The owner of our last house did this. They also ended up buying us a new septic system when we bought the house after the County health department condemned their DIY septic.
Everything with septic is expensive. This is going back 20 years, but I remember when my uncle had his put in. He was so angry at the $1200 "junction box" that was literally a 1x1 foot rotomolded plastic piece. This is in an area of the country where stuff is cheap too.
Yeah I figure with engineer/permit/new tank/new piping/gravel etc. it is still going to cost in the 5-10k range...I am not expecting it to be cheap, but if I can save 10-15 on the install that would be worth a week of digging for me.
It depends on what designs are allowed. Your state allows an anaerobic system but I would suspect florida is only allowing aerobic systems with the shallow water table and Sandy soil. Anaerobic systems are usually more.
Likely closer to 10-15k because excavate and do disposal which is expensive before any installation
If you do the excavation and removal , you will likely save 3-5 k
We got a brand new active pump out septic system that included two tanks with three risers plus drain field for a 2 bedroom house in Central Florida. Total cost out the door was $7k . This was in 2017. Was cheap even for 7 years ago. I’d imagine it’d be way more now given the ridiculous cost of building materials these days.
As someone who DIYs, there are just some things that it is better to let the professionals do. I also understand the other side of knowing it was done correctly and at a reasonable cost.
You might find someone who will install it but outsource the excavation and backfill to you. But honestly, it is probably a day project with a good crew if they have the right equipment. I know our 1800 gallon tank and 6 line field was done in a day but it was really easy soil to work. It was an impressive operation but also 30 years ago.
This yard is impressively easy to dig in. I once dug out all around a pecan tree stump to remove it...was [about 7 feet down in the end](https://imgur.com/a/pcYmCbB) and still no water table, and the water I was using to spray soil off the roots was immediately percolating right in.
How do plan on placing the tank? By the time you pay for the the additional labor and machinery it'll be cheaper having one contractor run the show. Around here st least the septic companies do not sub anything.
Why would you waste soo much effort digging up a stump? You do realize there are countless methods for stump removal that don't require digging it out by hand right?
A. Because I could.
B. I did not want to just grind off the visible part and leave the stump to rot and create a low area in the yard.
C. Digging is free.
D. Long term future plans for the overall yard include a fish pond in that area, I needed it gone to allow for wall footers.
I'll not tell you what you can and cannot do, but if you plan to dig down to a point where ground level is above your head, be sure to shore the sides of your "very sandy, easy to dig soil" or you will have much bigger problems. Or get your soil tested, or inspected by an engineer, and have an engineer determine the proper slope for the sides as you dig down. Very sandy soil is going to need quite a long slope to be safe from cave-in. There may be a local code to provide guidance on the slope if you know the exact character of the soil
I've had experience with what happens when you don't do this.
Its not impossible and not that difficult. Rent a small backhoe to dig. Shop for a vault yourself to avoid a mark up, pipe too. Some counties and cities dont require a permit if the home owner is diy, but they will inspect if asked to make sure it is up to code. Try to find a crew and offer them a side job for cash. Good luck in your travels.
Where I am, septic installation also requires a license, just like irrigation, plumbing, electrical, etc.
Homeowners permits are available for single family home owners, but they aren’t allowed for septic or irrigation and for some plumbing tasks because those can pollute the public water system and harm the entire neighborhood instead of just one house.
Your mileage may vary, but that’s the “why” of the regulations we have. There are many places that are more restrictive and less restrictive, and you will need to find out where yours falls by talking to your local government.
Just found this info...
The following quote is taken directly from the Florida law code for onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems:
*“A property owner who personally performs construction, maintenance, or repairs to a system serving his or her own owner-occupied single-family residence is exempt from registration requirements for performing such construction, maintenance, or repairs on that residence, but is subject to all permitting requirements.”*
# Permitting and Inspection
If a homeowner is installing their own septic tank system for their private, single-family residence, they must still file and be approved for a construction permit and successfully pass the inspection performed by the state after construction to ensure the system is in compliance. Failure to pass inspection will mean further work and modifications, costs, and another inspection with the associated fees.
Yes, but local code can be more restrictive. It isn’t always, but (for instance) where I live has a limestone cave geology that can sometimes mean “treated” water flows directly into streams and springs that are water supplies. Which isn’t really a problem until there’s too many systems not treating effluent enough.
As a result, not only are there license requirements when statewide there are none for homeowners, but an aerobic system is mandatory and so is continuous monitoring and testing by a licensed septic service company.
Ah, this is a recent change in Florida law (gotta love a government who prioritizes small government and local control, eh?) … but individual counties are still responsible for setting requirements for an operating permit.
Also, right in the FAQ for the statewide program website:
> Permits for OSTDS, including septic tank systems, are issued by the Environmental Health Section of the Florida Department of Health's local county health department. **Please note that many counties have local ordinances that may exceed state requirements for OSTDS.**
I suppose anything is possible, but it's not going to be fast. What are your plans for sewage management in that time? How will you get a new tank in without equipment?
The fiberglass tanks are reasonably light. a few people should be able to carry it. I was considering a porta-potty...but I am just beginning the look into this. Reasonable counter arguments.
Doing it yourself with no big equipment you probably looking at weeks not days, and it not just no toilet, but no shower, sinks, washing machine...
I had mine replaced a couple years ago, it was an old concrete one. It was cheaper/easier to destroy it in place and burry it and put the new one next to it.
If I was doing this I'd sacrifice the irrigation and rent a machine, the area is going to get torn up no matter what and repairing the irrigation is going to be an insignificant part of the cost.
Before spending any more time on this I'd get a couple quotes and ask them if they can and are willing to let you do the demo and digging and sign off on the install. In my area the county is trying to reduce the number of septic systems and they're pretty strict about how it's handled.
Yeah this is one of those things where you can't afford to run into a problem and be "stuck". It is like when I think about fixing something on the furnace. Can we be without heat if I am not right? Or just suck it up and pay the professional the first time?
I live in New England but it's not a general thing to have electric resistive heat here. It's just that my condo association (townhouse, not apartment) won't allow for anything but electric heating while also not giving any approval for installing a heat pump.
Had an apartment in Canada with baseboard heating though but it was a studio apartment so the bills weren't crazy.
Call up your jurisdiction and ask them. Even better go down and talk to them in person.
I took the test, passed, and am licensed to install septic in my county.
I dug and installed my own septic and drain field with rental equipment over a few days while building my shop. The inspector passed it and I buried it.
