Septic tank removal cost

BayTrees

Has anyone ever had an old septic tank removed? What did it entail and how much did it cost? Our building surveyor found what seems to be an unused but fullish tank in his inspection: we have been told the house is on mains drainage although the solicitor is confirming this to be sure. Thanks

J_B

Why do you want to remove it?

Mr.Generous

check whats inside it by doing the taste test. other than that no idea sorry.

Davesnave

Mr.Generous wrote: »

check whats inside it by doing the taste test. other than that no idea sorry.

Or even the bad taste test! :rotfl:

Removing a tank, assuming it's brick or concrete, would seem an unnecessarily expensive option. I'd imagine breaking it up would be sufficient, but even that might prove something of a nightmare.

If it can be breached at low level, I'd imagine it could be filled-in, if other options are difficult/costly.

27col

I seem to remember many years ago that I was involved in the installation of a septic tank. We had to dig the hole out by hand. We put most of the excavated soil into the old concrete cesspit. There was never any question of removing the cesspit. It is still there under the lawn some 35 years later.

manda1205

27col wrote: »

I seem to remember many years ago that I was involved in the installation of a septic tank. We had to dig the hole out by hand. We put most of the excavated soil into the old concrete cesspit. There was never any question of removing the cesspit. It is still there under the lawn some 35 years later.

This is what my parents did.
Although, OP, if yours is part full it wouldn't surprise me if it's still being used. I'd be asking neighbours or ringing water board to be absolutely certain that its on mains before filling it in.

BayTrees

Thank you. We are waiting for the solicitor to confirm the drainage situation but hadn't anticipated having an old tank in the garden. The survey report says that it is fairly full, which he found surprising, but that it looked old. Just concerned in case it causes problems later on. Hopefully the replies to the next lot of searches will make this clearer. If it's safe to leave, that would certainly be easiest and cheapest.

Davesnave

BayTrees wrote: »

The survey report says that it is fairly full, which he found surprising, but that it looked old.

If it's old, the drainage to it could be decrepit, so what he was looking at might be ground water, which has forced its way into the pipes during winter, when the levels rise.


A well-functioning tank in current use will have a crust of foam on top, a bit like that on a pint of Guinness, though that's where the similarity ends.

Hoploz

My EA and valuation survey both stated my house was on mains drainage, but it isn't.

If you ask for the water bill it should show incoming water only and no drainage charges if the septic system is still in use.

Of course, the seller property information form has tick boxes where the current owner should mark the correct drainage form. Have you seen this yet?

I was nervous of living with a septic system but it's still common in rural properties. I must say I'm very happy now, no horrid smells and the lorry comes once a year, it's really no bother at all so if it does turn out it is used, don't worry about it I'd say.

arbrighton

Our surveyor clearly had no clue about how septic tanks were supposed to function (we had asked him to check that out in particular).

Ours is brick built and over 100 years old but we're probably stuck with it as we are below mains sewerage and with the house's location, we wouldn't get permission for it now

But then the architect in charge of supervising the extension clearly didn't understand how it all works either since she asked if the surface water drainage could go into it. We are right next to a river and a road junction so a soakaway was deemed unacceptable by building control. As it happens, we're doing what had always been done in the past- the rainwater from the roof goes into the river, we just pay handsomely for the privilege now (and I negotiated that down!)