How Much Do Septic Tanks Cost?

By On Mar 19, 2021

If your home is not connected to a municipal sewage system, your alternative is a sewage system that …

If your home is not connected to a municipal sewer system, your alternative is a sewer system that includes an underground container on your property that pipelines in and treats the water and waste that leaves your home.

Whether you are installing a sewage treatment plant as part of a new build or looking to replace an old sewage treatment plant, septic tanks should only be installed by professionals. The complexity and scope of the project requires heavy machinery, careful digging, and plumbing which, if done incorrectly, can prove disastrous.

The installation of septic tanks requires initial soil tests to ensure that the soil is suitable for a septic tank. For example, properties that frequently flood the ground often face septic problems. Depending on where you live, you will likely need a permit to proceed with the installation and a technician will need to design the system including the placement of the tank and the location of the drainage field where the water will be allowed to leak into the septic tank and be placed in the ground .

A contractor will then need to dig in the area of the tank and drain field for installation, including connection work to the house. Throughout the process and once complete, the system will likely need to be inspected and approved in order for the approval process to complete.

Installing a sewer system requires detailed planning from start to finish, the expertise of a professional, and at least a few thousand dollars to get the job done right. Here’s what you need to know about the cost of installing and maintaining a septic tank.

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How much do septic tanks cost?

The national average cost of a septic tank installation is $ 6,037, according to the home improvement information website and the HomeAdvisor network.

When you replace your septic tank or treatment system, these costs are on top of any repair attempts you may have already made. Note that the old tank must also be removed, which will either be incorporated into the total cost of the installation or will be considered a separate cost by the contractor of the wastewater treatment plant.

“When problems go so far as to replace an entire sewage treatment plant, the cost can be anywhere from $ 3,000 to $ 10,000,” said Glenn Gallas, vice president of operations at Rooter Plumbing, a national plumbing company based in Waco, Texas.

Depending on the size and location of your home, as well as the size and material of your tank and your preferred type of wastewater treatment plant, you may pay even more. HomeAdvisor reports that aerobic sewer systems, which use oxygen-loving bacteria to break down waste and require an air pump and more than one tank, can cost up to $ 20,000 to install.

A septic tank can be made from four types of material:

– – Concrete. This is the most common septic tank material and can last for decades, but is prone to cracking.

– – Plastic. Plastic is a less expensive material, is lightweight, and can cause structural damage.

– – Fiberglass. The light weight of fiberglass means it can suffer structural damage or shift from position, but it is less likely to tear.

– – Steel. Steel can rust and the cover can corrode over time, creating a safety hazard in your yard. Steel is the least common material used today.

You also need to know how big your septic tank should be, depending on the size of your home:

– 750 gallon tank for a home under 1,500 square feet, one or two bedrooms.

– 1,000 gallon tank for a three bedroom home under 2,500 square feet.

– 1,250 gallon septic tank for a home between 3,500 and 4,500 square feet, four or five bedrooms.

For a septic tank under 1,000 gallons, the tank itself will likely cost between $ 600 and $ 1,000, according to HomeAdvisor, while a tank with 1,200 gallons or more will cost more like $ 1,200 to $ 1,600.

The time it takes to install a septic tank depends on the weather, soil type and other factors. Heavy rains that saturate the ground delay an installation, says Michael DeCosta, director of mergers and acquisitions at Wind River Environmental, a mechanical systems contractor that installs and repairs septic tanks, among other things. Rocky soil can slow the process down and take a week or more. On the other hand, “You’re going to Florida, you’re going to Cape Cod, which has a lot of sand. These installations are a day, ”says DeCosta, who is based in the Boston area.

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This will give you a quote for the installation

Before contacting a septic tank installer, you must check with your local authority, e.g. Inquire with your local authority, e.g. the city or county, about what is required in order to obtain an installation permit.

In many places, the local planning agency or health agency will have a list of licensed engineers to choose from to design a sewer system, DeCosta says. The engineer’s plans, which take into account the water table, underground water lines, wells, and required setbacks from neighbors’ property lines, are then submitted to the local board of directors for approval.

“Once plans are approved, you can share the plans with various septic tank installers for pricing and guidance,” says DeCosta.

The total cost of installing your sewage treatment plant will depend on your home, the size of your property, the closest floodplain, the soil, the preferred tank material, and myriad other details. To find out the real cost of your installation, you will need to obtain an estimate. A septic tank installation professional will likely want to visit your property, take measurements, and investigate problems if you want to replace any part of your current septic tank system.

Consult with several local septic tank installation or replacement companies for some estimates based on the details of your home. While multiple professional visits may seem like a lot for estimates, the knowledge you gain from each conversation can help you decide which company has the best materials and schedules for you – not just which company offers the lowest price.

Additional components of the septic system

There are other parts of a sewer system that you may need to include when installing a new system or replacing an old one. Here are some of the components that make up the total cost of a septic tank installation or add to the cost of replacing a tank:

– Sewer pipe.

– Distribution box.

– Field lines.

– Empty or leach field.

– baffle.

– tank pump.

– tank member.

– riser.

– Tank of tea.

Gallas explains that if only one or two components appear to be causing the problem, the sewer line, septic tank, junction box, and field lines can all be replaced separately. However, if the overall system has significant problems, replacing just one part is “like putting new tires on a car when the engine is about to shut down,” says Gallas.

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The cost of maintaining or repairing your septic tank

According to Gallas, if properly maintained, a sewage treatment plant can last up to 25 or 30 years on a house. However, maintenance is key as small problems can build up over time and cause bigger problems.

You will occasionally need to pump your septic tank in addition to other maintenance, and Gallas says the frequency will depend on the size of your home. Some experts recommend pumping a home septic tank every three to five years. A routine professional septic tank can range from $ 100 to $ 300, Gallas says.

If you notice problems with your installation or if you find water building up in your home, call a plumber to diagnose the problem. It could be a clogged pipe, but it could also indicate a problem with your drain field, a cracked or damaged septic tank, excess water in the tank, or items and chemicals in your septic tank that shouldn’t go down the drain. HomeAdvisor reports that an average of $ 45 to $ 200 an hour for a plumber, depending on where you live.