Well and septic system
 

So the wife and I are looking to get outside of Springfield with some land and build a home so the kids can get a little room to stretch their wings

First off, if anyone is looking for a home in northeast Springfield, let me know. We just listed our home.

Second, we’ve found about 15 acres we are gonna buy and I’ll have to get a well dig and septic put in.

Anyone have any knowledge on do’s and don’ts and what I should look out for?
Any thing is appreciated

Springfield is a shithole

Thanks

No, he is wanting to make a shithole!

Is it worth having soil testing done on the land to determine what I’m getting into in regards of well and septic?

I’m thinking I can get both done for about 12k but if it’s a limestone quarry or some shit it could get into the 30s

Well, that is a deep subject. We have now been on both well and septic for the first time in our lives for the last 7 years.

We were on a shared well and it made our life miserable since the neighbor was the most narcissistic person in Missouri.

Last year we put in a new well, quite a process. We found a nice company out of Crane, that did a nice job and was very reasonable compared to some. They went 365 ft deep and we have great water now. PM me if you want their information.

Septic? We had it pumped out about 5 years ago and make sure we put Ridx or bakers yeast down the system once a month. No issues.

A couple of our neighbors have installed complete new systems, actually helped one put lateral runs in. Tanks were concrete but some are fiberglass. Don't know much more than that.

Thanks

I’ve been researching some guys here in town and I think our builder knows some guys as well so we’ll see what happens

12k for both? :eek: Heck, we had bids of 10k on our well by itself and ended up at 8k.

I think the septic is going to run more than 4, have heard significantly higher numbers around here since it is rock. Heck even in great soil in Kansas much higher than that.

I would be interested in what you find out. I am in a similar situation. We are looking at land south of Branson. Property had a well on it once, but it will need new. I looked at the well company from Crane. Best I can find quotes for it is about $100 per foot to dig the well, that is just to dig. I am budgeting $7500 for well and $6000 for septic.

Just depends on the depth and what the soil is like, based on what I can tell.

1. Drill the well deep. 400 or so feet depending on what you can afford, anticipated usage and the topography. Shallow wells can work but typically the water is better in deeper wells and they are less likely to run dry during drought conditions.

2. Make sure the CASING is deep. Some contractors dig you a deep hole but put in a shallow casing. Again, go as deep as you can realistically afford.

3. Buy the pressure tank that DOESN'T have a bladder. IMO, there are less maintenance problems in the long run.

4. I don't know if Greene County requires a percolation test or not but imo, it might be good to get one anyway. This will tell you how well the soil will absorb your sewer drainage.

5. Get a good lateral line system installed. Your septic tank will only work as well as your drainage system. Keep a map of the lateral line layout. Many people don't have a clue where their lateral lines run.

6. Pump out your septic tank at least once every three years. More often depending on size of tank/usage. They tell you the "bugs" break down the waste which is true but only to a degree. A full septic tank can clog the lateral lines in your drainage field. It is expensive as hell to dig those up to clean them out. Don't put them near any living root systems.

7. Don't be cheap buying a well pump. Get a good powerful one. Make sure it is grounded from lighting damage.

8. You will love not having a water/sewer bill each month.

Awesome thanks.

Make sure you have the correct septic system. There are several types, but the topography of your land may dictate what kind you need. Our land is hilly, so we had to go with a pressure system and they are higher than the system. If you have to go that way, make damn sure you have a grounded sump pump and alarm system. You don't need floaters in your basement. Ours has a 1000 gal. pump tank and a 500 gal drain tank in the leach field. Advantages of the pressure system are you don't have to worry about laterals or putting Rid-X or anything similar in your system. We have the pump tank pumped about every 24 months and it costs right at $300. We've been here 16 years so the cost may have gone up, but I think our system was about $8K. You're on your own with the well.

I’d get the soil tested so you can get an optimal system. There are lots of good pieces of advice but I’ll add one more: overbuild by a bit.

Most housing codes require a certain size of septic tank depending on the number of rooms so if your tank is built for a 3 bedroom house, you can’t add rooms or decide that a study is now a “bedroom” if you decide to sell. The cost difference between a 3 bedroom tank and a 4bedroom tank (or 4 versus 5) is comparatively small now. If you ever decide to add a bedroom or call something a bedroom in the future, digging it up and expanding it is a giant smelly hassle and expensive. I suggest that even if you’re building a 3bedroom house, put in a septic tank that would fit codes for a 4or 5bedroom house just for that possibility.

Make sure your wellhouse/pumphouse is heated. I use a “ milk barn heater” for about 5 months out of the year.