New House Build in WV

[buckeyefarmer]

I missed getting any pics of my septic install, but do have locations.

 

[TnWV]

Try to get someone to take pictures for you!
Pictures can be VERY helpful if you should have future septic problems.
1200 gallons should be good for up to, and including, 4 bedrooms.
No garbage disposal....EVER !!!

Definitely not installing a garbage disposal, I’ve been on septic systems most of my life, and have never had one. Scraps go to the compost pile or otherwise thrown out.

House is 3 bedroom, so a 1000 gallon was the requirement, but with a full basement, we upped the tank size in the event a bedroom is ever built in the basement.

 

[rScotty]

Great build, and FAST! I am super impressed. How many houses have you built like this before? Got any idea of cost & hours?

Hope you do/did take some complete videos of wiring & plumbing before you cannot see it anymore. If not, oh well.

We've been on a septic tank just about forever. You don't have to use a garbage disposal, but having one makes for a handy way to feed the microbial "bugs" in the tank and keep them happy. Gotta have happy bugs.....

When you get done I'd love to hear any "I wish I hads".

rScotty

 

[fried1765]

Great build, and FAST! I am super impressed. How many houses have you built like this before? Got any idea of cost & hours?

Hope you do/did take some complete videos of wiring & plumbing before you cannot see it anymore. If not, oh well.

We've been on a septic tank just about forever. You don't have to use a garbage disposal, but having one makes for a handy way to feed the microbial "bugs" in the tank and keep them happy. Gotta have happy bugs.....

When you get done I'd love to hear any "I wish I hads".

rScotty

I disagree!
It is commonly agreed that garbage disposals are a BAD idea for septic systems.
The celery strings, and other ground up similar stuff, will head straight for the holes in your leach field pipe.

 

[TnWV]

Great build, and FAST! I am super impressed. How many houses have you built like this before? Got any idea of cost & hours?

Hope you do/did take some complete videos of wiring & plumbing before you cannot see it anymore. If not, oh well.

We've been on a septic tank just about forever. You don't have to use a garbage disposal, but having one makes for a handy way to feed the microbial "bugs" in the tank and keep them happy. Gotta have happy bugs.....

When you get done I'd love to hear any "I wish I hads".

rScotty

Appreciate the kind words. Sure doesn’t feel fast!

This is my second complete build, first was for my in laws in 2015, but I had the help a a good friend who is an excellent carpenter. Unfortunately, he moved out of state just before we started. I did work as an electrician for 6 1/2 years working my way through college, so I was around construction everyday during that time. Other than that, I’ve learned from helping friends/family build stuff, reading and following other build threads.

Cost, well about 30k more than expected due to price increases that are blamed on COVID. That’s disappointing but we are still in good shape on it, overall. Not done spending yet, but I’m estimating about $100 per finished square foot, only taking the main floor in consideration, and not including square feet for the porches and garage. In comparison, the house we built for my in laws came in around $57/sq.ft. Theirs had a fraction of the porch, no garage, no basement, and we used the HVAC, kitchen cabinets/counters (my father in law built the cabinets and are still like new) and some other odds and ends from their old house we tore down. It was only a 1,360 sq.ft. Build.

At some point I’ll work up my I wish I had done different list, for certain.

 

[TnWV]

I disagree!
It is commonly agreed that garbage disposals are a BAD idea for septic systems.
The celery strings, and other ground up similar stuff, will head straight for the holes in your leach field pipe.

That is what I’ve always been told. I put a monthly treatment in our current system, not sure if it works, but we haven’t had any issues with it.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

So far no problem with garbage disposal on my septic, been over 20 yrs.

 

[fried1765]

That is what I’ve always been told. I put a monthly treatment in our current system, not sure if it works, but we haven’t had any issues with it.

If you don't use bleach, and have no garbage disposal in the system, no additives should be necessary.

 

[rScotty]

I disagree!
It is commonly agreed that garbage disposals are a BAD idea for septic systems.
The celery strings, and other ground up similar stuff, will head straight for the holes in your leach field pipe.

I've no problem with opinions that differ from mine, but I do wonder if that is more a case of a special type of ground up stuff coupled into a special type of septic being able to cause a unique type of problem.

Where I live, leach fields composed of perforated pipe is still allowed just because of pre-existing buildng codes, but most new septic systems being installed are using the much more efficient option of plastic infiltrators instead of pipe. Less costly, too.

One of the side benefits of infiltrators is they don't clog, so celery strings will eventually join other historic problems that have all lead up to the present day solution.
rScotty

 

[rScotty]

Appreciate the kind words. Sure doesn稚 feel fast!

