Anyone here install their own septic

[4570Man]

I think "3 hours" is WAY overly optimistic, for an installation.
Time to assemble materials at the job site, time to dig for tank and field lines, time to assemble the pieces, time to add stone, time to backfill/cover, etc.
With you having ZERO experience, and zero equipment, I would suggest getting a second estimate, and then go with the lower of the two.

There’s close to zero chance even an experienced 2 guy crew with a full size backhoe or trackhoe is going to put one in in 3 hours. Its probably 1.5 days work with 2 guys and a full-size backhoe. One guy, no experience and too small of a backhoe better plan for a week.

 

[fried1765]

Thereç—´ close to zero chance even an experienced 2 guy crew with a full size backhoe or trackhoe is going to put one in in 3 hours. Its probably 1.5 days work with 2 guys and a full-size backhoe. One guy, no experience and too small of a backhoe better plan for a week.

AT LEAST a week !

And.....FAILURE of county inspection to boot !!

 

[Jstpssng]

When I was thinking about installing mine 4 years ago, I estimated that it would save me about $1000. For that amount of money it was cheaper to hire someone who knew what they were doing.

 

[mred2]

I put in 17 about 20 years ago. Regulations back then was not too bad here. Day one, dig hole for tank and level it. About 2 hours per tank. Day 2, have tank or tanks delivered and set in ground. Up to 2 at a time. 1 hour per tank. Dig and set field lines, about 4 hours per set. State inspection, 1/2 hour time to do it. But you have to wait on the inspector. Cover it all up, maybe an hour. Field lines were in the same area as the perk test. Perk tests had to be done by a civil engineer and approved by the state health department before start. They will tell you the size tank and the amount of field lines. I was only allowed to do them because they were on my property. Today, they only allow you to do one for your own house.
All approved installers must go to a class in the capital and pass a test and pay fee. All work by installers must still be inspected by the health department before it can be covered.

 

[aczlan]

Yeah, that's not going to work. But you didn't say how much slope. There's typically a minimum and maximum slope for sewer pipe. Last I checked it was 1/4" and 1/2", respectively, per foot!

I would put the tank up top near the house and step the drain field down the slope. By stepped, I mean drain field laterals about every 10 or so feet down the slope and perpendicular to the output pipe. You would need a collection box at each step so the liquid just doesn't run to the bottom.

The other way to do it is have a single distribution box at the top and then separate lines going down to each run (which goes across the slope). That way each run is fed equally.

There’s close to zero chance even an experienced 2 guy crew with a full size backhoe or trackhoe is going to put one in in 3 hours. Its probably 1.5 days work with 2 guys and a full-size backhoe. One guy, no experience and too small of a backhoe better plan for a week.

Just redoing our septic field last year was two days for two guys who do this for a living. They had a mini x and all the toys to make it go well.

Aaron Z

 

[4570Man]

The other way to do it is have a single distribution box at the top and then separate lines going down to each run (which goes across the slope). That way each run is fed equally.
Aaron Z

That way would make a lot more sense to me but I’ve never seen them approve anything except the S shaped one with crossovers here. If anything clogs up or crushes any part of that system everything else downstream is useless. If the distribution box system suffers a failure almost if the system remains workable.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

There’s close to zero chance even an experienced 2 guy crew with a full size backhoe or trackhoe is going to put one in in 3 hours. Its probably 1.5 days work with 2 guys and a full-size backhoe. One guy, no experience and too small of a backhoe better plan for a week.

My install took 3 men, including the one on hoe, about 7 hours. Set the tank, dug the main, and 5 80 ft laterals with infiltrators, and covered up. And I didn't see one of them break a sweat...

 

[1930]

Easily done in 3 hrs or less with 2 guys, one guy to operate the mini excavator and the other guy to do the manual labor. I have talked with several installers and this time frame is the same across the board. Come back to bury after inspection.

 

[fried1765]

Easily done in 3 hrs or less with 2 guys, one guy to operate the mini excavator and the other guy to do the manual labor. I have talked with several installers and this time frame is the same across the board. Come back to bury after inspection.

And ......your quote is $3,500 ???

