Closing on Property: Septic perc test?

[onthefence777]

In escrow on bare land property. Had an engineer layout a system on property and had a septic company dig the test pits yesterday.

The engineer told me the soil will pass the State inspection no problem and that it would be fine to go ahead and close on the deal. They don't do drainage tests here, just look at soil down to 4' and verify the engineers plans.

It could take 3 weeks to get the actual approval from the state. Should I push back the closing date waiting for the actual permit, or is it fine to go by the Engineers Soil Morphology report as the engineer says?

I did talk to several septic companies, and it is extremely rare for a property in the area to fail state inspection. Like they couldn't even think of one.

 

[mikec35]

I’d wait until formal approval - that’s just me, I don’t want any surprises, especially something that could be as costly as this could be if you can’t run septic.


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[AllDodge]

I did talk to several septic companies, and it is extremely rare for a property in the area to fail state inspection. Like they couldn't even think of one.

All companies said the same thing, the engineer said same thing, I would go for it

 

[AllDodge]

OP wants land, but has to past perk. Folks that know says it will pass perk

Guess I'm missing something

 

[kj_mustang]

In Virginia the state health department issues the septic permits and will do perc tests. You can have independent licensed soil evaluators test the soil and design a system for you and then submit that to the health department for approval. I believe the health department pretty much rubber stamps those submittals as it relieves the liability off the state if the system fails later on. It all falls back to the guy that tested and designed it.

 

[JRC3]

As usual, location would help. California will be way different than Arkansas or the desert of Nevada.

 

[finn]

If the contract specified that it has to pass the perc test, then the owner either has do refund the escrow or stretch out the closing date until such a test can be conducted, as long as you did your due diligence and the delay is the result of your state’s emergency proclamation.

The emergency proclamation will override everything else in the court’s eyes.

I doubt if the seller will put up much of a fight, anyway. Real Estate I’d dead, for not, so he’s not going to chase off what’s likely to be his only potential buyer for the foreseeable future.

 

[Pluribus]

What does the contract say about this? If sale is not conditional on septic feasibility to your satisfaction, you can request additional time, but the seller has right to tell you to pound sand.

 

[nadogail]

City sewer means I don't have to worry.

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

WAIT until you get it in writing...... What’s another three weeks in the big picture of life.

TIP! "IF" it’s not in writing.... It’s a rumor!

 

[JRC3]

City sewer means I don't have to worry.

It also means you have neighbors breathing down your neck. It also means you're paying dearly for that service in California/San Diego.

Septic almost always means you have lots of room on your property as well as lots of room in the local area.

 

[pmiranda]

Huh...I never thought about making an offer contingent upon passing a perc test but I would have if I thought of it!

 

[SGKent]

reports given orally and in writing can vary. If the owner won't extend do your own perc test. That said - are you close to any bodies of water, rivers, creeks or lakes that could affect the outcome? How much money do you stand to lose if it turns into only a cow pasture or a protected area because of its location?

 

[rburke65]

They tested the guys next door to me before he bought. 6 months later he started to dig as the ground was wet and discovered the his tank was not connected to the distribution box. So much for that test

 

[James-W]

OP wants land, but has to past perk. Folks that know says it will pass perk.

Guess I'm missing something.

Saying the land will pass is one thing, whether or not it actually will pass is a horse of a different color. What happens if he buys the land and then finds out, for whatever reason, the land doesn't pass the perc test? Are these "folks that know and said it would pass" going to pool their money and reimburse him for their mistake?

 

[MushCreek]

I always have land tested and verified in writing. When we bought our land, the county did the test, and issued a permit good for 5 years. We started construction with only a month to spare! Real estate is such a big, permanent purchase that I do all of the due diligence I can- Zoning, septic, flood zones, mineral rights, easements, title search- in short, anything that could rear its ugly head somewhere down the road.

 

[dw1]

On the property I bought, it was several years after building my barn before I decided to build a house there (Had to talk/coerce the boss into it) anyway, had the Health Dept out, it did not perk, about 70+ loads of topsoil later and he was happy. I had to pick a certified Septic Installer off of their list on my septic system, it all turned out well. Health dept was $375 every time they came out.

 

[CraigStu]

I can't imagine buying a piece of land w/o it passing perc. All those guys saying it will makes one feel it probably will but...is one of them going to buy it from you if it doesn't perc? I'd rather walk away than take the risk.

