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I've been quoted $5,600 to replace my septic tank by a local contractor. They would dig a new hole, install a new 1500 gallon tank, connect it to existing leach lines, fill the old tank with dirt, and bury the whole thing. Do you think it's a fair price?
In SoCal, yes. A new system here in the country is only about $2500, but there isn't the overhead, there aren't the same regulations, and the cost of skilled labor and materials is less.
Here it would be a bit high for just a tank replacement, but a new leach field and tank would run you 5 grand roughly.
You probably have more hurdles than I do here, but I would just rent a mini excavator and replace the tank myself.
You would need to first have the tank pumped.
Rent a mini-excavator and digthe old tank up. (a metal one would be all rusted through,while a concrete one does come apart in halves)
Have a way to dispose of the old one once it was out
Have the new tank delivered and lowered into the hole
Check to make sure you have ¼" to the foot slope on your pipes
Rebury
I installed my own septic system when I built my house a few years ago and that included the leach field and everything. Its no big deal. I might have had $1500 bucks in it total.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Probably a 'normal' So Cal price.
New Tank is ~ $2000 (California retail price for largest size)
Pump old in CA probably $800 - $1000
excavate new, bust the top out of the old and fill with dirt, or fill it with sand = $1,000
labor and permits = $500 - $1000
Actually... you wouldn't remove an old tank, but you need to 'de-comission' it. (extra permit and inspection + certified pumping of the old)
I have done several of my own systems and it runs about $2000 (I get tank for $1200, have my own dumptruck, crawler, and excavator.)
Well, I just had it pumped last week. The guy from the pumping company said that the tank had faulty design, it is buckling under pressure (it's buried about 3' deep), the top is warped to such extent that the lid does not fit very well. It has some sort of support frame inside the tank. Whoever installed it must have broken off the inlet tee in process.
The tank is 20 years old, I think it's fiberglass. Septic guy said that the tank might have a few more years in it but I should consider replacing it, either now or next time it's pumped. According to him, I will have trouble selling the house with the tank in this condition.
I'll need to shop around. If the tank itself retails for 2000, 5600 for the entire job seems excessive to me. More likely, I'll just bury the whole thing and hope nothing happens for a few years.
To make things more fun, one of the former owners built a big waterfall on top of the outlet compartment. The outlet lid is inaccessible. I might need to have the waterfall partially dismantled to replace the tank. The layout of the property is such that it may be impossible to get a mini excavator to the tank without heavy damage to landscaping.
Oh the joys of homeownership.
Last edited by esmith143; 02-09-2009 at 04:58 PM..
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