If sewage is coming up a floor drain, a basement toilet or a shower, stop running water anywhere in the house right now: no flushing, no laundry, no dishwasher. Call (201) 676-3099 or book a free estimate.
If sewage is coming up a floor drain, a basement toilet or a shower, stop running water anywhere in the house right now: no flushing, no laundry, no dishwasher. Everything you send down is coming back up. Keep people and pets out of it, kill the power to the basement if the water is near outlets, and call. In most New Jersey homes the cause is a blocked main sewer line, and clearing it costs $350 to $900.
Here is what to do in the next hour, what it will cost, and the one device that makes sure it never happens again.
Do this right now
Every drain in the house leads to the same pipe. Until it is clear, a flush upstairs comes out the basement floor drain.
Sewage carries bacteria and viruses. No bare feet, no kids, no pets. If you must walk through it, rubber boots and gloves, then wash.
If the water is near outlets, the furnace, the water heater or a sump pump, turn off the breaker for the basement. Do not stand in water to do it; use a dry stick or call the utility.
Take pictures of the water line, the drain, and anything damaged before cleanup. Your insurance will ask.
A real person answers 24/7. We tell you what to shut off, send the nearest crew, and give you the price to clear the line before we start.
The 4 causes
- A blockage in your main sewer line: grease, wipes, a toy, or a root ball. This is 70% of the calls. Clearing it with a cable or hydro-jet fixes it the same day.
- Tree roots in an old clay or cast iron line. They regrow every year until the pipe is repaired or lined.
- A broken, collapsed or sagging pipe. Common in New Jersey homes built before 1975 with clay or Orangeburg pipe. A camera shows it in minutes.
- The town's sewer main surcharging in a heavy storm. Nothing is wrong with your pipe; the public line is full and it pushes back up into the lowest drain on the street, which is your basement. Only a backwater valve stops this one.
What it costs in New Jersey (2026)
We clear the line first, then run the camera before we leave so you see why it happened. A repair price comes in writing, and you decide. No one talks you into a $15,000 replacement from a puddle.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Clear the main sewer line (cable or hydro-jet), 24/7 | $350 – $900 |
| Sewer camera inspection, footage you keep | $275 – $550 |
| Spot repair of a broken section (dig, replace, backfill) | $2,500 – $7,500 |
| Full sewer line replacement, trenchless or open trench | $6,000 – $25,000 |
| Backwater valve installed on the main (stops town backups) | $2,500 – $6,000 |
| Sewage cleanup and sanitizing, finished basement | $1,200 – $12,000 |
The backwater valve: the fix that ends it
A backwater valve is a one-way flap installed on your main sewer line, usually in the basement floor near where the pipe leaves the house. Sewage flows out; nothing flows back in. When the town's line surcharges in a storm, the flap closes and your basement stays dry while the neighbors' do not. In flood-prone towns along the Passaic, Hackensack, Raritan and Saddle rivers, it is the single best money a basement owner can spend. Some New Jersey towns and insurers require or credit it. Installation takes a day and costs $2,500 to $6,000 with the permit.
The insurance problem
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover sewer backup. It is a separate 'water backup and sump overflow' endorsement that costs $40 to $200 a year and covers $5,000 to $25,000 of damage. Almost nobody has it until after the first backup. Call your agent this week; it is the cheapest coverage on the policy. Flood insurance is different again and does not cover backups unless the flood caused them.
After the cleanup: stop the next one
- Nothing but toilet paper and what came out of you goes down the toilet. 'Flushable' wipes are the number one cause of the clogs we cut out.
- Grease goes in a can, not the sink. It cools and hardens inside the pipe.
- If roots were the cause, schedule a yearly cable or jet, or line the pipe.
- Get the camera footage and keep it. If you sell, a clean sewer scope is worth thousands to a buyer.
Questions people ask next
Is a sewer backup an emergency?
Yes. Every flush makes it worse and the water is a health hazard. Stop using water, keep everyone out of the basement, and call a 24/7 crew.
Who is responsible for a sewer backup, me or the town?
You own the line from the house to the property line or the main, depending on your town, so a clog or break there is yours. If the town's main surcharged in a storm, it is the town's pipe, but towns almost never pay for the damage. A backwater valve is your protection either way.
How much does it cost to clear a main sewer line in NJ?
$350 to $900, including after hours. A camera inspection to find the cause is $275 to $550 and is worth it after any backup.
Does homeowners insurance cover sewer backup?
Not by default. You need the water backup endorsement, which costs $40 to $200 a year. Add it before the next storm.
Can I clean up sewage myself?
A small backup on a concrete floor, yes: gloves, boots, hot water and a disinfectant, and throw out anything porous that touched it. A finished basement with carpet and drywall that soaked overnight needs professional drying and sanitizing, and the drywall usually has to go.
Need sewage backup service near you?
If you searched “sewage backup service near me” anywhere in New Jersey, that's us. First Call Contracting is based in Paramus and sends its own licensed crew to all 21 counties — written price before work starts, no deposit, a real person on the phone 24/7.
Backing up right now?
Stop the water and call. A real person answers 24/7, and you get the price to clear the line before we start.
Or call Alex direct: (201) 676-3099