IF I have the old septic system inspected, could I be REQUIRED to update or replace?

[strangways]

Hi I have inherited a 60 year old house in Connecticut.  There is a problem  with the septic system, and dont want to get trapped and forced to spend a bunch of money. The septic system was backed up and water was flowing out of a hatch in the middle of the driveway when I ran water inside. I had a septic service come and clean it out. It seems to be fine now but they say that it is a very small capacity system, and they suspect there might be a broken pipe connecting the tank to the leaching pipe. They want to do an inspection which would require digging up some of the driveway, which would then have to be repaved. IF they perform this inspection and they find a broken pipe, could I be REQUIRED by the city to fix it or perhaps even replace the whole system? Meaning my whole driveway will have to be repaved as well. On top of that, I am considering having work done on the house. Maybe an addition, or maybe just changing the existing floorplan. IF I add a bedroom I assume I will have to replace the existing septic system or add on to it to meet capacity. Even if I don't add a bedroom, I will still need to have the building plan approved by the city, is it possible the city will require updating the septic system because it is old and low capacity system by modern standards?? Thanks

[Ed Pawlowski]

That would depend on local regulations. If you make changes and put an addition it is very likely the system will have to be updated. Meantime, you are potentially sinking is your own shit if the system is not working correctly. Do you have a well also? You may contaminate it with spillage. Or your neighbors and be liable.

I'd fix the time bomb before it really blows a hole in your finances.

[Frank]

I'd fix it too and bite the bullet and do whatever upgrade is needed. Backup may indicate that tank was not pumped frequently enough and sludge overflowed into drain field.

I recall someone looking to buy a lot to build a house but the county limited it to 3 bedrooms because of the septic perk test.

I have also seen the county change the rules whereas a couple of neighbors with apparently too good a perk had to install treatment tanks before gray water went to drain field. Cost them a bundle.

[hubops]

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I also question the mid-driveway "hatch" ... ? In a wintery climate, the frost goes deeper under a driveway. Also - some idiots will route the downspouts into the septic system ... duh. John T.

[gfretwell]

pipe. They want to do an inspection which would require digging up some of the driveway, which would then have to be repaved.

city, is it possible the city will require updating the septic system because it is old and low capacity system by modern standards??

The idea that the pipe from the tank to D box is bad is valid. If this screws up again, plan on a concrete patch (assuming the driveway is concrete). Maybe make it look like you planned it that way and put a design in there. If the field is trash you could be in serious financial troubles, depending on what the code has changed to reflect. Where I am you would be buying "mound system" and a pump.

Then in the next few years the city will put a sewer pipe in front of your house and make you hook up, throwing that septic money you spent in the trash.

[micky]

How many people live there?

You should end your lines at 72 characters. Although it didn't look this bad in the OP

Good idea.

You should be able to filnd out if they're going to do that soon. Most places plan years in advance.

[Dean Hoffman]

What do you want to do with the house? I have the impression you don't need it. Move into it? Rent it? Maybe the answer would be those house flippers I see on tv.

[gfretwell]

It is already in the plan here but the time frame is 2 years to 7 years. That really doesn't matter if poop is coming up in your shower. I suppose you would be more likely to sneak in a jack leg repair instead of a replacement if you knew it was coming tho. For most people that might be as easy as digging up the D box and adding another lead or two. Then try to limit the water you flush. I added two 20 foot "Chambers" (Drums cut in half) and 5 yards of gravel once I figured out where the field was going and where I could get some virgin soil. I knew a guy with a mini excavator who dug it out for $300, a couple hundred for gravel and the drums were free. I also had the 4" PVC pipe. I was shoveling and wheeling gravel for a few hours and then another few hours covering it with dirt but it keeps me young. $500 and some sweat was a lot better than $15,000 or more.

[Frank]

Good point. Sounds like he wants to keep it. We may be in the same boat in a couple of years inheriting a house in poor repair. What do you do if the house is worth less than the cost of upgrade to current standards?

[Dean Hoffman]

Would the local fire department want to practice?

[gfretwell]

Down here in most of Florida the decision is made for you by FEMA. You can't spend more than half of the tax collector appraisal of the building only for any permitted repair or renovation unless you get it "x" feet up above the flood plane. That either means you don't do much or you tear it down. I had the chance to buy a preFIRM house next to me several years ago as we were just starting to come out of the housing crash. I did the tax auction, a foreclosure auction and a bid on the open market. I missed it by a few thousand (I stopped at $100k). I was planning on gutting it and making a shop. I didn't care that the septic was only good for a couple poops a day. The folks that bought it got caught right away in the septic trap. They made a mistake of trying to get a remodel permit and before they even got through permit intake that septic inspection cost them $20k just to maintain their CO. (That included other plumbing like replacing the rusted out pipe under the house that the inspector found.)

Long story short they paid 102k spent another 100k (most off the books to duck FEMA) and they still have a $200k house that FEMA wants them to tear down. To top that CDC has told the renter, he doesn't have to pay.

I may bid on this the next time it goes over on some kind of default.