Anyone here install their own septic

[Deere Dude]

I sure would hate to have it condemned because of some engineering gone wrong by a DIYer to save a few bucks. A septic system is one thing I wouldn't want to guess at. Good luck.

 

[PILOON]

Times sure have changed.
Back then we hand dug, made forms and mixed/poured concrete for our DIY septic system.
When trenches were difficult we were allowed absorption pits.

Even then a contracted system ran about $3000 all told but with inflation and bylaws it is now in the $30,000. range.

 

[riptides]

I am in Virginia. In what I was told is the strictest county in the country.

We are looking at 30 to 50k for a new system. Only licensed contractors blessed with special certifications can do the work. That's from soil tests, site plans, design plans, surveys and installation. My new favorite word is "contour". Seems you cannot change the lay of the land to install a system.

 

[1930]

I was told by Marion County that if I had a small parcel of land I.E I could smell my neighbors smoking weed like I have to put up with now where I currently live that a septic cost would be astronomical cause of all the extra filtration crap needed.

Because its 5 acres where I plan to build I just need the standard system.

I may have someone do it, depends on what makes most sense. Ive learned dont trust anyones work, educate myself on how its supposed to be done regardless of who does it.

I consider myself a novice expert on well drilling now and that saved my *** on my well installation cause the guys doing it just did not care and figured Id know no better.

I learned how to install my own electric including meter by the book up to the well and total cost was 2-3 hundred dollars and maybe 6 hrs of labor, would have cost me approx 1500 dollars to have an electrician do that work.

Now im on the septic cause I feel things may change and only get harder for me to do it myself cause of county/epa/whatever B.S excuse guberment can come up with. so I need to get it done.

 

[fried1765]

I'm in NC. I'm on orange mud/clay. I'm building a 2 bdrm house but I had the land perked for 4 bedrooms for the future, you never know. That would have required a 1000 gal tank and because of the clay, an extra 50ft of drain pipe per bdrm. My house looks down on a creek so the only place to put the drain field was uphill.

Then I told them 1 of the bedrooms would be in a different building, both buildings within 50 ft of the tank.

Because the 3rd bedroom is in a separate building, I'm required to install not 1 1000 gal tank but 2 1500 gal tanks. I guess most the work is done in the first tank and the 2nd tank just sees black water. When the second tank fills, the pump goes on. I think that's what they told me.

The county health folks are great. It took 7 weeks and later found out it could have been done in 2 days by a private soil scientist, for extra $ but, nice people and helpful!

I'm old, single and live alone. I tried to bet the county guy that, in my lifetime, I couldn't fill both tanks and that i bet the pump might never turn on.

Quote is well over $10K.

In my opinion, a big thing here is to ALWAYS try to avoid a pumped system.
I realize that the OP will NOT need a pump for his location!
A pumped system always requires two tanks, and is a nightmare just waiting to occur.
If you are in a cold climate, the pump will certainly fail in February, when there is 3' deep frost in your clay backfill.
No matter what your climate, when the the pump fails, it will be the initial night of a 3 day holiday weekend, when you have invited 8 guests for dinner.

 

[riptides]

Re. -.1

On pumped systems you should still have gravity doing the job so if the pump fails....you should have some time to plan accordingly.

 

[fried1765]

Re. -.1

On pumped systems you should still have gravity doing the job so if the pump fails....you should have some time to plan accordingly.

If your system functions with gravity, there is NO NEED for a pump!

 

[TractorGuy]

I think it will vary by county and location. I imagine how high above sea level you are comes into play down there. They will require a perk test to determine if you can use an in ground system or require an above ground system with a pump. You will probably have to have a separate system if you want a washing machine.

There is a push in some counties to eliminate septic systems in favor of municipal systems where feasible.

I can give some examples for Leon County FL. Not sure if they go by number of bathrooms or size of house. I think they use size of house to determine how many residents might be using the facilities.

I have a modest 1200 sq ft 3br, 2 bath house that was built in 1993. At the time they required a 1000 gallon tank with 650 sq ft of drain field. If you could run the drain field in 2 straight lines they allowed it to be reduced to 450 Sq Ft. They also required a separate system for the washing machine which could be smaller but I don't remember the specs. In my case I already had a 1000 gallon tank with a 650 sq ft field on a mobile home so they let us use that for the washer and added a new straight drain field for the house.

My original systems were corrugated pipe in gravel. My wife and sister planted a Crepe Myrtle tree in the drain field right outside the tank which proceeded to root bind the drain and clog the system in 2014. The company I had come out would not just dig out the clog and patch it so I had to have a new drain field installed. They used the new plastic housing type setup without gravel and the specs remained the same at 450 sq ft for two straight sections. They routed the pipe with two 90 degree pieces to get to the side of the existing system. The inspector only showed up after the trench was dug and the plastic housings were set. They had to shoot a grade from the tank to the end while he watched to prove to him it had the appropriate drop. He signed off and left and they covered it up. Cost back then was $2500.

 

[riptides]

Depends on the type of system. Conventional vs Alternative.

If your system functions with gravity, there is NO NEED for a pump!

