Septic problem (pool, tank, tanks, smell)

[kelly237]

I have a contract to sell my home and I am in the week of inspections.
They have done:
Regular inspection
Well inspection
Septic inspection
Pool inspection
Siding inspection
2 appraisals
and ..contractor is coming to look at a renovation They want

Today my realtor said they found a crack or bow in the top of the septic tank.
I am wondering if anyone has ballpark estimates if I have to replace it..

I am so weary of this process I think I don't care if I sell or not. I just want to rest !!!

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by kelly237

I am so weary of this process...

I have a cold beer here that says your next home doesn't have a pool or a well or a septic system

[accufitgolf]

Originally Posted by kelly237

I have a contract to sell my home and I am in the week of inspections.
They have done:
Regular inspection
Well inspection
Septic inspection
Pool inspection
Siding inspection
2 appraisals
and ..contractor is coming to look at a renovation They want

Today my realtor said they found a crack or bow in the top of the septic tank.
I am wondering if anyone has ballpark estimates if I have to replace it..

I am so weary of this process I think I don't care if I sell or not. I just want to rest !!!

Kelly

Does not matter much what the realtor said. What will matter is what the buyer will ask for. Wait until you have written requests/demands, whatevers from the buyer.

[Driller1]

We put new top on our tank with some cement and 2 X 4's for a form.

[kelly237]

Originally Posted by accufitgolf

Kelly

Does not matter much what the realtor said. What will matter is what the buyer will ask for. Wait until you have written requests/demands, whatevers from the buyer.

We only have a few weeks til closing so I am doing my homework first, that way I know
more about the average range to replace it. Then when the buyer makes request I am
a little more knowledgeable.

[kelly237]

Originally Posted by MrRational

I have a cold beer here that says your next home doesn't have a pool or a well or a septic system

I may never buy another house period.
When I add together the expenses of repairs,maintanence,taxes,insurance and projects
I think renting may be cheaper.

That is not even calculating the worth of all the time involved.

[desertsun41]

A crack or bow? I wonder how old that septic is because maybe 30 years ago septic tanks were steel and they rusted and did bow and even collapsed. A cement tank can't bow but I suspect it could crack. I don't know how unless a heavy vehicle drove over it. Even then it's unlikely because septic tanks are reinforced with Re-bar.

Septic tanks are designed to operate properly and efficiently when they are full. A crack would not affect the operation of it but if effluent leaked you would most certainly smell it.

Septic systems cost anywhere from $4000 to $12,000 depending on what part of the country you live and depending on soil conditions. A soil sample taken by a Geologist may show your soil has no ability to absorb. You need this for the leach field where the perforated holes let clean waste into the bed of fine gravel then into the soil to be returned to the aquifers all nice and clean from hundreds of feet of filtering through the earth. If you only need the tank and not the leach field it would be much less but still a nice bundle. If your soil has no ability to absorb then nice sandy porous soil will have to be trucked in and put where your old soil must be excavated and hauled off. That gets costly.

Honestly I don't trust the Inspector. I don't trust any Inspector. Most all Realtors and those in the Construction Trades call them "Deal killers". While killing a deal is not their intent, their main concern is justifying their ridicules fee. YOU go look at it with your own eyes. Let him point it out to you and ask him to explain himself. Don't forget. The buyers are paying his fee, not you, this means he works for the buyer, not you. His interest is in serving the hand that is paying him.

In the end, if you don't agree with him then go hire your own Inspector. The Buyer and Inspector are creating a bargaining situation to chop your selling price.

In most parts of the country it is not just local code but state law that a home must pass a septic, well and Termite test before it could be considered mortgageable. My concern is the trust worthiness of the Inspector.

Remember something else. You have found a home buyer. They are as rare as a prehistoric Dinosaur. As in extinct. They are just not around anymore in these economic deep depression times. You have to coddle that buyer because another one may never come around.

Good luck

[kelly237]

Thanks for the input.

The house was built in 1984. I am trying to get more info about the septic from the guy that usually pumps mine. He may also give me some advice.
I may go dig it up myself tomorrow ..Its under about 6 inches of mulch.

I agree about keeping the buyer happy .

Bowed or cracked?? The problem is that the inspector told my realtor who told me ..You know how that goes..Easier to look myself & get a picture..

