Replacing a septic system is one of the bigger bills a rural homeowner can face, and quotes vary widely. Most of the difference comes from the soil and the type of system it needs.
What's usually in a quote
- Site evaluation: soil tests and checking the water table
- Design and permit
- The tank, new or reused if it's in good shape
- The leaching bed: pipe, stone, sand and fill
- Pump, chamber and alarm, if needed
- Decommissioning the old tank
- Final grading and seeding
What changes the price
Soil and water table
A conventional in-ground bed in well-drained soil is the least expensive. Clay, a high water table or shallow bedrock usually mean a raised bed with lots of imported sand, which costs considerably more.
System type
Treatment units, used on small lots or poor soils, cost more up front and need a yearly service contract, but they allow a smaller bed.
House size
The system is sized by the number of bedrooms and fixtures, so bigger homes need bigger beds.
Access and landscaping
Tight access for equipment, trees to remove, and restoring driveways, gardens and lawns afterward all add cost.
How to compare quotes
- Is the system type the same in each quote, and why?
- Are design, permit and inspection fees included?
- Is the tank new or reused?
- Who handles grading, topsoil and seeding?
- Is the installer licensed, and what's the written warranty?
The only way to get a real number is a site visit. Send the form at the top of this page and we'll pass your request to a licensed septic installer who covers your part of Oxford County.