This is my second complete build, first was for my in laws in 2015, but I had the help a a good friend who is an excellent carpenter. Unfortunately, he moved out of state just before we started. I did work as an electrician for 6 1/2 years working my way through college, so I was around construction everyday during that time. Other than that, I致e learned from helping friends/family build stuff, reading and following other build threads.
SNIP....
Not done spending yet, but I知 estimating about $100 per finished square foot, only taking the main floor in consideration, and not including square feet for the porches and garage. In comparison, the house we built for my in laws came in around $57/sq.ft. Theirs had a fraction of the porch, no garage, no basement, and we used the HVAC, kitchen cabinets/counters (my father in law built the cabinets and are still like new) and some other odds and ends from their old house we tore down. It was only a 1,360 sq.ft. Build.
At some point I値l work up my I wish I had done different list, for certain.

Yes, we designed and built our place and found out the same thing. we had built a small 300 sq. ft. cabin before, but we were stunned when we were building our house and began to see just how nice of a new house anybody can build quickly and for not much money.

The key seems to be for either the husband or wife to have basic "Home Depot building skills" and both being willing to work on it for a few hours in the evening as entertainment.

We didn't really set out to save money, and could have saved even more if we had been willing to use recycled lumber, plus second hand or overstock window and door frames. But we didn't need to. We took our time - and finally started spending on things like new cabinets and roofing subcontractors just because at that point we had already saved more than we needed to meet the budget. As it was, we still cut the expected cost by more than half.

Now having had the experience, I wonder just how little dollars a nice house could be built for if a person really tried?

Having done it once, I think most every couple who wanted could build and furnish a full size for less than half what they are going for. And have a better-built "custom house" in the bargain.

But it does take longer. That's the tradeoff. Ours took 3 years instead of 3 months.
rScotty

 

[EddieWalker]

Did your HVAC company tell you to pour a pad? Here, they do not want you to do that. They bring a precast pad and install it themselves. It might be just another thing to sell me with a huge mark up, but they said it was because they can put it exactly where they want it, and make it perfectly level.

 

[TnWV]

Did your HVAC company tell you to pour a pad? Here, they do not want you to do that. They bring a precast pad and install it themselves. It might be just another thing to sell me with a huge mark up, but they said it was because they can put it exactly where they want it, and make it perfectly level.

No, they said they could set it on my pad or hang it from the foundation. I’m making the pad 6’ deep by 12’ long, so no issue on placement. It’s that big to accommodate the whole home Cummins NG generator as well. Should also keep grass clippings off of the equipment.

 

[TnWV]

Yes, we designed and built our place and found out the same thing. we had built a small 300 sq. ft. cabin before, but we were stunned when we were building our house and began to see just how nice of a new house anybody can build quickly and for not much money.

The key seems to be for either the husband or wife to have basic "Home Depot building skills" and both being willing to work on it for a few hours in the evening as entertainment.

We didn't really set out to save money, and could have saved even more if we had been willing to use recycled lumber, plus second hand or overstock window and door frames. But we didn't need to. We took our time - and finally started spending on things like new cabinets and roofing subcontractors just because at that point we had already saved more than we needed to meet the budget. As it was, we still cut the expected cost by more than half.

Now having had the experience, I wonder just how little dollars a nice house could be built for if a person really tried?

Having done it once, I think most every couple who wanted could build and furnish a full size for less than half what they are going for. And have a better-built "custom house" in the bargain.

But it does take longer. That's the tradeoff. Ours took 3 years instead of 3 months.
rScotty

If prices didn’t go out of control, we would have come in under budget......everything is expensive right now. Knowing what I do now, I’m pretty sure I could save a bit more if I had to start over.

We built the in-laws house in 3.5 months, looking at 9-10 on this one.

We would struggle to afford this house if we had to pay someone to do everything. Prices are anywhere from 150-250/sq.ft. right now based on quotes friends have gotten recently for turn key jobs. We are likely saving 120-150k. It’s been tough, but worth that for sure.

We had a nice building supply clearance dealer that had awesome prices on doors, trim, tubs, etc. but COVID put them out of business before we could take advantage of it, unfortunately.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Had not heard of an infiltration septic system before, so watched a video, I don’t get it, looks like a big plastic dome with no bottom. Must be more to the plastic than the video showed.

Most HVAC outdoor units is now hung on the foundation. The plastic pads sink and become unlevel.
Like my geo I have now, no outdoor units.

