perk test...

[Terrel L. Shields]

anybody with a pocket card should know you always perc test when its dry.

that's why most perk tests are a fraud. I can perk a brick in August. There is a very good correlation between soil types and ability to perk, and soil books are a pretty good guide. There is an area west of one of our towns that is a near wetlands type soil and won't perk worth a hoot. Again, it will perk in August but now Soil Morphology tests are making the problem of getting a septic past everyone more difficult.

Dunkle is a little cheaper than us 100 miles E of him, but with a plastic tank and 200' of lateral, a guy can still install his own system for less than $2000 in some rural areas...and if you have a buddy with a back hoe and access to some creek gravel nearby...or, of course, do what about half the manf. home guys do ... a 55 gal drum and a pipe over the hill far enough to slow down the smell.

 

[Mr Rex]

Every area is different. In NC they want drainfield above the clay layer, usually less than 3 feet to bottom of ditch. In VA, they want it below clay into the sandy layer. My place in VA bottom of ditch is just over 8 ft to bottom. I am probably 500 yards from NC, 500 yards would mean 5 ft less excavation. Go figure.

 

[Renee Healion]

...There is a very good correlation between soil types and ability to perk, and soil books are a pretty good guide...

You might not want to hang your hat on the books, but the surveys are a pretty amazing accomplishment. Somebody went out and did the surveys. Poke a hole in the ground and note it. A big project.

 

[murray stroupe]

RE; Passing Perk Test;& Volunteer book info

that's why most perk tests are a fraud. I can perk a brick in August. There is a very good correlation between soil types and ability to perk, and soil books are a pretty good guide.

There is an area west of one of our towns that is a near wetlands type soil and won't perk worth a hoot. Again, it will perk in August but now Soil Morphology tests are making the problem of getting a septic past everyone more difficult.

Dunkle is a little cheaper than us 100 miles E of him, but with a plastic tank and 200' of lateral, a guy can still install his own system for less than $2000 in some rural areas...and if you have a buddy with a back hoe and access to some creek gravel nearby...or, of course, do what about half the manf. home guys do ... a 55 gal drum and a pipe over the hill far enough to slow down the smell.

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Terrell L;
Just as well that wetlands wont perk, trust me on this one,
i did NOT ask ,but the fed gov guy volunteered ''you cant build on wetlands anyway'' Nice gov guy , he gave me an old county soil map book .

This is in west TN, nickname volunteer state;
no wonder the builder was having trouble selling that last acerage, even reduced by about 50%.MLS advertised it a'' river frontage''.Good beaver home.

Also last several years the power company [all of them do it here]requires your healthpermit/septic perk /permit;
before they will hook up power.[Dont think it requires passing test, just have $200.00 permit?????]

 

[Bobby Bucks]

Did a little "investigating" on my own during the drought, might make an offer after a consult with an engineer.

Mike I’m trying to determine the most cost effective way to approach that. I recently subdivided a big box into some smaller boxes. Part of the area absolutely will not perk, part is borderline…..It perked in the past, but the permit expired with the previous owner which is why I got it for a discount. The area was annexed so the density changed and I can make more boxes. I need to find out if I should spend the time to learn most of the voodoo part of “the perk” or just hire out someone on off hours that does it during the week for their job. I do this with a surveyor and it’s worthy every penny. I used my PhD early this morning and will be checking the results. I bought one a few years ago which had a 2 BR permit in a neighborhood of 3-4 BR homes. I had it re-evaluated in late summer and bumped it up to 3 BR and “tossed it” for a quick profit. Beats the hell out of URARs.

Here’s a good site for basic info. http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/naturalresources/DD0583.html

 

[jay trotta]

in our area there are specific guidelines as to when a "perc" can be completed, usually it's the wet season; systems can be put anywhere - it's the cost that may alter the purchase price.

Do all the comps meet similar completion tests ? Ifn it's raw land, find similar raw land.......appraisal work is fairly simple init.......ROFL

 

[Bobby Bucks]

Jay that’s the beauty of it, just like Peromyscus leucopus, it’s the same critter, but go 20 miles in any direction and the names, season and regs are different, BTW they’re not protected around these parts.

 

[Charlotte Dixon]

We don't call them "perk tests" here anymore. It's called a "soil analysis". After the results of the soil analysis is determined, there are choices of septic systems to install, i.e. low pressure pipe, pump out system, standard gravity, etc. The prices of these systems vary, and a parcel with the poorest drainage, of course, requires the most expensive system. Yes, the system required has a bearing on the value of the lot in our area because a system can vary from $3,000 to $12,000+. Realtors usually state in the MLS what type of system will be required. It's an issue, and I take that in to consideration when appraising raw land.