Empire Sewer and Drain has provided me with solid, responsive service at a fair price. Here's my story. I have an old house in the Bronx, and last month the sewer started to back up into the downstairs bathroom (ugh!). I called several companies, including Empire. I spoke to Frank Selgado who is in a position of authority there, and Frank offered to send someone out to look over the weekend. I said that the following Monday would do, and at 10:00 a.m. Monday, Louis from Empire showed up with his crew. They tried snaking the sewer line but ran into an obstruction that they couldn't get past. Louis said for an upcharge they could flush the system and send a TV camara in to see what was going on. I agreed, and the TV moniter indicated that there was a large tree root growing in the sewer line between the house and the street. I could easily see the tree roots on the moniter. There was no alternative but to excavate, get the tree root out, and replace the pipe the tree root had broken. After some discussion, we agreed on a price which, on checking around, I found to be reasonable. On Tuesday, Louis came back with his crew in the morning. They broke up the concrete sidewalk as required and they excavated for the better part of the day. Finally, they hit the pipe that went to the main sewer line about 11 feet down. They found the section that had been invaded by the tree root and pulled out the root. It was about 5 feet long inside the pipe and look like a thick ponytail of an aging hippie. Louis carried it around in triumph as if it were a trophy of war. (Louis is a young guy, but it is obvious that he is serious about his work, and bringing a job to a successful conclusion is important to him.) By evening, new concrete had been poured, and water was serenely flowing to through our repaired sewer line to the street. The crew left leaving us with a guaranty of the work. About a month later, there was trouble on the sewer front. The sewer was backing up again, and we were starting to panic. We thought the monster had been slain but like the narrative arc of a Steven Spielberg horror movie, it was rearing its head again near the end of Act IV. I had visions of the traditional frustrating battle with the New York contractor who never calls you back because there's no money to be made. (I'm a New York real estate lawyer, and I know a lot of construction war stories.) The fears were unfounded. I called Empire at 8:30 a.m., Frank called back at 10:00 a.m., and he dispatched the gallant Louis and his crew to my house that very evening. Louis found that the sewer trap was blocked. He and his assistant Brian wet vacuumed it, fished out some crud from the trap, and the water once again flowed. He did this all without charge under the guaranty. He warned me that the sewer trap needed eventual replacement, but it was ok for now. I will ultimately replace it, and when I do, my first call will be to Frank at Empire. I was satisfied with Empire, grateful for their turnaround times, and pleased with the way they cheerfully and expeditiousy honored their guaranty. I would feel comfortable recommending them to a client should the need arise. read more
