Looking to get my own place set up on an acre lot I own. Probably will start off with small trailer or a smaller pre-fab deal.

I know NOTHING about these aerated systems that are pretty much mandated these days. If it was field lines and a septic tank, I'd just do it myself(mom's installed them before, she was a plumber at one point....), but I don't think I have the space.

Is this something I can do by myself? How much is it typically going to cost for the system?

Thanks..

Unless you are a combo plumber, equipment operator and electrician, I wouldn't recommend trying to install an aerobic septic system yourself.

Some things are best left to the pros, and that is one of them.

<--- Does water and wastewater construction for a living.

I think you must be liscenced to install one. Could be wrong though.

thanks. Like I said, I've helped do a field line system, moms done several, but have never seen/dealt with the new style ones. Figured I'd get a quick answer here.

Got a rough number(the closest thousand would work LOL) what it might cost to install one?

I refuse to rent if I stay working in SE Texas. I feel like developing my own place and paying THAT bill would be more effective than renting..

[This message has been edited by Ag_of_08 (edited 12/27/2010 8:17p).]

I think mine cost about 10k. I hope I'm wrong though.

DDP

[This message has been edited by Fishing Fools (edited 12/27/2010 8:25p).]

I had one put in a couple of years ago. I think it was around $6000.

+1 on don't do it yourself. This is from an engineer that has designed them.

I had to get an engineered system that ran about $15K with fees and installation. The drain field is about 20x30. Williamson county mandated that it had to be engineered.

Ok I do happen to know a little about this subject, my B-I-L is a licensed installer and I help him on a regular basis.

1. You are allowed by the State of Texas to Do it yourself. The county can mandate stricter rules and require a licensed installer. this varies from county to county, You can find out by calling your county Health Dept. And you are going to have to have a permit no matter what if you are a single house on less than 10 acres

2. No Matter what you decide to do I STRONGLY recommend you hire a site evaluator to design your system. The system you install is not only based on acreage, it is also based on soil type. Your soil type may MANDATE one type of system or it may be that you can install whatever you want.

3. also remember that there are set back rules that apply and may be better left to a licensed installer.
Ie. You have to be 5 feet from any and all fence lines, 10 feet from ponds and creeks, etc …….

4. I have installed many systems and in my honest opinion an aerobic is way easier to install IF you have the equipment and skills to dig a hole big enough for the tanks

5. Cost is going to depend on the type of soil and system you have to have. The worse the soil and the more complicated the system the higher the cost is going to be. But a good average is around $6000 - $8000

At The end of the day remember this, sometimes it is cheaper to pay a man to come do it for you than it is to pay a man to come fix your screw ups after you try to DIY

You would be best to let a pro do it.

Depending on where you are, other regulations may apply.

If you are on a well it would also be a good idea, make sure that you have plenty of clearance between the two.

Where are you located? This will have a big impact on what you have to put in.

Brazos County? It will be aerobic, and will be installed by a licensed installer. That's all they'll allow.

Conventional systems are easier and cheaper to run in the long term. If you can get one of these, do it.

Aerobic System Inspection & Maintenance is an excellent septic company. An average aerobic system will run around $7500. In Brazos County a licensed installer must install the system, and have a design on it. Also, the installer is required to include 2 years of Maintenance on the system, where they do routine inspections every 4 months, by law. For a free estimate and advice try www.asimseptic.com or 979-774-3190

I'm in Orange County.I'm also outside of an established city limits(around here in the city limits doesn't mean you have city or county sewer services....).

Spoke to a friend at work today who seems to think the one that had installed was about $4k a couple of years ago, I'm going to talk to one of our detectives who has friends in the business and see what I can find out.

Thanks a million for y'alls help

Have it done, your looking at 10 grand tops.

quote:

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Conventional systems are easier and cheaper to run in the long term. If you can get one of these, do it.

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I'd say that completely depends on where you are located. Conventional systems generally aren't nearly as efficient as an aerobic sytem, and if you are in an area that has clay soils you will need a massive leach field due to the low permiability of the soil. If your leach field cannot keep up with demand on your system, then you get a backed up septic tank.

Aerobic systems are a much more efficient system at eliminating the waste and require a considerably smaller area because they don't require leach fields - only spray fields for the finish water. Their drawback is power consumption in the aerator and finish water pump when compared to a conventional system.

I've had zero issues with my aerobic system since I moved in. I add my bleach once a month and my rid-x once a month and that pretty much is all that is required.

Trust me, I'm aware of the soil differences and how it affects the systems. Hence if "If you can...".

Conventional systems also don't have the required maintenance contract, broken sprayheads, broken spraylines from tractors/kids/livestock, pumps that need to be rebuilt, pumps that need to be replaced, sump pumps getting clogged, diffusers that need to be changed, air filters needing to be changed, faulty high water alarms, chlorine - and the costs associated with it, stuck/old floats, lightning strikes, etc.

And aeration systems don't have to deal with the problems associated with an anerobic conventional system such as massive leach fields, substandard water quality from your finish water, can't be installed where the water table is high, can't be installed near watershed areas, can't be installed in certain terrains due to lack of pumps, clogged tanks when you have company over due to the inability to process the waste efficiently, broken leach lines due to tractors, livestock or kids, significantly worse smell due to less waste processing, etc.

Both have plusses and minuses.

bump

Pretty sure your septic drain line won't work with a bump that large.

To do it legally, you're pretty much going to have to have a licensed contractor install it in just about every county now. Maybe not in 2010.

That said, the one thing people need to look into is diverting the kitchen sink, dishwasher, laundry room, and possibly showers into a gray water system used to water your lawn/dump to cesspool/drain to limit the amount of liquid the septic tank has to handle. Could get you by with a smaller system, etc. Of course, you may be fighting code that mandates a certain size system based on occupants and number of bedrooms.