I don't trust the system either...Example: the house inspector saw 2 baby snakes and ended the crawl space inspection because he said we had a nest of copperheads under there.. 2 harmless tiny rat snake babies that came in from the cold.

I will post a follow up as I get more information.

Thanks

ps. Septic covers don't seem to be more than 2K from what I have been reading..

Originally Posted by desertsun41

A crack or bow? I wonder how old that septic is because maybe 30 years ago septic tanks were steel and they rusted and did bow and even collapsed. A cement tank can't bow but I suspect it could crack. I don't know how unless a heavy vehicle drove over it. Even then it's unlikely because septic tanks are reinforced with Re-bar.

Septic tanks are designed to operate properly and efficiently when they are full. A crack would not affect the operation of it but if effluent leaked you would most certainly smell it.

Septic systems cost anywhere from $4000 to $12,000 depending on what part of the country you live and depending on soil conditions. A soil sample taken by a Geologist may show your soil has no ability to absorb. You need this for the leach field where the perforated holes let clean waste into the bed of fine gravel then into the soil to be returned to the aquifers all nice and clean from hundreds of feet of filtering through the earth. If you only need the tank and not the leach field it would be much less but still a nice bundle. If your soil has no ability to absorb then nice sandy porous soil will have to be trucked in and put where your old soil must be excavated and hauled off. That gets costly.

Honestly I don't trust the Inspector. I don't trust any Inspector. Most all Realtors and those in the Construction Trades call them "Deal killers". While killing a deal is not their intent, their main concern is justifying their ridicules fee. YOU go look at it with your own eyes. Let him point it out to you and ask him to explain himself. Don't forget. The buyers are paying his fee, not you, this means he works for the buyer, not you. His interest is in serving the hand that is paying him.

In the end, if you don't agree with him then go hire your own Inspector. The Buyer and Inspector are creating a bargaining situation to chop your selling price.

In most parts of the country it is not just local code but state law that a home must pass a septic, well and Termite test before it could be considered mortgageable. My concern is the trust worthiness of the Inspector.

Remember something else. You have found a home buyer. They are as rare as a prehistoric Dinosaur. As in extinct. They are just not around anymore in these economic deep depression times. You have to coddle that buyer because another one may never come around.

Good luck

[desertsun41]

Originally Posted by kelly237

Thanks for the input.

The house was built in 1984. I am trying to get more info about the septic from the guy that usually pumps mine. He may also give me some advice.
I may go dig it up myself tomorrow ..Its under about 6 inches of mulch.

I agree about keeping the buyer happy .

Bowed or cracked?? The problem is that the inspector told my realtor who told me ..You know how that goes..Easier to look myself & get a picture..

I don't trust the system either...Example: the house inspector saw 2 baby snakes and ended the crawl space inspection because he said we had a nest of copperheads under there.. 2 harmless tiny rat snake babies that came in from the cold.

I will post a follow up as I get more information.

Thanks

ps. Septic covers don't seem to be more than 2K from what I have been reading..

1984 so you do have a cement tank. These are practically indestructible. They do not break or crack. They may develop hairline cracks which is the normal nature of concrete. They should last 10,000 years and work properly for that long if properly maintained. In other words, there are no moving parts to break or wear out. The lids which are about 20" round are also indestructible. If you see the lid, you will notice it has a Re-bar protruding through the top in a loop. This is so one can put a large prybar under it to assist in getting it off. That same Re-bar is wound within that concrete lid. The lid is also indestructible but it is possible to crack but never break in parts if it were run over by a heavy truck should that lid be less then 12" below the ground.

Anyway.....you're no dummy, watch your back. Don't trust anyone and use your own judgement to feel if they are scamming you. And good luck. I feel they are.

[Treenoid]

Did you dig it up and get pictures??? If you do give an allowance to have it replaced make sure the wording in the contract says that the job of replacing it will be done in say 90 days - otherwise you get the money back... We sold dad's house and they bitcccched about the Federal Pacific panel, we went half way -$500 and said NO to the gfi in the kitchen... That was three years ago and they have not replaced the panel yet - I am sure they never will..

Of course like Desertsun1 says - buyers are not beating down doors these days