 

[1930]

no 2700 plus the permit cost of 600 which includes the soil test

Call Marion Pumpers or any one of the local septic pumpers/installers and tell them they arent charging enough or taking enough time to do the job if you wish, in the meantime Im gonna be having my system installed.

 

[fried1765]

no 2700 plus the permit cost of 600 which includes the soil test

Call Marion Pumpers or any one of the local septic pumpers/installers and tell them they arent charging enough or taking enough time to do the job if you wish, in the meantime Im gonna be having my system installed.

Huh ?????

 

[1930]

I had my septic done this past Fri and I thought some of you guys might like to see pictures. Only a few hours work for these guys and Im glad that I paid someone to do it

Has to be inspected this week and covered up.

 

[1930]

larger?

 

[PILOON]

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.

LOL, heck I made 4 septic installations and I was both an A&P (US) ULM (can) and a licensed pilot so all that helped when it came to paperwork as I had many 'one of's' AC mods.
One DIY septic went 20 years B4 pumping and the pumper claimed it was as healthy as a 3 year old installation.

Off topic:
Was once riding jump seat when a corporate pilot was being re certified and the check pilot said best to return to base as fuel was low.
Now that was an area where I flew VFR a lot so remarked that they'd best make a 180 as they were flying the wrong way.
The ride back was very quiet!

 

[PILOON]

I had similar experience.
Got wiring permit, but inspector showed up when I was out of town.
He left a message for me to call him.
When I returned home and called, he said, "who did that work"?
I said, "I did".
His comment: "some of the best work I have seen".
I was prepared for at least nit picking criticism.

LOL, had a similar occurrence.
Electrician was going to be a 3 week delay so I diy'd the electrics.
The electrician was PO'd and filed a complaint which brought in the inspectors.
I later learned that they passed everything A-OK.

What the electrician did not know was that I was aviation certified for electric work and hence wired the household up to aviation standards.
Later when I DIY my house that same electrician raised my permit and OK'd me to do my whole house, consequently I have more circuits, higher gauge wiring and generator tie ins.
I think everything I did exceeds specs. Kitchen alone has 10 circuits so wife can plug any appliance anywhere as each 1/2 outlet has a breaker.

 

[fried1765]

LOL, had a similar occurrence.
Electrician was going to be a 3 week delay so I diy'd the electrics.
The electrician was PO'd and filed a complaint which brought in the inspectors.
I later learned that they passed everything A-OK.

What the electrician did not know was that I was aviation certified for electric work and hence wired the household up to aviation standards.
Later when I DIY my house that same electrician raised my permit and OK'd me to do my whole house, consequently I have more circuits, higher gauge wiring and generator tie ins.
I think everything I did exceeds specs. Kitchen alone has 10 circuits so wife can plug any appliance anywhere as each 1/2 outlet has a breaker.

The "split outlet" is a big thing in Canada.
Not so much, in the USA.

 

[fried1765]

LOL, heck I made 4 septic installations and I was both an A&P (US) ULM (can) and a licensed pilot so all that helped when it came to paperwork as I had many 'one of's' AC mods.
One DIY septic went 20 years B4 pumping and the pumper claimed it was as healthy as a 3 year old installation.

Off topic:
Was once riding jump seat when a corporate pilot was being re certified and the check pilot said best to return to base as fuel was low.
Now that was an area where I flew VFR a lot so remarked that they'd best make a 180 as they were flying the wrong way.
The ride back was very quiet!

Funn...eee!

 

[Handloader109]

New install in NW Arkansas is $6k for 1400 sq ft 2 bedroom house. 3 days to install. Way too cheap to try and do myself.

 

[nyone]

New install in NW Arkansas is $6k for 1400 sq ft 2 bedroom house. 3 days to install. Way too cheap to try and do myself.

$6k is cheap in your state? I installed my own, with my 1yr old son literally strapped to my back for $1500. He was on me digging the whole time, setting the tank, running 100ft to the D box and setting the leach chambers. The only time he wasn't on my back was gluing the pipe and hammering the rock. My D box is concreted on ledge rock.

 

[fried1765]

New install in NW Arkansas is $6k for 1400 sq ft 2 bedroom house. 3 days to install. Way too cheap to try and do myself.

About $25K+ in my area, but can go up to $50K