Sewer line replacement, water service installation, slab leak repair, grease trap and interceptor work, storm drainage and rough-in for new construction. Tell Projects is the licensed Texas general contractor Houston commercial and multifamily owners trust for underground plumbing — coordinated with concrete, excavation, traffic control and permitting under one roof.
Underground plumbing covers every plumbing system that runs below grade — sanitary sewer lines, domestic water service from the main, storm and roof drains, grease traps and interceptors, fire-suppression underground supply, and the rough-in stub-outs that feed a building before a slab is poured. Houston's clay soils, high water table, and aging municipal infrastructure make underground plumbing uniquely challenging. Tell Projects is the licensed general contractor commercial and multifamily owners call when a job requires more than just a plumber — when it requires excavation, concrete cutting and patching, traffic control, dewatering, asphalt restoration, landscape repair and city coordination, all sequenced under one schedule and one permit.
An underground plumbing project rarely lives in a single trade. It needs excavation, dewatering, sub-base preparation, the plumbing trade itself, backfill compaction, concrete or asphalt patching, and landscape restoration. Tell Projects coordinates every piece — you call one number for the whole job.
Our top-tier general contractor license, combined with our licensed master plumber relationships, qualifies us for any commercial or multifamily underground plumbing project in the Houston metro.
We work directly with Houston Public Works, Houston Water, and the regional MUDs and utility districts. We know how to get sewer-tap and water-meter applications through fast, how to schedule city tie-ins, and how to coordinate with the utility crews who actually make the connection.
Cured-in-place pipe (CIPP), pipe bursting, and directional boring let us repair or replace underground lines without trenching across a parking lot, building or landscape. We assess every job for trenchless feasibility — sometimes it's the right call, sometimes it isn't, and we tell you straight.
Underground work creates exposure: damaged utilities (gas, fiber, electric), settling slabs, surface damage. We call 811, hand-dig within tolerance zones, document conditions before and after, and carry the insurance coverage to back up commercial-scale work.
A repeatable, transparent process that takes your project from first conversation to final inspection without surprises.
If you have a known problem (slow drains, recurring backups, slab leak, low water pressure), we camera-inspect the line, locate the issue, and produce video evidence of conditions. For new construction, we work from architectural and civil drawings.
We deliver a written scope, fixed-price quote, and permit strategy within 5-10 business days. We submit plumbing and right-of-way permits, schedule 811 utility locates, and coordinate any traffic-control plans or building-access logistics.
We saw-cut concrete or asphalt where needed, excavate to grade, dewater if the water table requires it, and prep a stable sub-base. Houston's clay soils require specific bedding and compaction techniques — we use them.
Licensed plumbers install or repair the line — DWV, water service, grease line, fire-suppression underground — per current Houston plumbing code amendments. We use approved materials, correct slopes, proper venting and required cleanouts.
Houston requires the line inspected before backfill. We schedule and walk the city inspection, then backfill in lifts with proper compaction to prevent future settlement.
We pour back concrete, hot-patch asphalt, restore landscape, and walk the site to confirm grade and drainage flow correctly to the repaired line. The site looks like we were never there — except your plumbing finally works.
Common situations where Houston-area property owners call Tell Projects for underground plumbing.
Cast iron, clay tile, Orangeburg and old PVC lines failing across Houston. We replace with SDR-35, schedule-40 or trenchless CIPP/pipe bursting depending on conditions.
New water-meter installation, water-service replacement, undersized line upgrades, backflow preventer installation for irrigation and fire-line tap.
Restaurant and food-service grease interceptors sized per Houston ordinance, installed in compliance with health-department requirements. Below-grade or in-floor configurations.
Roof-drain leaders, area drains, parking-lot inlets, detention-pond outlets, French drains, and stormwater conveyance to municipal systems or onsite detention.
Underground fire mains feeding sprinkler risers and fire pumps. Coordinated with the fire marshal's office, with full hydrostatic testing and as-built documentation.
Acoustic and pressure-test slab leak location, then targeted slab penetration and repair — or reroute through walls if better economically.
Pre-slab underground plumbing rough-in for new commercial, multifamily and tenant-improvement projects. Coordinated with site civil, foundation, and architectural drawings.
Tell Projects serves commercial, multifamily and high-end residential clients across the Houston metro area, including these primary service zones:
Most commercial underground projects run 2-8 weeks from permit issuance. A targeted sewer-line replacement is often 1-2 weeks. A full new-construction underground rough-in (sewer + water + storm + fire) is typically 3-5 weeks. Slab leak repair, depending on access, is often 3-7 days. We deliver a milestone schedule before mobilization.
Yes — this is the biggest reason owners choose Tell Projects as the GC rather than hiring a standalone plumber. We saw-cut, excavate, install, inspect, backfill, compact, pour or hot-patch the surface, and restore landscape. One contractor, one warranty, one accountable PM.
Yes, when it's the right call. We work with cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining and pipe bursting for sewer lines, and directional boring for water service. Trenchless saves the parking lot, building floor or landscape in many cases. We assess every project for trenchless feasibility — if traditional trenching is actually faster or cheaper, we say so.
Houston's expansive clay soils and high water table demand specific construction practices. We use proper bedding materials (washed gravel or sand) under pipe, compact backfill in lifts to prevent settlement, dewater trenches when groundwater is encountered, and tie-rod or restrain pipe at joints where required. These details prevent the line from failing in 5 years.
Often no, sometimes briefly. For sewer or water service work in a parking lot, business operates normally with temporary access reroutes. For work inside a building or under a slab, we may need to temporarily shut off water — usually we can schedule overnight or weekend shutoffs to minimize disruption. For grease-trap work in restaurants, we typically work overnight.
Yes — Tell Projects partners with licensed Texas master plumbers and we hold the highest-level Texas general contractor license. Permits are pulled in the master plumber's name with Tell Projects as the GC of record. We coordinate Houston Public Works and Houston Water permits, plus right-of-way permits when the work touches city right-of-way.
Highly scope-dependent. A targeted sewer-line replacement might run $5,000-$25,000. A new water-service installation typically runs $8,000-$30,000 depending on length and tap fees. A grease interceptor installation runs $15,000-$50,000 in Houston. New-construction rough-in for a 10,000 SF commercial space typically runs $40,000-$120,000. We deliver fixed-price quotes after site assessment.
We respond same-day for commercial and multifamily emergencies — slab leaks actively damaging interiors, sewer backups creating health hazards, water service failures cutting off building supply. We stabilize first (stop the leak, dewater, sanitize), then return for permitted repairs. Tenant-facing emergencies in multifamily are a particular Tell Projects specialty.
Tell us about your project. Tell Projects' licensed Texas general contractor team will respond within 24 hours with a detailed quote and schedule.
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