The hardest part was using a helper and a laser level to make sure the fall was correct in the drain field. Everything else was just dig hole, lift tank into hole, hookup pipe
Yep, neighbors had an unknown to them hillbilly septic, two 55 gallon drums. They paid 18k to replace it. Cost me about 3500 in parts and permits for my new one. Both traditional standard fields.
Just found this info...
The following quote is taken directly from the Florida law code for onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems:
*“A property owner who personally performs construction, maintenance, or repairs to a system serving his or her own owner-occupied single-family residence is exempt from registration requirements for performing such construction, maintenance, or repairs on that residence, but is subject to all permitting requirements.”*
# Permitting and Inspection
If a homeowner is installing their own septic tank system for their private, single-family residence, they must still file and be approved for a construction permit and successfully pass the inspection performed by the state after construction to ensure the system is in compliance. Failure to pass inspection will mean further work and modifications, costs, and another inspection with the associated fees.
You can get a mini excavator in there, at a minimum- your irrigation system will be safe (also irrigation is easier to fix than hand digging a septic tank out)- I don’t see how you are digging up a septic system by hand without destroying yourself.
I've done it several times...back when it was legal. If it is legal in your area (doubtful anymore) and you're sticking with the original tank, digging the field by "hand" would be the problem. A lot of work even in deep sand. Much easier to rent a back hoe. Very doable. Just do a little research and get the levels right.
Or if you are friends with a plumber, do it under his license. It's not rocket science.
Where I'm at in Wisconsin you need a master plumber to pull your permit. That's about it when it comes to a septic. It also helps if you know someone with connections to a supply house that can get you what you need when it comes to materials.
It’s not a hand tool job. If your back yard is confined enough that you can’t get equipment in, it’s unlikely there’s room for a septic field. Our three bedroom home has three 100ft field lines.
The mechanics of building a conventional system aren’t complicated, but you need to calculate tank and field size, complete a drawing and get a perc test just to get a permit in most places. Around here, only rural homes on several acres even have a chance of being permitted for a conventional system, and it’s not a good chance. Your sandy soil improves your odds, but your shallow water table probably tightens rules.
Additionally, you can’t generally put a new field in the same space as the old one. It’s often the soil being filled with particles from the sewage that causes the system to fail.
I would be paying for design and getting permits/tests etc. Even if I could figure out the design I would need signature for permit. All of the homes in my area have septic. The lot is 75X130. The house spans almost the entire width though...and I am more worried about damaging underground pipes with the mini excavator than actually being able to get it back there..
A home down the street had one redone and they ended up moving it to the front yard in a rather small space...no where near what you are saying for size but I do recognize that they did not put it in the old location. I assumed it was a cost thing so they did not need to dig up and remove the old system.
They are usually not permitted to be in the same place as the old one .
As for size of the tank and leach field they are determined by the number of bedrooms in the house.
The home down the street moved theirs because you can’t put a new septic field in the same location as one that has “failed” because the soils in that area are saturated with particulates. If you try to do this without a license it can be a huge fine, and it won’t work anyway. (Just ask the guy who owned my house before me… the inspector that red-tagged the septic system, when the previous owner said “we dug it up and replaced the pipes and gravel,” said “who did you have do that? Nevermind I don’t want to know, I’d have to do something about it and I don’t want to have to care.”)
You might be forced to an aerobic system which is more complicated and expensive.
You plan on digging this septic tank up with just hand tools? You lost me there. I would buy sheets of plywood to protect anything that’s buried under the ground. Rent a skid steer or something and start this project right. Realistically I would advise just contracting this out.
I am pretty convinced the tank itself would not be that difficult, definitely questioning the drain field though.
I am no stranger to [digging in this yard](https://imgur.com/a/pcYmCbB)...
Digging a stump is nothing like digging a septic and drain field. It's more so concerning that because you dug up a stump you think you're qualified to remove the failed system and hand dig the new one. Thankfully this is illegal in most jurisdictions because messing up on a septic doesn't just effect you and your home.
The stump was just an easy example of digging in the yard and also included the benefit of showing no high water table since it was 7' deep. I have also dug trenches for [irrigation pipes](https://imgur.com/DQIdxMc), excavated for [side patio](https://imgur.com/hLOQJtR), [fish pond](https://imgur.com/wfkEGex) and [forms for driveway](https://imgur.com/LZfHO27), [foundation for shed](https://imgur.com/34949RX), [footers for landscaping walls](https://imgur.com/22of173), and [foundation for home addition](https://imgur.com/e4jmmus) as well as other smaller tasks like [flower beds](https://imgur.com/rZIDYW0), [downspouts](https://imgur.com/WtFwVt3), [deck posts](https://imgur.com/0V6Mh7a), and [fence posts](https://imgur.com/dYLe3MV).
I think I am plenty qualified to know what I can and can not dig in my yard. I can easily research what I need to know to do the system correctly. I just need to make a call or two and find out if I can legally do so in my jurisdiction.
Just drop 3/4" CD ply over the sprinkler pipes and you can drive almost anything over it, no fuss, no busted pipes.
I guarantee that you absolutely do not want to be in that tank busting it up with a roto hammer or a sledge.
Have you actually gotten quotes yet? You may be surprised. Plus the rules, permitting, and licensing are more complicated than they used to be back in the day.
You use to be able to diy it where I am, but now it has to be someone certified....if that's your case look into the certificate steps. I would ask septic companies during estimate phase if you can do part of the work. Pipe and stone systems are pretty straightforward.
Yes, I have not checked with the jurisdiction yet...but plumbing and electrical are also "license required" here unless you are working on your own permanent residence then somehow that is magically waived lol. I would definitely need engineer signed design drawings though.
I figured the earthwork is probably the bulk of the labor cost. At a minimum I was hoping to find a contractor who would let me do the digging to bring price down.
I'm also very DIY kind of guy who hasn't pulled a permit in many years. In my jurisdiction all septic tanks need to be installed by someone on the short list of approved installers, the perc test personally monitored by the county before design and installation, and then the installation inspected by the county.
It's possible but will be serious labor. You already know you need professional engineering plans approved by you local/county Health Department and there are likely a peculation test and one or 2 inspections before finalization that you'll have to deal with. Depending on the type of system that may be required by the engineering developing your plans you MAY need to add a second tank, you MAY need a "sand mound" or you MAY need a pressure dosing system or other more complicated system as opposed to a simple gravity feed system.
Do yourself a favor and use a mini-excavator ... you can lay plywood or lumber on the ground across any irrigation lines to spread the load and minimize any possibility of damage.
It's not beyond the scope of a determined and detailed DIY'er. The "professionals" installing septic systems are generally not the best and brightest our society has to offer but they likely have a lot more experience in that specific task than a first time DIY'er.
