Cost of septic system

Curious to know what the average system is in your area, along with cost and what you use to install. Thanks

I'm going to be following this also... I'm interested in how much it would cost for a 1250 gal system.

septic system

adv.wastewater said:

Curious to know what the average system is in your area, along with cost and what you use to install. Thanks

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Lots of info you are not providing.
A basic system in this area, consists of of a 1000 gal tank and 3 ft lines, at least 18" deep. This is everything being perfect, no trees to remove, easy to get to the area. $2590.00

18" mound, gravity system, 3 -75ft lines $8500.00
with a pump system, total of $10,500.00

I think we are low on the prices, but no one seems to want to go up, they just keep cutting the prices, so they can work for nothing:Banghead

I was using at one time 90% chamber systems, then I went back to rock systems, to save on labor. I think either is good.

Hope this helps

there is no "standard system"....there are pressure dosed systems, gravity systems, drip systems, sand mounds, etc...

gravity systems are the cheapest...drip and sand mounds are some of the more expensive

like Willis said the site also has a lot to do with the cost...and even the inspector...there is one inspector around us that is so hard and unbearable to work with my boss will sometimes add 10% to the cost just knowing he will have to deal with her...(mainly on sand mounds she is a problem)

for installs we will use either a backhoe or a mini-trackhoe/CTL combo....depending on the site and what all has to be done

i know, i am in the business so i know about all the different types... im from key west florida and our systems down there start in the $15,000 range...

that is my fathers business down there, i have started a business here in Alabama and the most common system is 1,000 gallon tank, 180' infiltrator (300' stone & rock) in 36" trenches... the going rate around here is about $2,800...

boy I thought we were cheap. How much do you have to pay for septic approved rock. We have to pay $24 a ton, plus the hauling. I think the last infiltrator I bought was $16 a panel and the end caps were around $10

16.25 for a 4 foot quick4 infiltrator chamber and right at 12.00 for endcaps... no rock needed for infiltrator chambers... but a tandem load of septic approved rock youre looking at about $225 here in Alabama... In the Keys (florida) a load is $975.

septic cost

Here in the great state of NY I am getting $ 10 a foot for standard leach fields installed. For a 1000 gal tank about 1500 installed. Of course most towns now require an engineered system now which can add another grand or two. For a raised bed your looking at about 10 to 12 grand with a pump station. They do require the same line foot of the equalizer chambers as stone and pipe systems here. I just completed a shallow bed system and used on site fill material and that was a 1000 gal tank and 300 feet of leach. It cost them $ 6000,00 plus an engineered drawing.

Willis Bushogin said:

boy I thought we were cheap. How much do you have to pay for septic approved rock. We have to pay $24 a ton, plus the hauling. I think the last infiltrator I bought was $16 a panel and the end caps were around $10

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$ 24 a ton ? what is it gold nuggets ? Here it is 8 bucks a ton for washed # 2s plus trucking. Equalizer 24 chambers are $ 24 for the 8 footers and 10 bucks for the caps.

BIGDAN you been staying busy? in alabama with the 40% reduction i cant see any sense in using stone and pipe.... cost wise its about the same, and i feel like it is a lot easier putting in the chambers... and a lot less of the yard needs to be dug up. if somebody calls and wants a stone and pipe drainfield i actually charge more for that... what is the majority of your work BIGDAN? new installations for new homes or repairs or............?

septic

BIGDAN315 said:

$ 24 a ton ? what is it gold nuggets ? Here it is 8 bucks a ton for washed # 2s plus trucking. Equalizer 24 chambers are $ 24 for the 8 footers and 10 bucks for the caps.

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When I started installing, systems, about 10 years ago, the septic rock cost $14 a ton, when the housing boom started, the price started booming. Everybody trying to get rich, but the installers couldnt/didnt go up. Too many hard core old timey installers, that is BS but old well.
Then 2 years ago, the state says we need to get certified and be licensed. Cost around $1000 a year, with all the crap that goes with it.
Thats the reason I dont do much of it anymore.:Banghead

anyone having problem with this site loading? it sure is slow, might be my internet

adv.wastewater said:

BIGDAN you been staying busy? in alabama with the 40% reduction i cant see any sense in using stone and pipe.... cost wise its about the same, and i feel like it is a lot easier putting in the chambers... and a lot less of the yard needs to be dug up. if somebody calls and wants a stone and pipe drainfield i actually charge more for that... what is the majority of your work BIGDAN? new installations for new homes or repairs or............?

