Worst-case Scenario

We had three major fears when embarking on this project:

1. Our 57-year-old sewer line would need to be replaced. 

2. Our existing roof trusses would have termite damage. 

3. There would be bodies buried in the backyard. Angry at being disturbed, they would turn into zombies and eat our brains.

Aaaaaaaaaand the winner is*: 

The entire sewer line needs to be replaced. 

Because it looks like this:

That rusted, crumpling, pipe-looking thing? That's a section of what remains of our cast-iron sewer line.
But look how pretty that new pipe is!

The plumber for Ritz is going to replace the line from the house to the city. The ACTUAL worst case scenario would be the sewer line under the foundation of the existing house cracking significantly, because that would mean tearing into our foundation and then having to do a major remodel costing tens of thousands of dollars. We're hoping not to have to do that for a few years! 

Oh, and hey, in case you were worried, they DID dig up the yard, and have found no dead bodies or evidence of zombies. Yet. 

Also, since I made your eyeballs see a picture of our disgusting sewer line, here's a picture of Catriona Balfe and Sam Heughan from Outlander:

See? Don't you feel better now?

*p.s. It's possible our roof will have termite damage, but we won't know for many weeks. 

Still no zombies.