current cost of an approved Septic system in Puna??

[alpogi8]

my agent just put an offer on a lot at HPP on 30th St between Paradise Road and Makuu Drive. I'm planning to build my retirement home in the future. A friend i was visiting retired and lives on 32nd St. and is very happy about their decision to retire in BI. Its an empty lot with overgrown trees. After reading some posts about lava tubes, cesspool or septic tank, staking/surveying, I need some inputs/advise before i sign on the dots. I like the weather(freq rain doesn't bother me) lush greenery, able to plant fruits/veggies on my property, few chickens for eggs, bugs and frogs.

[Arktikos]

Maybe you should have started a separate thread, since you're looking for general input rather than the specific price of a septic system?

I suggest planning and working ahead of your retirement date, as the wheels of bureaucracy move slowly in Hawaii.

If you have large albizzia trees on the lot, be advised that it's expensive to have them cut. In any case, be sure to remove every one of these bad boys.

Cut up invasive weed trees could be chipped/shredded and used as a mulch/ soil builder for your gardening projects.

[hotzcatz]

A separate thread might be of more use to you, alpogi8. Can you have your friend go over and look at the lot for you? Send pictures and such?

If the overgrown trees are albizia (huge, open airy branches, look like an African savanna kinda tree) then they'd be liabilities since they are a nuisance tree and fall over and drop limbs.

There probably isn't much soil on the lot so planting fruit trees may require a jackhammer. But stack rocks and fill in with soil and a raised bed is a lovely way to garden. Line it with plastic to keep the moisture in.

[SRedfearn]

I am considering a move to a small lot I've had for a while in Royal Hawaiian Estates, Volcano, Hawaii. Completely undeveloped, I'm now researching the essentials--septic system (no more cesspools, right?), and water catchment.

I'm finding there is lots to know about septic systems--what types would work best up in that area? and, what is the average cost of the system plus installation now
thanks!
SR

[hotzcatz]

Royal Hawaiian Estates is a nice little area, a friend of mine has just started developing his lot up there, although he's not gotten to the septic stage yet.

Most septic systems I've seen have a big two stage plastic tank (big tank with a divider in the middle) along with a small leach field. You may have to put in a big layer of crushed cinder for the leach field to slow things down since the soil probably isn't really soil up there. With the size of the lots in Royal Hawaiian Estates, more than likely you'll only need the smaller septic system.

So, you've got the cost of digging a hole unless the topography of your lot has a big depression you can set the septic tank into. I'm just doing a pure guess on this, but between $2K to $4K to dig the hole if they have to dig in lava rock. May as well have the excavator flatten a driveway and make a house area, too, while it's there to save on equipment delivery fees for that bit of construction. The tank needs to be downhill from the house, so that needs to be taken into consideration, too. Then cost of tank and delivery. $2K? Oh, there will need to be a load of cinders or gravel first to cushion the tank in the whole. Figure about $800 to $1,200 for that. Hopefully they will be able to bring enough cinders for the leach field at the same time. Then, of course, this has to be done under the auspices of a licensed plumber, so toss in a grand for that, too. Very low ball on this looks like $6K, more likely $7.5K on up.

The water catchment is much more straightforward. Get another load of cinders or gravel and level a spot for the doughboy swimming pool. Pipe from your roof to the pool and put a cover over the pool. A pump with a pressure tank and you're pretty much done with that. Again, though, you need a plumber for this.

When you find out valid numbers, it would be great if you'd post them here. I'm sure my friend would be interested to know the same information you'll be finding.

[terracore]

According to: Punatalk - Cesspools are banned? Cost of a septic system?

A recent quote from Atlas engineering is $625 for the design and engineer and about $7500 for the installation. This was for a septic system sized for a 3-4 bedroom house. It looked like the cost did not include the cost of the tank, however it wasn't really clear. I asked, maybe they will post a reply.