Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I wouldn't say septic tanks are trouble necessarily. My parents live in a house built in 1972 with the original septic tank and they have not had a single problem over the last 30+ years of living in the house.
But what would worry me is how do you know when a septic tank is ready to go bad? Do you need to get annual inspections? With that said, sewer line connections can also go bad, and are very expensive to repair (usually at the cost of the homeowner).
I wouldn't say septic tanks are trouble necessarily. My parents live in a house built in 1972 with the original septic tank and they have not had a single problem over the last 30+ years of living in the house.
If septics were anywhere near as much of a problem as Piyaya claims they are, huge swaths of the country would be unlivable.
Please keep this one important thing in mind if you decide to purchase this house:
In NJ the law states that septic systems in areas where public sewer service is "available" - cannot be repaired. In the event of a malfunction you are required to hook-up to public sewer. SO, if you get the septic inspected as part of the home inspection (which you should ABSOLUTELY do - but not by a "home" inspector but someone that just does septic systems) and if there is a problem that needs to be repaired, you (or maybe in this case the home owner) are required to connect anyway.
So the bottom-line is this: you can live in the house with the septic working fine for years, but the second you have a problem you will be connecting to public sewer. Which is really a moot point anyway, most septic repairs are very costly anyway - so connecting to sewer might be a cheaper option anyway. And its a great investment!! Maybe you can work-out a deal with the seller to pay half the cost of the connection???
And in NJ, what are the two things that the vast majority of buyers state at the outset of a home search?
"Please, no oil tanks and no septics"
Which means, as the septic racket keeps getting more expensive with each passing year, your home value and marketability will suffer if your run a sewage plant under your back yard.
Of course Stinkfish isn't aware of the problem because his chicken coop masks the odors. But other people...
I wouldn't say septic tanks are trouble necessarily. My parents live in a house built in 1972 with the original septic tank and they have not had a single problem over the last 30+ years of living in the house.
But what would worry me is how do you know when a septic tank is ready to go bad? Do you need to get annual inspections? With that said, sewer line connections can also go bad, and are very expensive to repair (usually at the cost of the homeowner).
Your parents are the prototype. The fun won't start until and unless they try to sell. Who in their right mind is going to buy a house with a 43 year old septic system that meets absolutely no current guidelines? This is the scenario I always see. Older couple, older septic, 3-4BR home. They no longer stress the system and haven't in decades since it's only the two of them with the kids long gone.
So it can last and last,
As each year becomes the past.
But an inspection it will not pass.
And the once cheerful buyer, who discovers the septic,
Will retire a crier, now becoming a skeptic
Poor sellers reduced, to a pose apoplectic.
Your parents are the prototype. The fun won't start until and unless they try to sell. Who in their right mind is going to buy a house with a 43 year old septic system that meets absolutely no current guidelines? This is the scenario I always see. Older couple, older septic, 3-4BR home. They no longer stress the system and haven't in decades since it's only the two of them with the kids long gone.
So it can last and last,
As each year becomes the past.
But an inspection it will not pass.
And the once cheerful buyer, who discovers the septic,
Will retire a crier, now becoming a skeptic
Poor sellers reduced, to a pose apoplectic.
Marc - there are some parts of the state where there is sandy soil and native material can be used and those systems cost of fraction of what we see in central/northern counties, where soil replacement systems have to be built.
In some communities I wouldn't worry too much about selling homes on septic. Large lots (like 3 plus acres) with upscale homes owned and maintained by people that can factor the cost into their budget - it shouldn't be much of an issue. And with fill replacement systems they should last 20-30yrs if they are used and maintained properly. I know that isn't always the case - but many will last that long or longer without any major repairs.
In more a high density subdivision or neighborhood - where homeowners are going to be on smaller lots and a tighter budget - I would be concerned to have a septic. And if you have a septic AND a well - that makes things even more complicated. Septic systems have been used even in newer subdivisions with 1 acre lots and that was never a good idea. But during the big 'building boom' people wanted to sell houses and people wanted to buy houses so - it was done. Powerlines, train tracks, septic systems on smaller lots - we saw it all...........
Marc - there are some parts of the state where there is sandy soil and native material can be used and those systems cost of fraction of what we see in central/northern counties, where soil replacement systems have to be built.
In some communities I wouldn't worry too much about selling homes on septic. Large lots (like 3 plus acres) with upscale homes owned and maintained by people that can factor the cost into their budget - it shouldn't be much of an issue. And with fill replacement systems they should last 20-30yrs if they are used and maintained properly. I know that isn't always the case - but many will last that long or longer without any major repairs.
In more a high density subdivision or neighborhood - where homeowners are going to be on smaller lots and a tighter budget - I would be concerned to have a septic. And if you have a septic AND a well - that makes things even more complicated. Septic systems have been used even in newer subdivisions with 1 acre lots and that was never a good idea. But during the big 'building boom' people wanted to sell houses and people wanted to buy houses so - it was done. Powerlines, train tracks, septic systems on smaller lots - we saw it all...........
Correct, basically wealthy people can write a check and move on wherever they live. And people with favorable soils might get by for less. But my buyers and sellers transact in northern NJ in the $400,000-$700,000 range. And since we are in the suburb to exurb transition, they often have the choice of a neighborhood with sewers or a more remote location without. I advise them to go with the sewers. Life is too short to worry about every fat molecule that goes down your drain, or what chemicals the 8 year old dumped that will kill the beneficial bacteria, or which tree roots are going to tear apart your leach field, or the huge expense that is accruing with a 30 year balloon because nobody budgets for septic replacement.
There is sometimes no choice. But when there is, retain sanity and choose the option that removes the waste from your property and deposits it far, far away.
Think about that costly water bill every quarter. They even charge you for sewer usage. We have septic and well at one of our properties, and I like the fact that I'm not paying for water and sewage. The system works. However, you are required to include your grey water directly into the septic tank. This sometimes affects the system's function, therefore requiring pumping the tank. If you're any good with a backhoe, you can inspect the function of the d-box, to make sure it's level. It's something else to maintain periodically. Not really something to worry about. Have the system inspected, if it fails, it will be the buyer's obligation to bring it up to snuff. They will not be able to sell with a malfunctioning system.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Believe it or not, little old High Bridge has a sewer system, but wherever we move next (Kingwood, Alexandria, etc...) won't.