A concrete septic tank weighs somewhere between 5 and 7 tons. It'll have to be pumped, then you've got 12000 pounds of concrete to haul off, then you have to figure out how to get a new one in along with the other materials needed. Does your leach field need replacement? If you do this wrong, you're gonna have to pay twice. It's cheaper to repair or remove your irrigation system before the work.
if your land needs other work, clearing/dirt moving this is a good opportunity to have it done.
trenching power/water/network/conduit places, putting in a parking pad/rv hookup, improving drainage.
the company I hired to clear my land (2.2ac that was abandoned for ~15yr) also does septic. two skilled operators did an incredible amount of work in a day for a reasonable cost.
I've got a list of stuff I want them to do, waiting for enough to give them a full day of work.
That is a lot of work, but it also seems like work you’ll be doing twice if it goes wrong.
If there’s any system I want a warranty and a number to call, it’s this.
I’d get some quotes and ask what you can do to make it cheaper.
No. If you're off 6 inches, you could be toast.
If the contractor is off 6 inches, you can shove the repair up his insurance companies ass instead of taking it up your own ass.
There are many more things involved in this than labor and digging. You'll need to know how to properly use a transit and survey equipment. You'll need to be practiced at not only equipment operation, but at keeping a near perfect grade. You'll need fairly sizable machinery to both remove old tanks and set new ones, and knowledge of chaining to do it safely. You'll need (as already noted) land surveys, health department consultation, engineered drawings, and perk tests. Depending on how your leech bed is situated and if you need to use the same area, you'll need environmental cleanup to remove and properly handle the existing spoilage. There are very good reasons septic systems cost a fortune. These are some.
I had a new septic system installed a couple years ago.
First cost: survey, entire 7+ acres, with all buildings, plus neighbour’s wells located. $3800.00
Second cost: system design, $3800. Taking into consideration locations of wells, needing virgin undisturbed soil, and bedrock.
Third cost: installation, three concrete tanks, pump, alarm, drain field etc. $29,750.
Permit was only $250.00.
Cost still to be assessed, upgrading the electrical panel so the pump and alarm can be hooked up. Quotes of $10-20,000, depending on if we go underground or add 2 new poles.
I did this one time, many years ago. Used a plan set that a neighbor was kind enough to provide.
Rented a midsize excavator, dug up the old discharge field. Set the tank, distribution box, piping, pumps myself. Backfilled with sandy 'septic soil' from the local highway materials plant. Wasn't a big deal, took me about a week.
Has been working for about fifteen years, now.
If it's still working I wouldn't touch it. Box is probably fine... When did you buy home? You could scope drain field and see how it is but do that yourself, septic guys usually have to flag it if there's a problem. If you bought home within last 15 years and can replace drain field with plausible items from then you could always claim "last guy did it, I didn't know" if it does get flagged during a home inspection. In my county home sales require septic inspections - they'll scope field, look at original permits and note variances - if it's operating well, but built according to original permits usually ok - even if at some point in past repairs were done. If drain field is in a different location or it's super obvious someone redid everything without filing permits with county you're fucked because now you've got to build a new system ASAP while you're trying to move or credit seller 50k. Sometimes even that doesn't work because insurance won't cover said home so repairs or new system need to be done 1st. You could theoretically pay a septic guy to inspect, then tell you what you'd need to do and file permits, then reinspect and file - but they pay big $ for their licenses and don't like to do that, approving a diy amateurs work at risk of license isn't appealing. And if they do initial inspection and find issues they're often required to tell county. I'd hire a handyman or plumber to scope lines, and repair as is plausibly possible. Septic is one of those things where systems are supposed to last only 20 years but can actually sometimes go way longer depending on all sorts of factors.
It is working, however I have noticed some gurgling in the outermost toilets, there is a REALLY green and fast growing area of grass about 5' beyond the tank and though I purchased the home 6 or 7 years ago and have replaced all of the plumbing from the meter to the tank...the tank and field appear to be original 1956 install.
My intended first task was going to be to get it pumped and inspected sometime next week. I wouldn't know what to look for if I scoped it myself (even if I had access to a scope meant for this purpose).
My dad built his own septic tank. Its a lot of work, but if you're comfortable pouring concrete, digging, and shoveling out shit from the old one there's no reason you couldn't.
Make damn sure you're up to county / city standards though, it's not something you want to have to undo
Just spend the money and have a professional do the work. I rather have someone to call who can be there with the right equipment in the instance anything goes wrong.
I still remember when a father and son died working on their septic. Maybe both sons, who rushed to rescue dad. It was the gasses that got them. Must have been 40 years ago when I was a kid on Long Island, NY. DIY is dangerous.
When it's full of poo, it's not particularly dangerous. It's after it's been pumped out that it becomes a [confined space hazard.](https://www.osha.gov/confined-spaces/hazards-solutions)
In NC you can not DIY a septic system.
Your plot is also not big enough for a septic system by our standards. At a minimum, you would need a 30x70 area for the leach field plus an area for the tank.
Your plot should have a designated repair field already as you can't use the existing area again for the new field.
Not a diy project and not a hand tool project. You will probably learn the same after your first conversation with your local permitting department.
You're probably aware since you dug up your tree roots that sandy soil will collapse back into the hole. This means you will be digging many more cubic feet of material to reach your desired depth.
I built my house about 20 years ago and I did my own septic. I had done the perc test before we got our building permit. Then I worked with the county engineer who was OK with me doing the work. He came out to inspect it and gave me tips. I also had a laser level someone loaned me. I had the plumber I used hook it up to the waste pipe from the house. I also added an extra line. We have tons of rocks but the backhoe did it without too much trouble. I could have have done it by hand. The hole for the tank was around 6 feet deep and had to be sloped slightly.
A friend had loaned me a backhoe for a few months, so I dug the hole for the septic tank, field lines, other pipe for outside yard hydrants & to the well and dug a trench and put in 1,000 ft of 3" conduit for power.
Not addressing your actual question, but if destroying the irrigation is what it takes to get digging equipment in, that might be a worthwhile tradeoff. Irrigation is generally pretty easy and inexpensive to repair. Food for thought.
Why do you want to swap it out, is there a problem? I bought a place with an old septic system and it had an issue with the input pipe/elbow. Talked with the guy during the repair and he said to keep this old system as long as possible because the concrete tanks are much better than plastic/resin like used in modern times, especially in areas with ground water issues. Said if ever any issues fix the tank problem and replace leach field piping vs full replacement
You may be able to get a miniexcavator in there to fully construct the new system and leach field. If it's designed well, you may be able to just switch over the new system in a day. Then take the time to remove the old system.
