The size upgrade of the underground main water service line coming into the house from the city to the private side must be increased when certain changes are made to your property. Most of our clients using this service are turning their basements into an apartment, performing a substantial addition to the living space with additional plumbing fixtures, or want to ensure they have enough volume for the changes they are making.
With additions and legal units, the size of the water supply line is determined by your municipality during a calculation of the total load. A total plumbing load is calculated by multiplying a plumbing fixture by the assigned load in the Ontario Building Code. What you get is a plumbing data sheet (example found below). The size of the existing water service is on the same data sheet in case you are not an expert in determining the interior diameters of Type K copper pipes.
Water Guard is a top volume and quality provider for water line upgrades in residential homes across Southern Ontario. There is minimal damage with our work and our upgrades are always trenchless. You can check out the whole process – we save driveways, trees, landscaping, porches – you name it. On average, we save our clients more money on cosmetic repairs than the cost of the actual job. That’s what makes us different. Feel free to request an example in our free estimate form. We can provide you with an example of our work in your area or an identical home.
We use torpedo technology, a pipe burst, and directional boring techniques. This ensures that we save your landscaping and prevent you from going through a long soil settlement process that might require a full re-landscaping project of the property. We are careful not to impact interior finishes, washrooms, and kitchens. In case you think something needs to be destroyed, call us first.
Below, we will discuss a few examples of our typical client calls and real-life scenarios we have encountered. These situations are unique and there’s always a chance that your project may differ.
Second Dwelling Water Service or Line Upgrade Region of Peel
This is a typical call about the Second Dwelling Water Service or Line Upgrade in the Region of Peel.
Customer: Do you guys upgrade underground water service from the city to the house?
Water Guard: Yes, are you making a legal basement, a second dwelling or doing an addition?
Customer: Yes, the city wants us to upgrade it from the city side into our house.
Water Guard: What city do you live in?
Customer: Brampton/Mississauga/Oakville/Georgetown/Caledon
Water Guard: Do you have your permit already?
Customer: Yes.
Water Guard: Great. In all of these municipalities, your building permit also includes the permit for your water service upgrade. Can I have your address to check the permit and look at Street View on Google?
Customer: Sure
Water Guard: The price range is $3900-6000 depending on length and accessibility. We strive for minimal damage and complete the job without trenches. Since we’ve likely worked in your neighbourhood, I may compare this to one of your neighbour’s invoices. Can you tell us where the water meter in the basement is?
Customer: Great, the water meter is:
Response 1: At the front wall (price below $4500, +499 for copper upgrade vs. PEX)
Note: Some Municipalities such as Hamilton do not allow installation of PEX line without a separate ESA permit for grounding refer to Hamilton Section for more info
Response 2: At the back/middle of the house
Water Guard: We recommend that you move the meter to the front. We can help you find the best spot to make sure it is hidden under an access box that blends seamlessly into your home design. Keep in mind that it is a basement and utilities must be accessible.
Customer: Great, I have no problem with that.
Water Guard: Keep in mind that the city requires you to upgrade the service past the water meter to 1 inch until it reaches sprinklers or a first distribution tee, usually the plumber you’ve hired would do that. If you want our team to do it, it’s available for an additional $599.
Customer: No, I want it in the existing location/mechanical room.
Water Guard: Not a problem, keep in mind the total distance for copper installation from the property line inside the mechanical room should not exceed 60 linear feet (our coils come in 66-foot lengths). We can accommodate special orders, but they come at an additional cost. This is the most expensive option and we would require a site meeting to find the best route to keep it in the preferred location.
Water Guard: If you have the permit, we will look it up on Maps 1 Brampton General system and schedule an inspection on the city website. We will put you in contact with The Region of Peel. Make sure to refer to your plumbing data sheet. It comes with your permit. In the Region of Peel, customers have to contact the Region, they will advise whether a meter upgrade is required.
New home Water Line Upgrade or New Connection
Below is a typical call we receive about a new home water service upgrade or new connection.
Customer: We are building a new home in Mississauga/Brampton/Caledon/Bolton.
Water Guard: Great! We are an approved contractor for these cities and throughout the Region of Peel. We would love to help you upgrade it. The only difference is we have to make a road cut and connect you to the water main that supplies the entire street. For that, we need a site grading plan. We will provide you with a price range, and if your budget fits, we will plan for a site visit. We will also need a copy of the receipt paid for the connection to the Region of Peel. We also install sanitary and storm connections (it will be indicated on the plans for what is required to be done).
Customer: Great, I have paid for all permits and fees already and we are good to go.
Water Guard: No, you probably have not yet. Only approved contractors, like us, can open the road occupancy permit (ROP) and send a notification to commence work to the Region of Peel. We manage all of this for you, but you are responsible for payments. Keep in mind you will be asked to pay a $600 permit to your city and most likely a deposit for the road (city) and a deposit for infrastructure (region) both up to $10,000.
