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Old 09-22-2008, 05:20 PM
 
Location: Cayucos, CA
215 posts, read 973,686 times
Reputation: 131

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Hi all,

I have a few questions that I need clarity with. Hubby and I are looking for land possibly 5 acres. We want out of the concrete jungle and are looking for ways to achieve this. I've just starting reading on the subject.

When buying land at what point do you address the water well issue? How do know if there is water available and how deep to drill. I understand that the surrounding homes can give you a good indication of well depths and water quality.

The other questions is septic, what is the most common type i.e. gravity, pressure system, sand filter, mound, aerobic, glendon? I understand it all has to do with the type of soil.

Thanks in advance :-D
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Old 09-22-2008, 05:34 PM
 
Location: High Bridge, NJ
3,859 posts, read 9,932,787 times
Reputation: 3399
Without knowing the geographic area you're talking about it's virtually impossible to answer these questions. It depends on the type of soil, how deep the rock is, etc... Gravity septic systems are the cheapest, but they can't be used everywhere. In a gravity system the waste drains to a tank where the solids fall to the bottom and the liquids filter into the soil via a leach field. For that you need well draining soil and no solid rock within 6 feet or so of the surface. You also need to be mindful of areas that are near any kind of body of water. Mound systems can compensate for shallow bedrock/poorly drained soils, but they're more complicated as they use pressure, pumps, and electricity. As for the well your nearest neighbor's property can give you somewhat of an idea of how deep you'll need to go for water (and through what-limestone/hard rock, etc...), but underground rock formations can vary A LOT especially when you're talking over an area where lot sizes go by the acre. Your neighbor down the road might hit water at 300' through nothing but clay, but you may have to drill 600' and go through 200' of rock. Building a home can be a bit daunting (and more expensive than you thought), but in the end it's usually worth it. My fiancee and I were going to do this right off the bat but instead decided to buy an existing home first with the intention of investing to re-sell at a profit in 8-10 years. At that point we'll use that money to build a home.

Last edited by Badfish740; 09-22-2008 at 05:42 PM..
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Old 09-22-2008, 06:14 PM
 
24,834 posts, read 37,193,863 times
Reputation: 11538
Quote:
Originally Posted by aguamarina4u View Post
Hi all,

I have a few questions that I need clarity with. Hubby and I are looking for land possibly 5 acres. We want out of the concrete jungle and are looking for ways to achieve this. I've just starting reading on the subject.

When buying land at what point do you address the water well issue? How do know if there is water available and how deep to drill. I understand that the surrounding homes can give you a good indication of well depths and water quality.

The other questions is septic, what is the most common type i.e. gravity, pressure system, sand filter, mound, aerobic, glendon? I understand it all has to do with the type of soil.

Thanks in advance :-D
Your local county heath department can be of great help. I like to drill the well about last. I have had two run over by other contractors. A 300 foot 5" PVC well should just take one day to drill, one day to hook-up. The hook-up is VERY important. Do not put in less than a 3/4 horse power pump. When you are closer in your project, PM me. Here's your first "home work".

Wellowner.org - Informing consumers about ground water and water wells
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Old 09-23-2008, 07:46 AM
 
Location: Forests of Maine
37,210 posts, read 60,920,437 times
Reputation: 30076
Each piece of property will be slightly different.

The well driller can be pointed to a spot. But many areas of the nation have water shortages. Not everywhere has water at every 'spot'. So you may have to allow your well driller to choose his own spot.

Each state has it's own codes about septic.

Some states allow a lagoon. Some states will allow any type of system that you desire. Here in Maine they only allow 2 systems. A stone-bed leech field, or a chambered cistern.

It is all about what the state allows.

I bought land, and I am in the process of building our house. We have lived in it for 2 years now, and hope to finish it soon.
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Old 09-23-2008, 09:05 AM
 
9,803 posts, read 16,104,671 times
Reputation: 8265
When I had to drill a new well on my farm in 1981 I got a "water witcher" to find water. He found 2 different spots and said the water was 65 ft down.

The well company drilled precisely where--I-- told them and they hit water at 65 ft.