 

[ruffdog]

Lots of good info for Floridians putting in septic here:

A Guide To Florida Septic Tank Regulations and Rules

 

[Steppenwolfe]

I just had a new conventional system installed at my farmhouse we are renovating. 1500 gal tank, (4+ bedrooms), used the infiltrators... took one day with a three man crew who does this everyday and for 60 years. $4900 bucks installed. 5 lines, 80 ft long, 9 ft apart, 54 inches deep. Tank was 1k, the infiltrators were 2k for 100 of them, misc pipe and fittings another 500 bucks. Not a huge profit margin. Old man was 77 and his two sons 55 and 41 ... his backhoe is new in 2019 and cost $108 grand. He tries to install 3 to 5 a week, averages 3.5; all added up he makes a good living. BTW, we had to have an engineer design, inspect, and sign off on the system. Permit was $750 bucks which includes the well permit; that is going in in two weeks.

 

[fried1765]

I just had a new conventional system installed at my farmhouse we are renovating. 1500 gal tank, (4+ bedrooms), used the infiltrators... took one day with a three man crew who does this everyday and for 60 years. $4900 bucks installed. 5 lines, 80 ft long, 9 ft apart, 54 inches deep. Tank was 1k, the infiltrators were 2k for 100 of them, misc pipe and fittings another 500 bucks. Not a huge profit margin. Old man was 77 and his two sons 55 and 41 ... his backhoe is new in 2019 and cost $108 grand. He tries to install 3 to 5 a week, averages 3.5; all added up he makes a good living. BTW, we had to have an engineer design, inspect, and sign off on the system. Permit was $750 bucks which includes the well permit; that is going in in two weeks.

OP's Florida soil will likely perk much better than what appears to be clay mix soil shown in your pix.

2019 cost of that Case TLB.... without a thumb.... was $108K ???

 

[PILOON]

Oh there is a better system created every year or so.
Little pumps to circulate, others to aerate Bioflow, Equoflow , bioness on and an.
Soil tests, percolation tests, surveys to assure separation from yours and all neighbors sewage and wells.
Then to add insult to injury they mandate biannual pumping, and that subject to fines.
Next your inspector decides he does not like your experts proposal and has you do it all over again.
I have seen where the ordered sand trucked from great distance claiming the perk tests were non conforming.

Then you discover your $$$ perk test is merely a hole and timing how long it takes 5 gals of water to be absorbed.
My bucket and Timex can do that but I'm not a licensed certified soil engineer. (he used a digital stopwatch?)

 

[4570Man]

OP's Florida soil will likely perk much better than what appears to be clay mix soil shown in your pix.

2019 cost of that Case TLB.... without a thumb.... was $108K ???

That’s about what a new full size runs. Personally I don’t understand paying that. My $28,000 2011 used Deere hoe does the same job just as good. I sold that hoe for more than I had in it after a little over a years use. You could pay for my Deere 310 that I used to have, the M59 I have now and the Kubota KX040 I have now for 108k.

 

[fried1765]

Oh there is a better system created every year or so.
Little pumps to circulate, others to aerate Bioflow, Equoflow , bioness on and an.
Soil tests, percolation tests, surveys to assure separation from yours and all neighbors sewage and wells.
Then to add insult to injury they mandate biannual pumping, and that subject to fines.
Next your inspector decides he does not like your experts proposal and has you do it all over again.
I have seen where the ordered sand trucked from great distance claiming the perk tests were non conforming.

Then you discover your $$$ perk test is merely a hole and timing how long it takes 5 gals of water to be absorbed.
My bucket and Timex can do that but I'm not a licensed certified soil engineer. (he used a digital stopwatch?)

You certainly DID hit the nail on the head with your analysis!
I had all the training to do the job, but never got that license.
My last license was for flying a 747-400,... not particularly comparable.

 

[RoyKing]

You can't fight city hall, what they say goes unless you can afford lawyers. File your own permit, go watch an install and copy it. Take lots of pictures. I was told you can't install your own ATS 36Kva generator, after inspection they commented it was best job they had seen.

 

[4570Man]

You can't fight city hall, what they say goes unless you can afford lawyers. File your own permit, go watch an install and copy it. Take lots of pictures. I was told you can't install your own ATS 36Kva generator, after inspection they commented it was best job they had seen.

Well most homeowners do electrical work like this so it is fair that it’s for the most part forbidden.

 

[4570Man]

Id just like to be clear that again their is no structure on the property yet, just trying to get the small stuff done, well was put in, I had electric and now Im thinking the septic. I do know where I plan to place the home, Im only guessing that as long as its away from my well ( I think the requirement is 75 feet but I would be double that ) and its downhill from the planned home location ( it is ) than I will be ok.

I have a backhoe, tree roots are pretty much non-existant cause I yanked everything out with an excavator and its all sand

You really need a bigger backhoe with a 36” bucket to do a septic. A backhoe digs like this V vs like this I I and digging a wide ditch with a narrow bucket doesn’t work good at all.

 

[1930]

You really need a bigger backhoe with a 36” bucket to do a septic. A backhoe digs like this V vs like this I I and digging a wide ditch with a narrow bucket doesn’t work good at all.

I believe this and had thought the same. Thanks

 

[GSVette]

In my county a soil evaluation and septic design by a licensed septic design engineer is required in order to obtain a permit from the health district. An approved installer is also strongly recommended (but I don’t think is necessarily required).

I did the install on my system with the assistance and supervision of a good friend who happens to be an approved installer.

Laterals (5x100’), tight line (~500’), 2 plastic dual chamber tanks-1 1000 gallon, 1 1500 gallon, distribution box and low profile infiltrators. Entire install (less backfilling) completed in one weekend with 2 guys.

Used my buddies Volvo excavator rather than my 580E-excavator was much quicker and really the better tool for this size of job.