Moving a septic tank is a complicated process. It’s often costly and requires trained personnel to perform it the right way.
That’s why it’s highly doubtful that anyone would embark on this task unless it’s absolutely necessary. People often need to remodel their homes, and that entitles relocating the septic tanks.
We’ve also seen situations where the tank is placed in an inappropriate soil. Replacing it in such cases is necessary for safety and to keep it functioning well.
In this article, we explore in detail what’s the cost to move septic tanks.
The Estimated Costs of Moving a Septic Tank
Now that we’ve come to the point where we are 100% sure that moving the septic tank, let’s see what the next steps are, and how much they cost on average.
This is a major undertaking that’s best handled by professional contractors. It’s, however, important to know beforehand the average costs involved. This naturally allows for better budget planning.
Also, this ballpark estimate could assist you in picking the contracting company closer to your expectations. Like all other services, there are upper and lower price points for contracting jobs. Special projects like this one, need higher expertise and often fall in the upper range.
Inspection and Design Fees
Before a shovel touches the ground, an engineer/expert needs to see the site. A full assessment should be done of the current septic tank, the suggested location it should be moved into, and the drain field.
These fees are around $500-$1000
The system design also includes running a test for the soil. The new location needs to be ready for the transfer, and this starts with determining its readiness to support a tank. Also, the drain field properties need to be determined.
Soil testing is a highly specialized process, and often costs about $1000-$2000
Getting the Necessary Permits
Red tape is abundant in matters of house improvement. In the case of septic tanks, the local health department is also involved.
The permits needed cost around $200-$500. This often includes the cost of several inspection visits from government officials. They’d need to see the site before, during, and after construction.
Usually, you’d have the choice of handling all the paperwork, or, letting the contractors approach the officials. It’s recommended to work with the contractor on specifying the required documentation, then applying for it yourself.
Emptying the Septic Tank
To move the septic tank, first of all, it needs to be completely drained. Pumping a septic tank is a routine process, usually done every three years. The costs of this step range from $250-$600. Depending on some factors, such as:
- The tank capacity
- The distance to the nearest dumping site
- The dumping fees
- The pumping service basic fees
The Excavation Process
This step includes several tasks. It starts with removing the soil manually until the tank is reached.
The heavy machinery comes in next, with the intent of clearing the soil from around the tank. Care should be taken to leave about six inches of clear distance between the septic tank and the excavation bucket.
This is to make sure that the tank stays intact. The remaining soil can be shoveled manually. The nature of the ground plays a part in determining how smooth or complicated this process can get.
It’s clearly a lengthy process that takes plenty of manpower, machinery, and time. That’s why it costs around $1000-$4000.
Moving the Tank
The tank is lifted carefully on top of a flatbed, then, it’s transported to the new location. There, it’s unloaded to the new site. The rest of the process is exactly the same as the regular installation of a septic tank.
The costs of this step are often included in the same package of the excavation.
Removing the Old Piping and Installing New Piping
The old pipes should be excavated along with the tank. If they’re in good condition, they could be reused for the new location. Otherwise, a new batch needs to be procured.
The installation of pipes costs from $700-$1200. Depending on the state of the original pipes, and the linear distance between the house fixtures to the septic tank.
Installing Other Fixtures
There’s a long list of miscellaneous items that go with installing a septic tank.
It’s useful to have an indoor control panel, various alarms for pump or leakage faults, and automatic switches. Risers are essential for keeping the system well maintained, and they cost a bit. In addition to all the electrical connections, and the labor costs that go with them.
Preparing the Drain Field
With the relocation of the septic tank, the allocated drain field should be prepared for taking over. If the original drain field should still be used, then its functionality should be assessed. If a new one is deemed necessary, it has to be primed for the job.
Drain field adjustment costs from $3500 all the way to $11,000. Depending of course on how much work needs to be done.
Landscaping Costs
Having excavated the septic tank from the old site, and installed it a new one, leaves a lot of dirt behind.
It’s best to clear the land from all the debris and rocks, refill any gaping holes, then return the land to an aesthetically pleasing form.
You might have some other plans for installing a swimming pool or building a patio. This should take into consideration the previous usage of the land. Septic tanks are sometimes faulty. They could crack or leak. In that case, you need to treat the soil before proceeding any further.
These costs are clearly hard to assess. They’ll depend largely on the kind of remodeling you have in mind.
Final Thoughts
Is it better to move a septic tank or install a new one?
The cost of installing a brand new septic system can go from around $4000 to $15,000. With the tank itself costing about $725 for a 500-gallon Polyethylene tank to $2660 for a 1500-gallon Fiberglass tank.
The costs associated with moving the tank are sizable, and far exceed the price of the tank itself. The process of moving a septic tank should always be considered thoroughly and carried out when all other alternatives are considered.