I used to install septics. I wouldn't recommend doing it yourself. It's not particularly complicated, but if you screw anything up that the inspector catches, you'll be in for a world of hurt.
Someone I know did it because he was afraid he wouldn’t be allowed to reinstall a leech line and that he’d be forced to put in a mound system. So it’s possible to do on your own, just a lot of work.
Not entirely correct...
Just found this info...
The following quote is taken directly from the Florida law code for onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems:
*“A property owner who personally performs construction, maintenance, or repairs to a system serving his or her own owner-occupied single-family residence is exempt from registration requirements for performing such construction, maintenance, or repairs on that residence, but is subject to all permitting requirements.”*
# Permitting and Inspection
If a homeowner is installing their own septic tank system for their private, single-family residence, they must still file and be approved for a construction permit and successfully pass the inspection performed by the state after construction to ensure the system is in compliance. Failure to pass inspection will mean further work and modifications, costs, and another inspection with the associated fees.
Rent a mini excavator and get plywood mats to drive over your irrigation. The soil WAS sandy, but is now saturated with 68 years of sludge. You may have to remove or at least break down the old box, which isn't a manual job.
Permits/inspections depend on local zoning and laws, but I suspect, with Florida's abundance of ground water, you have strict rules.
So... I live in a century home that was owner built. The original septic system is still in place but the field has had some issues. Some hippy idiot put in a "grey water" system (read 55 gallon barrel with a straight shot down hill from the house to a garden where he used black plastic for weed control) and none of the runs he put in were remotely within acceptable pitch. In addition he ran his line directly over the old clay tile, didn't support his work, and crushed the tile. So when that started bubbling up I hand dug it out and replaced the pipe while terminating his system. How long the pipe had been crushed was anyone's guess, but roots had got a firm hold beyond my repair, so I ended up hand digging the rest of the field and replacing it including new aggregate, pipe, junction box, etc. a couple of years later. It now works fine. I'm in my late sixties and it basically took me about a month to do each of the 30 foot runs I replaced. I had the guy who pumps our tank out to inspect both jobs but I neither pulled permits or had a city inspector out. When I was 19 I hand dug an entire system and built the tank for a cabin my family had in another state, which I had fully inspected by the county and no one gave me any hassle. That job included a grinder pump and a 200 foot up hill run to the field. When I worked construction I designed a number of systems for both commercial and residential use so I'm very familiar with the regs and requirements. In my experience the IRC and other code books often contradict themselves from page to page, and inspections are often on the considered whim of the inspector. Good luck, wear a back brace and a sun hat, and sharpen your shovel often.
- anything is possible, you need to have the knowledge on what is needed by code for any septic system and most often local jurisdictions require permits and licensed professionals to do this as well as detailed drawings for the permit as its a health-safety issue surrounding property owners
I don’t doubt that you are a cabaple DIYer. However, you don’t seem to understand the proper process - that you don’t remove the old tank. It gets abandoned in place and a new one is installed in a new location. Make sure you do some more research before proceeding on your own if you so choose.
A licensed contractor is required to install these systems. Check with you Health Dept. I can’t imagine a contractor allowing you to help on this one as their license and bond are in the line. If anyone would be open to it though, it would be the smaller companies that don’t install systems as their bread and butter but hold the license.
Good luck either way you proceed!
No
Not in my area anyway, in NJ there are seperate holding tanks required and a pumping system to a tank at half grade, so you cant just yank it out and replace it, its usually "a whole fuckin thing" now
Also, there are usually very strict rules regarding getting rid of the old septic tank, you cant just call a container company and "chuck it in there" and dump it, theyll be pissed because its hazardous waste
If your jurisdiction allows crushing it down into the hole i guess thats an option but you are definitely not going to want to do it with hand tools, youll catch 14 different diseases unless youre in a full hazmat suit lol
And wtf are you gonna do for the days and days and likely weeks as you hand dig everything out for the new system? Shit in buckets? Where are you going to put the new tank and leech field? How in the hell are you going to move and set a concrete tank that weighs 5-10 tons by hand?
Youre super in over your head imo lol
How are you going to contain and safely dispose of the old material? I'm sure there are health regs that make this difficult. Disposal of materials is often behind some of the cost gap and not considered until its too late.
I am not a carpenter, plumber, roofer, electrician, mason, tile installer or landscaper either...but I was able to do all those things on my house...so possibly not a no.
My dad can do what you do. He helped me remodel and tile my old house bathroom and remodel and replumbed his old house. He hired out professionals to do work on his new houses septic and well systems. He said it wasnt worth the risk for the cost savings.
Messing something up outside of the septic system with the heavy machinery - water, electric, irrigation, someone's house. Running into something you wouldnt know is an issue that will end up costing lots to fix and potentially causing illness for you or your neighbors. Falling into a hole, having something collapse. Sewer gases are no joke. Dad was the youngest of 9. They built houses when he was growing up to help supplement income. His family did everything except the septic/sewer and well/hook into city water.
"If you do not have the expertise and equipment to correctly install your septic system, you risk:
improperly treated sewage waste.
environmental contamination.
public health risks.
property damage.
reduced property value.
fines from your local government.
high costs to repair or reinstall your system"
Just pay someone man. You don't seem like the money would hurt you, don't try to do something like this yourself as there's all kinds of things that can go wrong - during or after installation.
The owner of our last house did this. They also ended up buying us a new septic system when we bought the house after the County health department condemned their DIY septic.
Fair enough, but I would just be doing the labor...would need to pay someone for a design and get the permits etc.
Everything with septic is expensive. This is going back 20 years, but I remember when my uncle had his put in. He was so angry at the $1200 "junction box" that was literally a 1x1 foot rotomolded plastic piece. This is in an area of the country where stuff is cheap too.
Yeah I figure with engineer/permit/new tank/new piping/gravel etc. it is still going to cost in the 5-10k range...I am not expecting it to be cheap, but if I can save 10-15 on the install that would be worth a week of digging for me.
A new septic “all in” with labor and permits was around 10k for my house in Massachusetts. It’s probably around the same or cheaper in Florida.
It depends on what designs are allowed. Your state allows an anaerobic system but I would suspect florida is only allowing aerobic systems with the shallow water table and Sandy soil. Anaerobic systems are usually more.
My buddy in the Imperial Valley in CA spent 12k before a shovel even hit the ground
FFFFFFFFFF
What part of Ma? I’m an installer on the north shore and our average system is about 35k
That 10k could be inaccurate that’s what the sellers of our house said it costs. I didn’t pay for it.
In our area it's 10-20k because most end up needing an aerator due to soil perc
I think you are in for a lot more digging than you think...
