Wells and Septics Systems: Introduction

So you want to know more about wells and septic systems. Well, you’ve come to the right place. Your decision to study this guide could make your building business much more profitable. Whether you are someone who has never built a house that needed a well or septic system or a seasoned contractor who regularly deals with rural property, you are going to love this section.

We’re in a unique position to help answer your questions about wells and septic systems. First, we’re master plumbers who have worked with hundreds of wells, pumps, and septic systems. In addition to our plumbing credentials, we’re also builders. We’ve built as many as 90 single-family homes a year, many of them served by wells and septic systems. Our construction experience spans more than two decades.

Would you like to make more money from the houses that you build? Would you want to avoid losing thousands of dollars on jobs? Of course you would, and this section can help. We’ve made a lot of mis takes over the years, and you can learn from them. Our investment in costly on-the-job lessons is available to you here, in an affordable and easy-to-use section.

We’re glad you decided to read our guide. Maybe you don’t think of web sites or its sections as tools, but this one is going to be a very valuable addition to your “tool box” or desk drawer. You might have no desire to take a hands-on position when it comes to wells or septic systems. That’s fine. You don’t have to. The information and instructions in this section allow you to take either a white-collar approach or a very active, hands approach. It’s up to you. The advice is here for either path.

What can you gain from this section? More than you can imagine. Let me give you a brief overview. Section 1 gives you a broad-brush view of how money is lost when dealing with wells and pump systems. Section 2 provides this same type of information for septic systems.

Section 3 shows you what to look for when you are doing site inspections for water wells. You can determine whether a drilled well is likely to be needed, or if a less expensive, shallow well can work.

When you get to Section 4, you are going to find plenty of helpful information on septic systems. Don’t build a house with a septic system before reading this section. Critical to success as a rural builder is knowing what to look for when walking the land where a septic system is needed.

How many times have you lost money after bidding jobs poorly? It happens to all of us from time to time. But you can reduce the odds of losing money by reading Section 5.

Septic systems involve some technical preparation. You must be aware of code requirements. It’s also necessary to have soil studies done and septic designs drawn. Section 6 walks you through this phase of the job.

Drilled wells are one of the most dependable private water sources available. These wells aren’t cheap, but they are often needed. Section 7 provides some important advice on drilled wells.

Shallow wells are much less expensive than drilled wells. These wells are not always suitable, but they are a good value when they can be used. Geological conditions affect the use of bored and dug wells. Read Section 8 to discover the mysteries of shallow wells.

Would you want to use your water well to keep your lawn or gar den irrigated? Irrigation is needed most in dry seasons, which also happens to be the time of year when wells are at their lowest level. Drawing too much water from a well during dry times can leave a house without water. Alternative water sources can be the answer to this problem. Whether irrigating, watering livestock, or using water for domestic purposes, alternative water sources deserve your attention. See Section 9 for details.

Section 10 gives you the goods on the most common and least expensive types of septic systems. If a more complex septic system is needed, you can find answers in Section 11. These two sections pro vide a good understanding of all typical septic systems.

Gravity-type septic systems cost much less to install than pump systems. Sections 12 and 13 describe all that you need to know about these two types of septic systems.

Saving money, and making more money, are subjects most con tractors find very interesting. Who wouldn’t like to make or save more money? Sections 14 and 15 show you how it’s done. Flip to these sections and see for yourself.

Problems come up from time to time. This is true of most things in life. As a builder who installs wells, you are likely to get some late- night phone calls from complaining customers. Section 16 can help you get through these times. The troubleshooting tips in this section are great. And, Section 17 does the same for septic systems.

We’ve never met a contractor who likes cost overruns. Every builder wants to stay on budget and see handsome profits. Unfortunately, cost overruns are common in the building industry. Is there a way to avoid them? You bet. You can keep yourself on budget in a number of ways, and Section 18 explains them to you.