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Our Septic System

August 16th, 2013 at 02:02 pm

No, our septic system didn't fail. But, it hasn't been updated in quite some time, and will need to be replaced. Just, not yet.

But, we want to be prepared, and have the money available for replacement, when the time comes. So, I called an installer yesterday, to get an idea of replacement cost.

His first questions were: which county do you live in, and how many bedrooms are in your house? I told him which county I live in, and that we have three bedrooms in our house. My county requires a 2,500 gallon tank for a three bedroom house.

Next, he asked me if our house was on sand or clay soil. I told him that our soil was loamy, or in-between. The required length of the tiles in the drain field are dictated how fast your soil percolates water. Sandy soil percs faster than clay soil. So, a septic system on sandy ground costs less than a septic system on clay ground (less excavation, less fill sand, less drain tile).

He estimated the cost at about $6,000, but said that the estimate would be much tighter after the county environmental health department came out to do an actual perc test.

So, we'll set aside $6,000 in the EF. The system may need to be replaced next year, or it may be 10 or more years. Either way, we'd like to be prepared.

2 Responses to “Our Septic System”

  1. creditcardfree Says:
    1376662822

    Is there a charge for the perc test? If it is minimal, could you have that done in advance to help with your estimate? Great plan to start reaching for the goal when you know it is one the horizon!

  2. Xtreme Thunder Says:
    1376666126

    You could always do the percolation test yourself. I would call the County EHD and ask them questions like how large of a diameter hole they dig, how deep, how many holes, how much water they pour into the hole etc. You can then use that info and pretty much do the test yourself and then consult the contractor for a closer estimate. However, as CCF stated, ifg the test cost is minimal, it may be worth it to just have them do it anyway. The ball park estimate you got is on par with average septic replacements of that size. ($6,000-$10,000. If you are really concerned, you could also have your soil tested as well for it's composition, which isn't usually expensive at all.

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