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I am busy now but did have a lul in business in June and July. I agree if that where true here with 40% less with chambers but it is not. Like I said earlier it is foot for foot the same here. So it cost about $1 a foot more material wise to install the chambers which can add up when your doing 300 feet at a time. I still use the chambers when the site is too tight or wet to get stone in. It is a lot less messing around. The majority of my work I would say would be replacing old failed systems. I am getting more site work for new homes now which comes with a load of work. I also do water services,dig basements,electric, driveways, and hire a masson to do the basements.

down here a arobitc system will cost in the $5,000 range that is if you can get aproved by the county inspector to be able to do it ,

Nice lookin' work BigDan,how do you place your stone on the lines? we (and everyone else I have talked to) were really slow during the summer too, but now we are so busy we will be working well into winter, but thats OK. We have to be all engineered here now too, a lot of the systems we put in are 1000 gallon dual compartment tanks, with the elgen in-drain leach system. The elgens are great because they save on space, sites up here tend to be a little tight so they work great. Not positive on prices, but I think the tanks are around a grand, and the elgens are like 100 bucks a piece. We use the Q24 infiltrators too. In those super hard to get into spots, we can do a 1000 Gal plastic dual compartment with the infiltrators, and use the mini for the whole job. 30" clean up bucket works slick for infiltrator trenches.

In alberta I do an open discharge with a 1000gal tank, 150ft of disharge line for $6,500
A 2000 gallon holding $6,800
3300holding $10,000
3300 water cistern with pressure system $12-14000
last field I did 1200gal tank 300ft field with EQ-36 infaltrater(900sq.ft) $9,500 4 yr ago,
I do hear know around $12,000 for the same system. Up to $20,000 for a treatment plant

Most systems in Oregon need to have 375-450 ft of drain-field with a 1000 gallon tank and it doesn't matter if you use rock and pipe or if infiltrator is used it still requires the same lineal footage. The last systems I have done have been in the 6000 dollar range and pump systems with 1500 gal. two chamber tanks add about $1500-$2000 we have to carry a DEQ license and a $15,000 dollar bond. Don't know if I'm going to do it any more though haven't done a system in over a year. isn't worth it to me anymore.

septic

bigjake0524 said:

Most systems in Oregon need to have 375-450 ft of drain-field with a 1000 gallon tank and it doesn't matter if you use rock and pipe or if infiltrator is used it still requires the same lineal footage. The last systems I have done have been in the 6000 dollar range and pump systems with 1500 gal. two chamber tanks add about $1500-$2000 we have to carry a DEQ license and a $15,000 dollar bond. Don't know if I'm going to do it any more though haven't done a system in over a year. isn't worth it to me anymore.

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I agree, all the BS, really isnt worth the effort. Bond, thats the first Ive ever heard of. Im sure, it doesnt cost biig bucks, for the bond, but its one more out of the pocket thingee. The way we look at it in my area of NC, as an installer, we have the licenses they forced on us. We install the system as per the permit issued to us by the Health dept, we get it 100% inspected, we cover it up and get the cover up inspected. Then Im not liable anymore, as I guess the bond is for, unless its for damage to property and thats what we have insurance for. Ive installed, over 1000 septic systems and only had one fail, I knew it might fail, but Im not the one with the design degree, they had the drain fields in hard clay, it lasted two years. I did put in another system, for them and made it look like I was doing it at cost, but Im not crazy. They (home owners) were going to sue the Health Dept and they told them to go ahead, they had been sued before and never lost one of these claims:Banghead

unfortunetly in the birmingham alabama area there is not much work going on... people are also doing stuff for so cheap im yet to understand why they are even doing anything... the prices that people have told me they paid for some work, granted it is some of the worst work ive seen, is so cheap i wouldnt even consider loading my equipment up and going to work... but anyways, here in alabama you have to have a $15,000 bond as well and go to the boards little training facility for all your testing and classes... but hopefully the building will pick back up soon... i just went into buisness a few months ago, i race supercross and motocross professionally but grew up around equipment and put in septic systems with my father from the time i was 10 up until now in the off season. prob not the best time to start a buisness and expect to be busy, but things should pick up in time.

Wastewater, Buis may be slow but it will be especially slow for the guy just starting out. I figure it took me at least 5 years to get established with a good customer base. Most of my work is through word of mouth and return customers. I ate crow for a while but was lucky to have a working wife and some money put away to fall back on. I started out in the fall and winter just as you plowing snow. I picked up equipment over the winter piecemealing my business together. I never had to barrow money to get started. The banks didn't want to talk to me any way being unemployed and starting a new business. I bought an old 69 c 50 dump and resurrected it rebuilding from stem to stern. I think I payed $ 1000 for it. My first hoe was a J.D. for 6 grand. Then picked up an equipment trailer for about 1500 I guess. Painted everything up nice and went to work in the spring. I to helped my Dad in his excavating business when I was around 10 until I graduated from HS.
Your going to have to do work dirt cheap until you get going I am afraid but you still have to make money. Keep over head low, work by yourself, put in long hours and do not waste money. Work as efficiently as you can. Do not put all your eggs in one basket. Learn more than one trade to incorporate into your business. I also am an electrician, plumber, mason, landscaper,Trucker,scrapper, Mechanic. I think we all need to ware these hats to survive today. I still have times that are slow, It's the nature of the beast but you still can't help to worry when it will let up.