Where Idiot's Hill is
Idiot's Hill sits between Bell Avenue and Nottingham Drive. A 2015 City of Denton survey puts its northern edge at Windsor Drive and its southern edge at East University Drive, with Sherman Drive along the west. The Bell Avenue Historic District sits on that western side.
The name is a nickname, not a subdivision. County appraisal records list the land under additions such as Crestwood Heights, Brentwood, Brownwood and Nottingham Woods. Long-time residents and local news still use Idiot's Hill, and so do most callers.
A neighborhood built between 1945 and 1965
According to the city survey, most homes went up between 1945 and 1964, with Ranch and Minimal Traditional as the main styles. Crestwood Heights was platted from 1950 to 1954, and Nottingham Woods followed in 1959 and 1960. A few houses were designed by noted Texas architects, including O'Neil Ford and Charles Dilbeck.
The Denton Record-Chronicle reports that the land was considered too far from town when it was first sold, which is one of the stories behind the nickname. Part of it was the family farm of Nette Shultz, who donated land for the school and park that carry her name.
Plumbing questions we hear from homes of this age
Every house here has its own history of updates, so the first visit is about finding out what is actually behind the walls.
- Which pipe is in the house? A plumber can check exposed runs under sinks, at the water heater and at the main shutoff to see what material is there before recommending anything.
- Shutoff valves that have not been turned in years. Older valves can stick or drip when they are finally used, so it helps to test them before an emergency.
- Fixtures added during remodels. A newer bathroom on an older drain line is common in any mid-century neighborhood, and slow drains often start where old and new pipe meet.
- Sewer line ownership. The City of Denton's utility FAQ puts the line from the house to the city main on the homeowner, so roots or breaks in that lateral are a private repair.
Tree roots and older laterals are covered in more detail on the sewer line repair page.
What to do when water shows up in the yard
A wet patch in dry weather can be groundwater or a leaking line, and a quick test tells them apart.
- Turn off every faucet, appliance and irrigation zone in the house.
- Open the meter box and watch the dial or leak indicator for a few minutes.
- If it moves with everything off, water is escaping somewhere on the supply side, often between the meter and the house.
- If it stays still, the water is more likely runoff, groundwater or an irrigation line that only leaks when it runs.
- Call with what you saw. A meter that keeps moving is worth having checked the same day.
Services Idiot's Hill homeowners call about
Many calls start with a slow kitchen or bathroom drain, which is drain cleaning work. Others are water heaters reaching replacement age, which is covered under water heater repair.
If a large share of the supply piping needs work, the plumber will talk through repiping options and how much wall and ceiling access each one needs. New work inside Denton is done to the 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC), which the city adopted in 2022. For a damp spot or a bill that keeps climbing, start with leak detection.
Homes on Bell Avenue
Bell Avenue is one of Denton's three local historic districts. The City of Denton requires a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior repairs and alterations to properties in those districts.
Interior plumbing repairs are not exterior alterations, but work that changes the outside of a house may need review first. If a job could touch the exterior, check with the city's historic preservation staff before it is scheduled.
What a repair in an older Idiot's Hill home depends on
No two houses here are alike, so the price depends on what the plumber finds. These factors move the cost the most.
- How easy the pipe is to reach, through a crawlspace, an attic or a finished wall.
- Whether the repair is one fitting or a longer run of pipe.
- Whether shutoff valves need replacing before the repair can be made safely.
- Whether a camera inspection or a leak test is needed first.
You hear the price before the repair starts, and you can call back with questions before deciding.
Idiot's Hill plumbing questions
It is a long-standing local nickname rather than a recorded subdivision. The City of Denton used it as the title of its 2015 survey of the area, and the land itself is recorded under several additions, including Crestwood Heights and Nottingham Woods.
Not automatically. Age alone does not tell you what pipe is in the house or what condition it is in, and many homes have been updated. A plumber can look at exposed pipe, check water pressure and give you an honest read before you spend money.
The City of Denton's utility FAQ says the homeowner is responsible for the line from the house to the city main. If a plumber finds the blockage is past your line, the city asks you to call Utilities Dispatch.