Septic tank install - why $5K

[dupciusx]

I looked around and found that guys with hoes in my area all take about $5K USD for installation of a 1000 gallon septic tank w. leech field and this does NOT include the percolation report. The tank itself costs about a grand $1K, so let's deduct that. The job takes about 1-2 days. Let's say 2 days = 16 hours. $4K comes out to $250/ hour. That does not sound right. I am sure competitors would bring the price down. In that case my question is what other costs are involved? Someone told me transporting the material on-site and gravel costs need to be considered. Can somebody break down where does the $5 actually get distributed for a typical installation of a septic tank with a leech field?

[benick]

It will take more than 1 man for 2 days and you're forgetting the cost of the permit ,excavator & operator , dumptrucks & operators , crushed stone , gravel , loam , leachfield materials , pipe...Mine cost 8 grand but I had to pump mine uphill and have a special leachfield due to space so I say the price is about right..Expect to pay about 4-5 hundred for the design/soiltest or percolation report as you called it as well...

[hibb]

I had a complete re-do of mine in 2002 for a little over $3k.

[aemeijers]

Priced a backhoe lately? Remember, unless it is a big company, the thing is probably only digging 2-3 days a week, during the months the ground isn't frozen. (around here, all the dirt work companies chain snow blades to front buckets of every yellow thing they have, and park them at shopping centers around town, just to keep SOME cash coming in. )And the finance company wants that payment EVERY month, no matter if you had one job or ten. Same concept as why plumbers in general cost so much, only a backhoe costs a lot more than a 3/4 ton pickup.

Yeah, get multiple bids. But if you are in a small town or the middle of nowhere, your choices are probably limited.

-- aem sends...

[JIMMIE]

Do you have a backhoe? Do you know how to run one? Do you know how to install a septic sytem that will pass inspection. Its a heck of a lot more to it than you think. The best way to learn why is for you to DIY one with a shovel. Lots of luck on getting it done in two days even with a backhoe. My friend had one put in when he built his house. Two inspections were required and that dragged theing out a lot. Even in the 70s you could expect this to cost a couple of $K bucks

Jimmie

[Red Green]

" [e-mail]" wrote in news:2721d7d3-c72e- [e-mail]:

Well I don't know since these things are free for businesses...

Here's a bakers dozen I came up with right off and stopped. Let's see how many people can add a dozen more things that are free to businesses.

Workers payroll Workers medical insurance Vehicles Vehicle insurance Vehicle maintenance Vehicle fuel Lawers fees for when they get sued General Accounting Business Tax accounting

15% self employment tax 7.5% employee social security tax Liability insurance Employee vacation, holiday and sick time.

[Steve Barker]

I'll take a dozen at $5k. They run $15k around here.

steve

[EXT]

A load of gravel around here costs $250.00 to $500.00 depending on the type of stone.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Start with the equipment. You have to buy it, insure it, service it, repair it, pay interest to the bank, Now you have to buy the truck and trailer to get it to the job. Add registration to all of the above mentioned expenses. The bank note must be paid even when the equipment does not run in bad weather.

You need a trained insured operator. Operator alone is $50 to $75 when you add in company paid payroll taxes, vacation, holidays, workman's comp.

Toss in the billing, telephone, office light and heat, warehouse for the equipment, spare parts, liability insurance, fuel for both equipment and truck.

That $250 is sounding pretty cheap. Stop by my place. I have a machine that can run most days on two shifts. The note to the bank is $40 an hour,

16 hours a day, 250 work days a year. Depending on what you want me to make on it, the charge works out to $300 to $400 an hour. .

[gfretwell]

A lot of those machines are sitting idle now and the operator is mowing lawns to eat. Fuel prices are down so gravel is cheaper and plumbers are looking for work too. I'm sure if you want to sub this out you can save a couple thousand. My neighbor replaced a leach field for $1600

[gpsman]

That's what I was quoted in MT in the late '90s for 3 BR fields.

I cut that about in half by becoming licensed to install them myself and renting the hoe, but I had several to install.

$5K ain't a bad deal, IMO. -----

- gpsman

[hibb]

I can't add a dozen but I can add a couple.

Employee unemployment tax. Goes up every time a former employee files for unemployment whether they get it or not.

Advertising

Office expense

Boat

[dupciusx]

Thanks all for input. Let me see what we have so far:

My neighbor wants to do this, and he gave me a price of $5K which seems to be market rate around my parts.

He has a dump truck but it will not be needed because the extra dirt will just be tossed somewhere out there. We live in an area of ranches.

The 1000 gallon tank costs $1000

Say gravel and leech pipes and any other misc materials will run another $600.

Let's say he hires a buddy and pays the guy $150-200/day=$400. This guy does not run a business with full time permanent workers by the way.

The hoe he owns costs $830/week to rent, let's add $200 for gas = $1K

$5K

-$1K 1000 gallon tank

-$1K misc materials and buddy labor

-$1K equipment

[dadiOH]

My 1995 central Florida experience...

1. Backhoe, operator, two other guys arrive with tank, gravel, pipe and other necessaries about 8AM

1. Dig hole for 1000 gallon tank, trenches for drain field.

2. Place tank in hole, pipe and other necessaries in trenches

1. Cover stuff up, leave in plenty of time for lunch.

Cost was $1500 total. I'd expect inflation to have bumped that to $2250-2500 by now.

[dadiOH]

You forgot the mortgage payment on the Aspen vacation condo - same building as your doctor and lawyer - and on the boat in the Carribean.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Yes, and you are also jealous that he is making a buck on you.

[HeyBub]

A privy would be a lot cheaper...

[ransley]

What they charge is justified, bidding is what you need.

[trader4]

In this economic environment, there should be plenty of contractors that are taking work at slim or even zero margin. I'd focus on getting 3 or 4 quotes from reliable contractors and see how aggressive they are for business.

[Robert Neville]

You can come up with all the cost numbers you like, but the bottom line is that you as a consumer are only concerned with one number: what are you going to pay? His costs are immaterial. The facts are that if this is the only guy who installs tanks and he's doing a reasonable business, you will pay his rate or he won't do the work.

On the other hand, if there are competitors around that can do the same job cheaper, hire them.