★ San Jose, California

Trenchless Pipe Pulling
For San Jose Plumbers.

The PF-12 trenchless pipe pulling system lets San Jose plumbing contractors replace water service lines from two small access points, with no continuous trench and no restoration bill. Built in Tennessee by working plumbers. $12,995 + freight.

★ The Market

Why San Jose needs a better way to replace water lines

59% of the homes in San Jose were built before 1980, and the median home was built in 1976 (U.S. Census, ACS 2024). Service lines that age are reaching the end of their life, and every one that fails is a replacement job.

San Jose Water's 2024 state inventory lists 236,341 service lines, all non-lead, including 13,654 galvanized lines on the customer side and 5,036 on the utility side.

Customer side: 13,654 galvanized, 5,010 plastic, 1,343 copper; utility side: 28,996 copper, 21,289 plastic, 5,036 galvanized.

Traditionally, each of those jobs means trenching from the meter to the house and paying for lawn, driveway, and irrigation restoration. The PF-12 lets San Jose contractors pull the new line through the old path instead.

★ The Ground

What you dig through in San Jose

Envision San José 2040 notes moderately to highly expansive soils common on the valley floor, and high groundwater and bay mud in North San José and Alviso.

Expansive clay is slow to trench and hard to restore cleanly, and a long backfilled trench can settle for months. Pulling the new line through the existing path leaves the yard largely undisturbed.

Where groundwater sits close to the surface, a long open trench can cave and may need shoring or dewatering. Trenchless pipe pulling keeps the open excavation to two small pits.

Slab foundations are the norm in the Pacific region: 89.9% of new single-family homes built in 2024 sat on a slab (NAHB, Census data). The PF-12's under-slab capability pulls new PEX-A beneath the slab from two small access points, without breaking up the floor.

★ Local Reference

San Jose water service work at a glance

Here are the San Jose utility, burial depth, permit office, licensing board, and housing age in one place.

Water utility	San Jose Water
Service line depth	Check burial depth with the permit office; California jurisdictions set it by local code.
Plumbing permits	City of San José Planning, Building and Code Enforcement via SJPermits.org, which lists Water Service Replacement as a plumbing permit project.
State licensing	Contractors State License Board (CSLB), C-36 Plumbing Contractor classification
Housing age	Median year built 1976; 59% built before 1980 (ACS 2024)

Local codes and programs change. Confirm requirements with the permit office before you start.

★ The System

What the PF-12 brings to a San Jose plumbing business

The PF-12 gives San Jose plumbers 20,000 lb of controlled pull, under-slab capability, and training for $12,995.

20,000 lb of controlled pull. ForceCore™ runs a 544:1 gear ratio on a 12V platform: slow, steady force, not raw winch power.
A 1' × 2' footprint. The PF-12 anchors at the access pit, so there's no heavy equipment staging in the yard.
Heads built for real service lines. The SR-Series™ scores, expands, and compacts, with Flow-Link™ articulation for bends and offsets.
Under-slab capability. Pull new PEX-A under the slab without breaking up the floor.
Training included. Every system comes with Pipe Force University onboarding and direct support from your first pull.
Financing available. See equipment financing and run the payback calculator with your own San Jose job numbers.

See how trenchless pipe pulling works, step by step →

★ San Jose Questions

Trenchless Pipe Pulling in San Jose

Here are straight answers to the questions San Jose contractors ask about permits, pricing, and demos.

Do I need a permit to replace a water service line in San Jose?

Plan on it. Permitting authority in San Jose: City of San José Planning, Building and Code Enforcement via SJPermits.org, which lists Water Service Replacement as a plumbing permit project. Requirements change, so confirm with that office before you start.

How does trenchless pipe pulling work on a San Jose job?

From a small pit at one end, the SR-91 head scores the old service line, the SR-71 wedge expands and compacts the path, and ForceCore™ pulls the new line in behind it with 20,000 lb of controlled force. No continuous trench across the yard.

How much does the PF-12 cost, and can I finance it?

The PF-12 System is $12,995 plus freight and includes Pipe Force University onboarding. Equipment financing is available on approved credit through Mazo Capital.

Can I see the PF-12 run before I buy?

Yes. Book a demo and we'll walk you through the system and the Pipe Force Method, including how it fits the ground conditions you see in San Jose.

Ready To Stop Digging In San Jose?

The PF-12 is $12,995 + freight, with training and support included.

Buy The PF-12 Book Your Demo

Trenchless Pipe PullingFor San Jose Plumbers.