 

[My Old Tools]

If it won't perc you can go aerobic.

 

[pmiranda]

Aerobic is kind of expensive, but usually cheaper than switching lots. I just hate the idea of needing alot of equipment that can break. My lot has a low-pressure dosing system going in, that requires a pump and a valve which is the limit of my tolerance for stuff to break.

 

[theoldwizard1]

The engineer told me the soil will pass the State inspection no problem and that it would be fine to go ahead and close on the deal.

And if if does not, what recourse do you have ?

Years ago, a buddy brought property that had been PERC'd. The inspector came to check out the drain field and requested a copy of the county drain commission (?) report. So it sat open for several days waiting for that inspection. The drain commission failed the inspection (too much clay) and made him install a raised bed field. Big bucks. Not a happy camper.

 

[Showkey]

The difference in lots in my area, which probably has no bearing on lots in your area, is more than double the cost of the raw land between perc or no perc.

If there is no reason to NOT make a successful percolation test a prior to close stipulation:
escrow now might need rewritten to make a successfull County declaration about the percolation a prior to close stipulation.

Unless this isn't a desirable property and I as an owner weren't desperate, I'd probably tell you I won't change escrow and you can lose your good faith money.

Why?
No desperation from either party has been mentioned.
Why would you risk a $30,000 potential difference in systems to save a bit of time?

Just asking.
I just bought a lot. Didn't have it perc'd.
Didn't care, I won't build ever.
So I know why not to, but the op alludes to it being important.

Why, if improvement is the plan, wouldn't you wait?

Wow that an interesting thought process.

So........Perc changes the value substantially.

So .......you or your estate Is never going to sell ???????

 

[firebirdparts]

People own land that'll never be built on. That doesn't make you stupid or a wierdo. But if you are planning to build, obviously, there's a risk, and it's a local risk that you wouldn't expect to get good advice for on the internet. Where I live, in East Tennessee, it wouldn't be strange to get told "no".

 

[bigdav160]

Saying the land will pass is one thing, whether or not it actually will pass is a horse of a different color. What happens if he buys the land and then finds out, for whatever reason, the land doesn't pass the perc test? Are these "folks that know and said it would pass" going to pool their money and reimburse him for their mistake?

Why not a systems that does not require a leach field?

 

[pmiranda]

Yep, Anything is possible if you're willing to spend enough money.
The land I'm building on is not the closest to my current house, or the cheapest, but it has acceptable restrictions on what I can build, and the soil allows for a reasonably priced foundation and septic.

 

[My Old Tools]

Aerobic is kind of expensive, but usually cheaper than switching lots. I just hate the idea of needing alot of equipment that can break. My lot has a low-pressure dosing system going in, that requires a pump and a valve which is the limit of my tolerance for stuff to break.

My last 3 places were aerobic systems. Very reliable, not that much more expensive to install. Annual maintenance is $175 a year.

 

[kaiser715]

I knew the area where I bought land would be hard to find a perc location, so made that a condition of purchase. Hired a soils engineer to look it over and ID two potential locations, then paid county for one trip to come out and do the permit approval. Only after signed and paid permit was in hand did we complete purchase contract. Ended up having to have a remote field, 600' from the house, and had to truck in about 8" of approved fill. Septic system ran about 12 grand, but at least I knew that going in to the deal.

Guy bought a parcel across the road a few months ago. Lots of activity at first clearing homesite, etc, then nothing. Found out the other day that he can't find a perc site. County is not friendly to alternative methods, so right now he's stuck. And if lucky could re-sell the land for half what he paid for it.

 

[MushCreek]

OK, I have bought property without a perk test. Like ducksface, we bought a couple of parcels strictly as buffers, and for the increased road frontage. They're now rolled into our existing property anyway. Where we are, a perk test and subsequent permit is good for five years. After that, you start over, and the rules keep changing. When we built on our property with only one month to spare on our existing permit, the guy doing the work said that we would need a bigger system now under the new rules if we didn't already have a permit.

 

[knotdust]

Had to have test pits dug and a soil engineer look at them. I have a perched water table so had to put in a double system totaling 900' of leach and a curtain drain. The septic system had to be drawn by an approved designer and installed by an approved installer. Once I had the soil test, an approved plan, and an approved installer lined up I was good to go. The actual site had to be approved by the county as a buildable lot even before I could have it surveyed off. The lower end is in a 100 year flood zone but there was enough high ground at the back end to build on.