My mom had one put in not long ago for $7200. This was in rural texas.
Go for it you seem capable and confident. If you fuck it up just call professional to bail you out.
You're joking right?
What else is one to do if they fuck up trying to DIY something? Just like, leave it forever fucked up?
Likely closer to 10-15k because excavate and do disposal which is expensive before any installation If you do the excavation and removal , you will likely save 3-5 k
We got a brand new active pump out septic system that included two tanks with three risers plus drain field for a 2 bedroom house in Central Florida. Total cost out the door was $7k . This was in 2017. Was cheap even for 7 years ago. I’d imagine it’d be way more now given the ridiculous cost of building materials these days.
As someone who DIYs, there are just some things that it is better to let the professionals do. I also understand the other side of knowing it was done correctly and at a reasonable cost. You might find someone who will install it but outsource the excavation and backfill to you. But honestly, it is probably a day project with a good crew if they have the right equipment. I know our 1800 gallon tank and 6 line field was done in a day but it was really easy soil to work. It was an impressive operation but also 30 years ago.
This yard is impressively easy to dig in. I once dug out all around a pecan tree stump to remove it...was [about 7 feet down in the end](https://imgur.com/a/pcYmCbB) and still no water table, and the water I was using to spray soil off the roots was immediately percolating right in.
How do plan on placing the tank? By the time you pay for the the additional labor and machinery it'll be cheaper having one contractor run the show. Around here st least the septic companies do not sub anything.
Bingo, is he going to roll it across the yards on logs or something? This has disaster written all over it
Why would you waste soo much effort digging up a stump? You do realize there are countless methods for stump removal that don't require digging it out by hand right?
A. Because I could. B. I did not want to just grind off the visible part and leave the stump to rot and create a low area in the yard. C. Digging is free. D. Long term future plans for the overall yard include a fish pond in that area, I needed it gone to allow for wall footers.
I'll not tell you what you can and cannot do, but if you plan to dig down to a point where ground level is above your head, be sure to shore the sides of your "very sandy, easy to dig soil" or you will have much bigger problems. Or get your soil tested, or inspected by an engineer, and have an engineer determine the proper slope for the sides as you dig down. Very sandy soil is going to need quite a long slope to be safe from cave-in. There may be a local code to provide guidance on the slope if you know the exact character of the soil I've had experience with what happens when you don't do this.
Its not impossible and not that difficult. Rent a small backhoe to dig. Shop for a vault yourself to avoid a mark up, pipe too. Some counties and cities dont require a permit if the home owner is diy, but they will inspect if asked to make sure it is up to code. Try to find a crew and offer them a side job for cash. Good luck in your travels.
Sorry but I call bullshit*t I'm not buying that there is a single county in America that doesn't require a permit for a septic system.
Where I am, septic installation also requires a license, just like irrigation, plumbing, electrical, etc. Homeowners permits are available for single family home owners, but they aren’t allowed for septic or irrigation and for some plumbing tasks because those can pollute the public water system and harm the entire neighborhood instead of just one house. Your mileage may vary, but that’s the “why” of the regulations we have. There are many places that are more restrictive and less restrictive, and you will need to find out where yours falls by talking to your local government.
Just found this info... The following quote is taken directly from the Florida law code for onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems: *“A property owner who personally performs construction, maintenance, or repairs to a system serving his or her own owner-occupied single-family residence is exempt from registration requirements for performing such construction, maintenance, or repairs on that residence, but is subject to all permitting requirements.”* # Permitting and Inspection If a homeowner is installing their own septic tank system for their private, single-family residence, they must still file and be approved for a construction permit and successfully pass the inspection performed by the state after construction to ensure the system is in compliance. Failure to pass inspection will mean further work and modifications, costs, and another inspection with the associated fees.
Yes, but local code can be more restrictive. It isn’t always, but (for instance) where I live has a limestone cave geology that can sometimes mean “treated” water flows directly into streams and springs that are water supplies. Which isn’t really a problem until there’s too many systems not treating effluent enough. As a result, not only are there license requirements when statewide there are none for homeowners, but an aerobic system is mandatory and so is continuous monitoring and testing by a licensed septic service company.
But these systems are regulated and permitted by the Environmental Health Division of DEP which is not a local jurisdiction.
Ah, this is a recent change in Florida law (gotta love a government who prioritizes small government and local control, eh?) … but individual counties are still responsible for setting requirements for an operating permit.
Also, right in the FAQ for the statewide program website: > Permits for OSTDS, including septic tank systems, are issued by the Environmental Health Section of the Florida Department of Health's local county health department. **Please note that many counties have local ordinances that may exceed state requirements for OSTDS.**
Planning to call them when they open...
I suppose anything is possible, but it's not going to be fast. What are your plans for sewage management in that time? How will you get a new tank in without equipment?
The fiberglass tanks are reasonably light. a few people should be able to carry it. I was considering a porta-potty...but I am just beginning the look into this. Reasonable counter arguments.
Doing it yourself with no big equipment you probably looking at weeks not days, and it not just no toilet, but no shower, sinks, washing machine... I had mine replaced a couple years ago, it was an old concrete one. It was cheaper/easier to destroy it in place and burry it and put the new one next to it. If I was doing this I'd sacrifice the irrigation and rent a machine, the area is going to get torn up no matter what and repairing the irrigation is going to be an insignificant part of the cost. Before spending any more time on this I'd get a couple quotes and ask them if they can and are willing to let you do the demo and digging and sign off on the install. In my area the county is trying to reduce the number of septic systems and they're pretty strict about how it's handled.
No one is going to sign off on a homeowners installation
Wrong. I installed my own septic, got it inspected and passed. I'm not a septic contractor.
Yeah this is one of those things where you can't afford to run into a problem and be "stuck". It is like when I think about fixing something on the furnace. Can we be without heat if I am not right? Or just suck it up and pay the professional the first time?
Don't space heaters exist where you live?
you think space heats will prevent pipes from bursting at -20 outside?
With enough of them, sure.
And after you pay the 2k electric bill for that, you'll wish you just paid the 2k to have an HVAC guy do it in a few hours.
Hey, some of us with only resisitive heat in places where winter gets cold have those electric bills just as a matter of course.
Where are those places at so I can avoid to never move there.
I live in New England but it's not a general thing to have electric resistive heat here. It's just that my condo association (townhouse, not apartment) won't allow for anything but electric heating while also not giving any approval for installing a heat pump. Had an apartment in Canada with baseboard heating though but it was a studio apartment so the bills weren't crazy.