 

[rScotty]

Had not heard of an infiltration septic system before, so watched a video, I don稚 get it, looks like a big plastic dome with no bottom. Must be more to the plastic than the video showed.

It's pretty much just how you describe it. Some better ideas are simple and that is a good example. The infiltrator just a series of long plastic domes that snap together. The bottom is entirely open.

If the soil perks OK then the open side just goes against the ground although infiltrators work even better if there's a layer of sand and gravel beneath. They are pretty tough plastic and if they are put in to the recommended depth you can even drive over them without concern about compacting the ground beneath where the microbes are doing their work. As compared to perf pipe, the infiltrators create more absorbing space as well as a lot of air space underground and that allows for better efficiency.

Clogging isn't a problem, "digestion" is more complete because of oxygen, and the leach field can be much smaller.

 

[TnWV]

Had not heard of an infiltration septic system before, so watched a video, I don’t get it, looks like a big plastic dome with no bottom. Must be more to the plastic than the video showed.

Most HVAC outdoor units is now hung on the foundation. The plastic pads sink and become unlevel.
Like my geo I have now, no outdoor units.

I have researched geothermal systems quite a bit, and really like the idea. If I did not have virtually free gas, I would have absolutely went with a geothermal system.

Here, 900 square feet of leach field is pretty common. That’s 300’ of perf pipe, or 180’ of infiltrator chambers. Less ground disturbance is another benefit.

Since I went with an aerator system, I should have only needed 60’ of leach field, according to the installer. Our health department is not known for making sensible decisions and they decided I needed 180’ either way, and there only reasoning is that I have the space for it. Yeah no problem, it only cost an extra grand....meanwhile, they approved my neighbors across the main road to have no leach field, you can see their pipe draining to the road ditch. Pretty ridiculous , but you are at their mercy.

 

[Buppies]

Very much enjoying following this build. Yours and the one in Virginia are about midway in between me (woodchuckdad)

 

[TnWV]

Very much enjoying following this build. Yours and the one in Virginia are about midway in between me (woodchuckdad)

Hopefully I’ll have more interesting updates soon. Hard to make a lot of progress in the evenings.

I’m working to finish up the living room lighting, this week. I also cut the remaining holes for plumbing drains and venting.

I have another drywall guy coming out on Sunday to look it over and give me a price. I hope to be ready for drywall within 2 weeks.

I’m hoping my siding comes in by then so I can get that going while waiting on the drywall to be completed. I ordered it 3 months ago.....

 

[EddieWalker]

If you have never hired drywall installers before, the biggest issue that I run into with them over and over again is clean up. If they are allowed, they will make a mess like you cannot imagine!!!! Be sure to know how much material you are buying, and how much they use before paying them. It's not uncommon for a lot more sheets to be delivered then are needed, and they charge you for all that was delivered, and then they keep all of the extra. I've seen 30 to 50 sheets extra on a job!!! Be sure to insist that 5/8's drywall is used on the ceiling. NEVER use half inch unless the ceiling joists are 16 inches on center. Half inch will sag over time on anything farther apart then 16 inches. Be sure to have in writing what you want the floors to look like when they are done. If you do not say anything, there will be joint compound and scraps of sheetrock everywhere!!!!!!

NEVER make your final payment until you are 100% happy that they have done everything the way you want it. Once they get paid, they will be too busy to fix anything. If they have not been paid, they will find the time to get it done, and this includes clean up and hauling off the extra sheetrock that you do not want to pay for.

 

[fried1765]

If you have never hired drywall installers before, the biggest issue that I run into with them over and over again is clean up. If they are allowed, they will make a mess like you cannot imagine!!!! Be sure to know how much material you are buying, and how much they use before paying them. It's not uncommon for a lot more sheets to be delivered then are needed, and they charge you for all that was delivered, and then they keep all of the extra. I've seen 30 to 50 sheets extra on a job!!! Be sure to insist that 5/8's drywall is used on the ceiling. NEVER use half inch unless the ceiling joists are 16 inches on center. Half inch will sag over time on anything farther apart then 16 inches. Be sure to have in writing what you want the floors to look like when they are done. If you do not say anything, there will be joint compound and scraps of sheetrock everywhere!!!!!!

NEVER make your final payment until you are 100% happy that they have done everything the way you want it. Once they get paid, they will be too busy to fix anything. If they have not been paid, they will find the time to get it done, and this includes clean up and hauling off the extra sheetrock that you do not want to pay for.

SO...OOO TRUE !!!!