The well driller didn't believe in "water witching" ( despite most farmers getting a "witcher" prior to drilling)

I asked the well driller what he would have done if I had not had a "water witcher"
He replied he would look the area over and pick a spot.

I pointed to the well that he "picked" and drilled only 7 years earlier for the previous owner who went broke paying for it.

The old well was 330 ft deep and had run out of water only 3 years after I bought the farm

We have had no water problems in the 27 years after drilling on the exact spot the "water witcher" marked.

I don't care if the well driller laughed at me, I got the last laugh !
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Old 09-23-2008, 11:15 AM
 
73 posts, read 364,282 times
Reputation: 101
My husband and I have already done what you want to do and if I can, I try to offer to help others with what we have learned.

We purchased 4 acres in a rural setting and built our dream retirement home and as Badfish says the process is daunting to say the least.

You may want to listen to Driller as she is the expert, but our well was above our building site and we were in no danger of other contractors being in that area. I asked my husband to punch the well first since I had this fear (probably unfounded but nonetheless) of building our home and not being able to get water.

Our septic is a gravity system which is what is commonly used in our area.
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Old 09-23-2008, 11:20 AM
 
24,834 posts, read 37,193,863 times
Reputation: 11538
Quote:
Originally Posted by FLtoVA View Post
My husband and I have already done what you want to do and if I can, I try to offer to help others with what we have learned.

We purchased 4 acres in a rural setting and built our dream retirement home and as Badfish says the process is daunting to say the least.

You may want to listen to Driller as she is the expert, but our well was above our building site and we were in no danger of other contractors being in that area. I asked my husband to punch the well first since I had this fear (probably unfounded but nonetheless) of building our home and not being able to get water.

Our septic is a gravity system which is what is commonly used in our area.
There is areas where that IS a factor.

In fact some HUD jobs do it that way......
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Old 09-23-2008, 11:22 AM
 
24,834 posts, read 37,193,863 times
Reputation: 11538
Quote:
Originally Posted by marmac View Post
When I had to drill a new well on my farm in 1981 I got a "water witcher" to find water. He found 2 different spots and said the water was 65 ft down.

The well company drilled precisely where--I-- told them and they hit water at 65 ft.

The well driller didn't believe in "water witching" ( despite most farmers getting a "witcher" prior to drilling)

I asked the well driller what he would have done if I had not had a "water witcher"
He replied he would look the area over and pick a spot.

I pointed to the well that he "picked" and drilled only 7 years earlier for the previous owner who went broke paying for it.

The old well was 330 ft deep and had run out of water only 3 years after I bought the farm

We have had no water problems in the 27 years after drilling on the exact spot the "water witcher" marked.

I don't care if the well driller laughed at me, I got the last laugh !
I would have walk off your job. No one tells me how to run this rig.
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Old 09-23-2008, 11:24 AM
 
24,834 posts, read 37,193,863 times
Reputation: 11538
Quote:
Originally Posted by marmac View Post
When I had to drill a new well on my farm in 1981 I got a "water witcher" to find water. He found 2 different spots and said the water was 65 ft down.

The well company drilled precisely where--I-- told them and they hit water at 65 ft.

The well driller didn't believe in "water witching" ( despite most farmers getting a "witcher" prior to drilling)

I asked the well driller what he would have done if I had not had a "water witcher"
He replied he would look the area over and pick a spot.

I pointed to the well that he "picked" and drilled only 7 years earlier for the previous owner who went broke paying for it.

The old well was 330 ft deep and had run out of water only 3 years after I bought the farm

We have had no water problems in the 27 years after drilling on the exact spot the "water witcher" marked.

I don't care if the well driller laughed at me, I got the last laugh !
I do have a question. Why doesn't your "witcher" go to the Middle East??? They would LOVE it. Parts get 50 "dry holes" to one well. Look at the money these guys would make. But, they never seems to.....
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Old 09-23-2008, 12:26 PM
 
Location: Virginia (soon Ellsworth)
653 posts, read 1,909,065 times
Reputation: 328
Driller1, How do you pick the spot to drill and if the property is near the lake, how deep the well should be.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Driller1 View Post
I would have walk off your job. No one tells me how to run this rig.
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