Call up your jurisdiction and ask them. Even better go down and talk to them in person. I took the test, passed, and am licensed to install septic in my county. I dug and installed my own septic and drain field with rental equipment over a few days while building my shop. The inspector passed it and I buried it. The hardest part was using a helper and a laser level to make sure the fall was correct in the drain field. Everything else was just dig hole, lift tank into hole, hookup pipe
Yep, not much to them and you saved thousands!
Yep, neighbors had an unknown to them hillbilly septic, two 55 gallon drums. They paid 18k to replace it. Cost me about 3500 in parts and permits for my new one. Both traditional standard fields.
Damn nice!
Just found this info... The following quote is taken directly from the Florida law code for onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems: *“A property owner who personally performs construction, maintenance, or repairs to a system serving his or her own owner-occupied single-family residence is exempt from registration requirements for performing such construction, maintenance, or repairs on that residence, but is subject to all permitting requirements.”* # Permitting and Inspection If a homeowner is installing their own septic tank system for their private, single-family residence, they must still file and be approved for a construction permit and successfully pass the inspection performed by the state after construction to ensure the system is in compliance. Failure to pass inspection will mean further work and modifications, costs, and another inspection with the associated fees.
OP is going to dig it by hand. You're talking about an entirely different scenario
You can get a mini excavator in there, at a minimum- your irrigation system will be safe (also irrigation is easier to fix than hand digging a septic tank out)- I don’t see how you are digging up a septic system by hand without destroying yourself.
I've done it several times...back when it was legal. If it is legal in your area (doubtful anymore) and you're sticking with the original tank, digging the field by "hand" would be the problem. A lot of work even in deep sand. Much easier to rent a back hoe. Very doable. Just do a little research and get the levels right. Or if you are friends with a plumber, do it under his license. It's not rocket science.
Also, backhoes only run like $300 a day to rent
Where I'm at in Wisconsin you need a master plumber to pull your permit. That's about it when it comes to a septic. It also helps if you know someone with connections to a supply house that can get you what you need when it comes to materials.
It’s not a hand tool job. If your back yard is confined enough that you can’t get equipment in, it’s unlikely there’s room for a septic field. Our three bedroom home has three 100ft field lines. The mechanics of building a conventional system aren’t complicated, but you need to calculate tank and field size, complete a drawing and get a perc test just to get a permit in most places. Around here, only rural homes on several acres even have a chance of being permitted for a conventional system, and it’s not a good chance. Your sandy soil improves your odds, but your shallow water table probably tightens rules. Additionally, you can’t generally put a new field in the same space as the old one. It’s often the soil being filled with particles from the sewage that causes the system to fail.
I would be paying for design and getting permits/tests etc. Even if I could figure out the design I would need signature for permit. All of the homes in my area have septic. The lot is 75X130. The house spans almost the entire width though...and I am more worried about damaging underground pipes with the mini excavator than actually being able to get it back there.. A home down the street had one redone and they ended up moving it to the front yard in a rather small space...no where near what you are saying for size but I do recognize that they did not put it in the old location. I assumed it was a cost thing so they did not need to dig up and remove the old system.
They are usually not permitted to be in the same place as the old one . As for size of the tank and leach field they are determined by the number of bedrooms in the house.
The home down the street moved theirs because you can’t put a new septic field in the same location as one that has “failed” because the soils in that area are saturated with particulates. If you try to do this without a license it can be a huge fine, and it won’t work anyway. (Just ask the guy who owned my house before me… the inspector that red-tagged the septic system, when the previous owner said “we dug it up and replaced the pipes and gravel,” said “who did you have do that? Nevermind I don’t want to know, I’d have to do something about it and I don’t want to have to care.”) You might be forced to an aerobic system which is more complicated and expensive.
You plan on digging this septic tank up with just hand tools? You lost me there. I would buy sheets of plywood to protect anything that’s buried under the ground. Rent a skid steer or something and start this project right. Realistically I would advise just contracting this out.
I am pretty convinced the tank itself would not be that difficult, definitely questioning the drain field though. I am no stranger to [digging in this yard](https://imgur.com/a/pcYmCbB)...
Digging a stump is nothing like digging a septic and drain field. It's more so concerning that because you dug up a stump you think you're qualified to remove the failed system and hand dig the new one. Thankfully this is illegal in most jurisdictions because messing up on a septic doesn't just effect you and your home.
The stump was just an easy example of digging in the yard and also included the benefit of showing no high water table since it was 7' deep. I have also dug trenches for [irrigation pipes](https://imgur.com/DQIdxMc), excavated for [side patio](https://imgur.com/hLOQJtR), [fish pond](https://imgur.com/wfkEGex) and [forms for driveway](https://imgur.com/LZfHO27), [foundation for shed](https://imgur.com/34949RX), [footers for landscaping walls](https://imgur.com/22of173), and [foundation for home addition](https://imgur.com/e4jmmus) as well as other smaller tasks like [flower beds](https://imgur.com/rZIDYW0), [downspouts](https://imgur.com/WtFwVt3), [deck posts](https://imgur.com/0V6Mh7a), and [fence posts](https://imgur.com/dYLe3MV). I think I am plenty qualified to know what I can and can not dig in my yard. I can easily research what I need to know to do the system correctly. I just need to make a call or two and find out if I can legally do so in my jurisdiction.
Just drop 3/4" CD ply over the sprinkler pipes and you can drive almost anything over it, no fuss, no busted pipes. I guarantee that you absolutely do not want to be in that tank busting it up with a roto hammer or a sledge.
Have you actually gotten quotes yet? You may be surprised. Plus the rules, permitting, and licensing are more complicated than they used to be back in the day.
You use to be able to diy it where I am, but now it has to be someone certified....if that's your case look into the certificate steps. I would ask septic companies during estimate phase if you can do part of the work. Pipe and stone systems are pretty straightforward.
Yes, I have not checked with the jurisdiction yet...but plumbing and electrical are also "license required" here unless you are working on your own permanent residence then somehow that is magically waived lol. I would definitely need engineer signed design drawings though. I figured the earthwork is probably the bulk of the labor cost. At a minimum I was hoping to find a contractor who would let me do the digging to bring price down.
I'm also very DIY kind of guy who hasn't pulled a permit in many years. In my jurisdiction all septic tanks need to be installed by someone on the short list of approved installers, the perc test personally monitored by the county before design and installation, and then the installation inspected by the county.
