wrong. One unit would clog. Another would gurgle. Toilets would back up without warning.
He hired multiple plumbers during that time. Each one did their version of an inspection—usually snaking a few lines, maybe running water through the fixtures. One charged $1,000 just to hydrojet the main. Another charged $4,000 to break concrete and “explore the line.”
But none of them fixed the issue. Most blamed the building’s age.
“It’s just old,” they said. “You’ll keep having problems unless you replace everything.”
Quotes started rolling in: $25,000, $32,000, even one as high as $40,000. Every plumber had a slightly different version of the same story—your building is old, and you need to replace all of it.
Luckily, a friend referred the owner to Jaime Garcia at The Pine Plumbing.
Jaime didn’t start with a pitch. He started with a plan.
He ran a camera through multiple access points—down to the crawlspace, through the laundry line, and across each unit’s main drain. What he found changed everything.
There was no need to replace the full sewer line. The main line was intact. The real issue? A cracked cast iron 90 and a rusted-out galvanized P-trap located in the laundry room—something none of the previous plumbers caught. Those two problem areas were causing slow drainage and back-ups across the property.
We replaced both with PVC, corrected the slope, and added proper venting. That job didn’t cost $40,000. It didn’t even come close.
And most important: it solved the problem.
“It’s Old, Must Be Roots” — Except There Weren’t Any
This one came from a property manager in Van Nuys who oversees over 30 rental properties. One of her duplexes had repeated issues with slow drainage. She called a local plumber to check it out. He ran a quick inspection and immediately diagnosed root intrusion.
His solution? Full main line replacement. $18,000.
When she asked to see camera footage, the plumber said they’d need $500 just to share it.
That raised an eyebrow. She held off on the job and reached out to us.
We sent a tech the next day. No deposit. No pressure.
We ran a camera through both units and found the main line completely clear—no roots, no breaks, no sagging.
Then we looked at the back unit and asked a few questions. It turned out the unit was a newly added ADU. No one had checked the plumbing layout.
That’s when we saw it—the ADU didn’t have proper venting.
The real issue had nothing to do with the main sewer line. Without vents, the air couldn’t flow through the system, which caused water to move slowly and backup in multiple spots.
We installed the missing vents, ran another test, and everything started flowing properly.
No trenching. No pipe replacement. No five-figure invoice.
Another client gained long-term trust in our company because we told the truth and got the job done right.
Age Should Never Be a Diagnosis
We’ve worked on buildings from the 1920s and 1930s that still have fully functioning cast iron systems. Age might change the materials you’re working with, but it doesn’t tell the whole story.
You still need to:
- Inspect with a camera
- Check for venting issues
- Test drainage under pressure
- Verify slope and alignment
- Examine P-traps, elbows, and fittings
- Identify repairs that can solve the problem without replacing the entire system
What happens when you don’t? You get overpriced jobs, wasted labor, and problems that keep coming back.
Who We Work With
We’re a plumbing company built for contractors and property pros who need straight answers. Our clients include:
- General contractors building out ADUs and new units
- Restaurant contractors handling commercial kitchens
- Multifamily property owners trying to preserve plumbing without gutting it
- Real estate professionals who need a second opinion before closing
- Commercial property managers who don’t have time for half-answers or inflated quotes
When a job looks bigger than it should, we’re the ones to call.
Why Second Opinions Matter
Plumbing issues—especially on older buildings—can feel overwhelming. But that doesn’t mean the solution should be.
If you’re managing a timeline, working on a tight budget, or just trying to make the right decision for your property or client, a second opinion can save thousands.
We’ve had countless clients show us quotes from other companies that were three to five times higher than what the job really needed. And that’s not because we cut corners. It’s because we take the time to find the actual problem before quoting the fix.
What a Camera Inspection Tells You That a Snake Can’t
Snaking can help clear a blockage, but it doesn’t show you what’s going on in the pipe. That’s why we start all sewer and drain jobs with a camera inspection.
Here’s what it helps us find:
- Cracks and breaks in cast iron lines
- Rusted-out or separated joints
- Sagging or back-pitched pipes
- Foreign objects or construction debris
- Hidden venting issues
- Grease buildup or biofilm
- Bad connections from recent remodels or ADUs
Whether you’re on a restaurant site or working on a mid-rise conversion, knowing the exact cause of the issue helps keep your job moving.
We Handle It All—Small Jobs and Big Builds
Some of our clients call us for a quick drain repair. Others bring us in to work alongside their build team on a full commercial site. We’re ready either way.
- Sewer and drain diagnostics
- Full camera inspections
- Trenchless repairs
- Pipe replacement
- Venting correction
- P-trap and connection updates
- Commercial plumbing planning and execution
If it runs water or handles waste, we can handle it. And we’ll never tell you to replace the entire system unless it’s truly necessary.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Let Age Be the Excuse
We hear it all the time: “Well, it’s an old building.” Sure. And?
That doesn’t mean you need to tear everything out. Age is just a number. What matters is whether the system works—and if it doesn’t, why not?
At The Pine Plumbing, we ask the right questions. We show you the inside of the pipe on camera. We don’t guess, and we don’t guess when your money is on the line.
If you’re being told you need a major plumbing job because your building is “too old,” give us a call first. We’ll take a real look and tell you the truth.
You can reach us at thepineplumbing.com or call to book a camera inspection. Big job or small, we’re the team that shows up ready to work.