Customer: Yes, it seems like quite a process. Thanks for managing all the mess for us!
Hamilton Water Service Line Upgrade Lead Pipe
This is an example of an average call we receive about a new home water service upgrade or new connection.
Customer: Hello, I’m interested in replacing our water service line.
Water Guard: Great, we can help you with that. What is the reason for the replacement?
Hamilton Water Service Line Upgrade Lead Pipe
Customer: Our line is lead.
Water Guard: Do you have your lead pipe replacement permit from the Hamilton Water Department?
Customer: No, we don’t. We just found out our line is lead and would like to get a couple of quotes.
Water Guard: What is your address?
Customer: 1 West 13th Street in Hamilton.
Water Guard: Great, let me look that up on Google Maps StreetView. It seems like the property line is quite close to your home, this would be eligible for our minimal-cost upgrade of up to a 30-foot-long replacement. The fixed cost for that is $2950 for a ¾” line upgrade. Some areas like Stoney Creek and Waterdown don’t have standard pricing and need to be viewed in person or via video call. The only condition is that your water meter in the basement has to be at the front wall. We then break the concrete, excavate an access hole where the City of Hamilton staff marks it for us, torpedo the new line through, get it inspected, and backfill with concrete finish inside and gravel finish outside. Our work comes with a 25-year warranty for underground materials and components.
Customer: How do we get started?
Water Guard: First, send us your information on our “Free Estimate Request Form” on our home page. We will send you your contract shortly after that. We can also pay a visit to your home when we are doing a job in your area. We can also confirm these few details via video call.
Customer: Done! What is next?
Water Guard: Send an email to Water Storefront to initiate the process. They will determine your eligibility and send you further instructions. They will ask you to send a couple of pictures, please view this YouTube video where a Hamilton Water staff member demonstrates how to locate your water meter and water service line. If you feel comfortable, please perform the scratch test in the video, on your service line before taking the photo.
Water Guard: If you would prefer to have Hamilton Water enter the property to complete this investigation, please let us know by email or by calling and referencing the number provided: 1039XXXXX. In-person appointments are booked Monday to Friday, between 8 am and 11 am or 11:30 am and 2:30 pm. Someone must be home during the entire appointment. Once this is done, you will receive an email with payment instructions. You may call the Storefront between 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm from Monday to Friday. Once you have the permit, the Water Guard takes full care of the project.
Second dwelling or a home addition Water Service Line Upgrade in Hamilton
If you are planning to build a second dwelling in the Hamilton region, the process is similar, but you have to email them to obtain a building permit as well as a water permit.
You may schedule a pre-inspection by calling a general Hamilton line. During the pre-inspection process, the water department can approve you for relocation of the service line. This happens because Hamilton is a fantastic region, and since you are forced to upgrade your side, they will match it as well. If your existing line is on an asphalt or concrete driveway, you may be worried that it will be damaged.
The water department representative should be called in ahead of time to approve the relocation.
Here is an example of a project we have done where this has occurred: https://app.companycam.com/galleries/fMed9JGH
The owner sent a sketch to our team and the water department, it was approved for relocation to the grassy part of the house, it was inspected by the building department and temporary space was installed until the water department moved the service and installed a new water meter.
It’s important to go through the plumbing data sheet to determine the size you need. This calculator is from Hamilton, but it is based on the Ontario building code and can be applied to any municipality in Ontario.
Otherwise, the process is quite similar. In Hamilton, we have to work with 1-inch copper for these projects. A project similar to this is much heavier on maintenance and materials and has an average minimum cost of $4500. In case you want us to work in Pex, a separate ESA (electrical) permit is required for grounding the electrical panel.
Water Service Line Upgrade Halton Region Scenario including Welland (Niagara), Guelph, and Kitchener
There is usually not much of a difference between this procedure and the procedure with the Region of Peel. All of these municipalities and regions have programs to make sure old, toxic, and substandard sizes and materials are removed. It’s important to hire an expert like Water Guard to replace your side in priority.
For second dwellings, the same permit for your basement works to schedule an inspection from the city. It is a fairly new program for the building department, and they are working with the Water Department with some success. The client must obtain approval to move the meter and talk to the region to determine if a meter size upgrade is required. We can guide you through it. The installation process is the same as Peel. These municipalities also need a separate ESA permit for grounding if you want to use PEX instead of copper. In these municipalities, we do not schedule inspections as all prices and procedures are subject to change and are quoted on a case-by-case basis. Prices and procedures will be displayed in early 2022.
At Water Guard Plumbing, we provide competitive pricing for high-quality work, materials, and exceptional management. Our warranties are the best in the business – there is no reason why you
shouldn’t call our team for your next water service line upgrade.