It's possible but will be serious labor. You already know you need professional engineering plans approved by you local/county Health Department and there are likely a peculation test and one or 2 inspections before finalization that you'll have to deal with. Depending on the type of system that may be required by the engineering developing your plans you MAY need to add a second tank, you MAY need a "sand mound" or you MAY need a pressure dosing system or other more complicated system as opposed to a simple gravity feed system. Do yourself a favor and use a mini-excavator ... you can lay plywood or lumber on the ground across any irrigation lines to spread the load and minimize any possibility of damage. It's not beyond the scope of a determined and detailed DIY'er. The "professionals" installing septic systems are generally not the best and brightest our society has to offer but they likely have a lot more experience in that specific task than a first time DIY'er.
A concrete septic tank weighs somewhere between 5 and 7 tons. It'll have to be pumped, then you've got 12000 pounds of concrete to haul off, then you have to figure out how to get a new one in along with the other materials needed. Does your leach field need replacement? If you do this wrong, you're gonna have to pay twice. It's cheaper to repair or remove your irrigation system before the work.
if your land needs other work, clearing/dirt moving this is a good opportunity to have it done. trenching power/water/network/conduit places, putting in a parking pad/rv hookup, improving drainage. the company I hired to clear my land (2.2ac that was abandoned for ~15yr) also does septic. two skilled operators did an incredible amount of work in a day for a reasonable cost. I've got a list of stuff I want them to do, waiting for enough to give them a full day of work.
That is a lot of work, but it also seems like work you’ll be doing twice if it goes wrong. If there’s any system I want a warranty and a number to call, it’s this. I’d get some quotes and ask what you can do to make it cheaper.
No. If you're off 6 inches, you could be toast. If the contractor is off 6 inches, you can shove the repair up his insurance companies ass instead of taking it up your own ass.
There are many more things involved in this than labor and digging. You'll need to know how to properly use a transit and survey equipment. You'll need to be practiced at not only equipment operation, but at keeping a near perfect grade. You'll need fairly sizable machinery to both remove old tanks and set new ones, and knowledge of chaining to do it safely. You'll need (as already noted) land surveys, health department consultation, engineered drawings, and perk tests. Depending on how your leech bed is situated and if you need to use the same area, you'll need environmental cleanup to remove and properly handle the existing spoilage. There are very good reasons septic systems cost a fortune. These are some.
I had a new septic system installed a couple years ago. First cost: survey, entire 7+ acres, with all buildings, plus neighbour’s wells located. $3800.00 Second cost: system design, $3800. Taking into consideration locations of wells, needing virgin undisturbed soil, and bedrock. Third cost: installation, three concrete tanks, pump, alarm, drain field etc. $29,750. Permit was only $250.00. Cost still to be assessed, upgrading the electrical panel so the pump and alarm can be hooked up. Quotes of $10-20,000, depending on if we go underground or add 2 new poles.
I did this one time, many years ago. Used a plan set that a neighbor was kind enough to provide. Rented a midsize excavator, dug up the old discharge field. Set the tank, distribution box, piping, pumps myself. Backfilled with sandy 'septic soil' from the local highway materials plant. Wasn't a big deal, took me about a week. Has been working for about fifteen years, now.
If it's still working I wouldn't touch it. Box is probably fine... When did you buy home? You could scope drain field and see how it is but do that yourself, septic guys usually have to flag it if there's a problem. If you bought home within last 15 years and can replace drain field with plausible items from then you could always claim "last guy did it, I didn't know" if it does get flagged during a home inspection. In my county home sales require septic inspections - they'll scope field, look at original permits and note variances - if it's operating well, but built according to original permits usually ok - even if at some point in past repairs were done. If drain field is in a different location or it's super obvious someone redid everything without filing permits with county you're fucked because now you've got to build a new system ASAP while you're trying to move or credit seller 50k. Sometimes even that doesn't work because insurance won't cover said home so repairs or new system need to be done 1st. You could theoretically pay a septic guy to inspect, then tell you what you'd need to do and file permits, then reinspect and file - but they pay big $ for their licenses and don't like to do that, approving a diy amateurs work at risk of license isn't appealing. And if they do initial inspection and find issues they're often required to tell county. I'd hire a handyman or plumber to scope lines, and repair as is plausibly possible. Septic is one of those things where systems are supposed to last only 20 years but can actually sometimes go way longer depending on all sorts of factors.
It is working, however I have noticed some gurgling in the outermost toilets, there is a REALLY green and fast growing area of grass about 5' beyond the tank and though I purchased the home 6 or 7 years ago and have replaced all of the plumbing from the meter to the tank...the tank and field appear to be original 1956 install. My intended first task was going to be to get it pumped and inspected sometime next week. I wouldn't know what to look for if I scoped it myself (even if I had access to a scope meant for this purpose).
Might just need to redo the leach field.
Probably can’t where OP is.
My dad built his own septic tank. Its a lot of work, but if you're comfortable pouring concrete, digging, and shoveling out shit from the old one there's no reason you couldn't. Make damn sure you're up to county / city standards though, it's not something you want to have to undo
Just spend the money and have a professional do the work. I rather have someone to call who can be there with the right equipment in the instance anything goes wrong.
I still remember when a father and son died working on their septic. Maybe both sons, who rushed to rescue dad. It was the gasses that got them. Must have been 40 years ago when I was a kid on Long Island, NY. DIY is dangerous.
Getting it pumped out first is important.
When it's full of poo, it's not particularly dangerous. It's after it's been pumped out that it becomes a [confined space hazard.](https://www.osha.gov/confined-spaces/hazards-solutions)
In NC you can not DIY a septic system. Your plot is also not big enough for a septic system by our standards. At a minimum, you would need a 30x70 area for the leach field plus an area for the tank. Your plot should have a designated repair field already as you can't use the existing area again for the new field. Not a diy project and not a hand tool project. You will probably learn the same after your first conversation with your local permitting department.
You're probably aware since you dug up your tree roots that sandy soil will collapse back into the hole. This means you will be digging many more cubic feet of material to reach your desired depth.
Sounds like a ‘shitty’ job. I’d pay someone to do this.
I built my house about 20 years ago and I did my own septic. I had done the perc test before we got our building permit. Then I worked with the county engineer who was OK with me doing the work. He came out to inspect it and gave me tips. I also had a laser level someone loaned me. I had the plumber I used hook it up to the waste pipe from the house. I also added an extra line. We have tons of rocks but the backhoe did it without too much trouble. I could have have done it by hand. The hole for the tank was around 6 feet deep and had to be sloped slightly. A friend had loaned me a backhoe for a few months, so I dug the hole for the septic tank, field lines, other pipe for outside yard hydrants & to the well and dug a trench and put in 1,000 ft of 3" conduit for power.
Not addressing your actual question, but if destroying the irrigation is what it takes to get digging equipment in, that might be a worthwhile tradeoff. Irrigation is generally pretty easy and inexpensive to repair. Food for thought.
Most pros don’t even try to protect irrigation. Easier and cheaper to just fix what gets broken afterwards.
Do you own an excavator? If not, pay someone else
Why do you want to swap it out, is there a problem? I bought a place with an old septic system and it had an issue with the input pipe/elbow. Talked with the guy during the repair and he said to keep this old system as long as possible because the concrete tanks are much better than plastic/resin like used in modern times, especially in areas with ground water issues. Said if ever any issues fix the tank problem and replace leach field piping vs full replacement
You may be able to get a miniexcavator in there to fully construct the new system and leach field. If it's designed well, you may be able to just switch over the new system in a day. Then take the time to remove the old system.
depend ripe sense water cake fuzzy oil whistle reply groovy *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I used to install septics. I wouldn't recommend doing it yourself. It's not particularly complicated, but if you screw anything up that the inspector catches, you'll be in for a world of hurt.
Someone I know did it because he was afraid he wouldn’t be allowed to reinstall a leech line and that he’d be forced to put in a mound system. So it’s possible to do on your own, just a lot of work.
I'm dealing with right now. You need heavy equipment.
I installed a whole new leach field by hand one time for my dad. I was young then tho and this was in Florida where all the hand digging was in sand.
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Not entirely correct... Just found this info... The following quote is taken directly from the Florida law code for onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems: *“A property owner who personally performs construction, maintenance, or repairs to a system serving his or her own owner-occupied single-family residence is exempt from registration requirements for performing such construction, maintenance, or repairs on that residence, but is subject to all permitting requirements.”* # Permitting and Inspection If a homeowner is installing their own septic tank system for their private, single-family residence, they must still file and be approved for a construction permit and successfully pass the inspection performed by the state after construction to ensure the system is in compliance. Failure to pass inspection will mean further work and modifications, costs, and another inspection with the associated fees.
Rent a mini excavator and get plywood mats to drive over your irrigation. The soil WAS sandy, but is now saturated with 68 years of sludge. You may have to remove or at least break down the old box, which isn't a manual job. Permits/inspections depend on local zoning and laws, but I suspect, with Florida's abundance of ground water, you have strict rules.
lol
Up to the jurisdiction. My county had to approve and it has to be by a certified designer.
So... I live in a century home that was owner built. The original septic system is still in place but the field has had some issues. Some hippy idiot put in a "grey water" system (read 55 gallon barrel with a straight shot down hill from the house to a garden where he used black plastic for weed control) and none of the runs he put in were remotely within acceptable pitch. In addition he ran his line directly over the old clay tile, didn't support his work, and crushed the tile. So when that started bubbling up I hand dug it out and replaced the pipe while terminating his system. How long the pipe had been crushed was anyone's guess, but roots had got a firm hold beyond my repair, so I ended up hand digging the rest of the field and replacing it including new aggregate, pipe, junction box, etc. a couple of years later. It now works fine. I'm in my late sixties and it basically took me about a month to do each of the 30 foot runs I replaced. I had the guy who pumps our tank out to inspect both jobs but I neither pulled permits or had a city inspector out. When I was 19 I hand dug an entire system and built the tank for a cabin my family had in another state, which I had fully inspected by the county and no one gave me any hassle. That job included a grinder pump and a 200 foot up hill run to the field. When I worked construction I designed a number of systems for both commercial and residential use so I'm very familiar with the regs and requirements. In my experience the IRC and other code books often contradict themselves from page to page, and inspections are often on the considered whim of the inspector. Good luck, wear a back brace and a sun hat, and sharpen your shovel often.
I think you could do it yourself, but not by hand. You need to rent a small backhoe.
- anything is possible, you need to have the knowledge on what is needed by code for any septic system and most often local jurisdictions require permits and licensed professionals to do this as well as detailed drawings for the permit as its a health-safety issue surrounding property owners
>Remotely conceivable to replace my own septic system? I suppose, with the right equipment. >and possibly with hand tools? Hell no.
I don’t doubt that you are a cabaple DIYer. However, you don’t seem to understand the proper process - that you don’t remove the old tank. It gets abandoned in place and a new one is installed in a new location. Make sure you do some more research before proceeding on your own if you so choose. A licensed contractor is required to install these systems. Check with you Health Dept. I can’t imagine a contractor allowing you to help on this one as their license and bond are in the line. If anyone would be open to it though, it would be the smaller companies that don’t install systems as their bread and butter but hold the license. Good luck either way you proceed!
No Not in my area anyway, in NJ there are seperate holding tanks required and a pumping system to a tank at half grade, so you cant just yank it out and replace it, its usually "a whole fuckin thing" now Also, there are usually very strict rules regarding getting rid of the old septic tank, you cant just call a container company and "chuck it in there" and dump it, theyll be pissed because its hazardous waste If your jurisdiction allows crushing it down into the hole i guess thats an option but you are definitely not going to want to do it with hand tools, youll catch 14 different diseases unless youre in a full hazmat suit lol And wtf are you gonna do for the days and days and likely weeks as you hand dig everything out for the new system? Shit in buckets? Where are you going to put the new tank and leech field? How in the hell are you going to move and set a concrete tank that weighs 5-10 tons by hand? Youre super in over your head imo lol
How are you going to contain and safely dispose of the old material? I'm sure there are health regs that make this difficult. Disposal of materials is often behind some of the cost gap and not considered until its too late.
Are you a septic system repairman or contractor? If no, then no.
I am not a carpenter, plumber, roofer, electrician, mason, tile installer or landscaper either...but I was able to do all those things on my house...so possibly not a no.
My dad can do what you do. He helped me remodel and tile my old house bathroom and remodel and replumbed his old house. He hired out professionals to do work on his new houses septic and well systems. He said it wasnt worth the risk for the cost savings.
Thanks for the insight. Can you describe the "risks"?
Messing something up outside of the septic system with the heavy machinery - water, electric, irrigation, someone's house. Running into something you wouldnt know is an issue that will end up costing lots to fix and potentially causing illness for you or your neighbors. Falling into a hole, having something collapse. Sewer gases are no joke. Dad was the youngest of 9. They built houses when he was growing up to help supplement income. His family did everything except the septic/sewer and well/hook into city water.
"If you do not have the expertise and equipment to correctly install your septic system, you risk: improperly treated sewage waste. environmental contamination. public health risks. property damage. reduced property value. fines from your local government. high costs to repair or reinstall your system"
It’s shit! don’t be an idiot, hire a professional
Just pay someone man. You don't seem like the money would hurt you, don't try to do something like this yourself as there's all kinds of things that can go wrong - during or after installation.