|
There are multiple costs associated with a Septic System. I’ll start with a list of estimated costs and give a more detailed explanation at the bottom:
Listing of Estimated Septic Costs: | Cost to Pump Out the Septic Tank: | $150 to $250 | | | | | Cost of Septic System Testing with Dye: | $75 to $125 | | | | | Cost to Remove Clog in Pipes to Tank: | $50 to $250 (or more, if it’s serious) | | | | | Cost of Complete Visual Inspection: | $300 to $600 | | | | | Cost to Replace Pipe from to Tank: | $60 per foot | | | | | Cost of Permit to Repair Septic System: | $200 avg (low of $30, high of $444) | | | | | Cost of Permit to Install New System: | $350 avg (low of $180, high of $577) | | | | | Cost of Replacing Septic Tank Baffle: | $200 to $400 | | | | | Cost to Pressure Clean Distribution Pipes: | $400 to $600 | | | | | Cost of Replacing Distribution Box: | $600 to $800 | | | | | Cost of Installing New Septic Tank: | $1,500 to $2,500 | | | | | Cost of Replacing Drain/Leach Field: | $3,000 to $10,000+ |
Explanation of Septic Costs:
Cost to Pump Septic: Homeowners should have a licensed septic contractor pump out their septic tank every 3 to 5 years. If the tank is never pumped, then grease and other particles will flow into the leach field and clog the distribution pipes and the surrounding soil. Once that happens, he will need to have a new leach field installed at a cost of $10,000+.
Cost of Septic Testing with Dye: Septic testing involves adding dye and running water in the house for approximately 30 minutes. Then, the contractor can check for flooding and see where the dye appears. There can be a variety of problems with a septic system, and these problems don’t necessarily mean that the whole system must be replaced. This test will help the contractor diagnose the problem.
Cost to Remove Clog in Pipe To Tank: If the homeowner notices slow flushing toilets, he might assume there’s a problem with the septic system, so they have a dye test done. If the dye test doesn’t cause water and dye to show up in the leach field, then the problem might be a simple clog. A clog will require the assistance of a licensed plumber.
Cost of Complete Visual Inspection: Some septic contractors offer a complete visual inspection of the septic tank with a pumping. Needing this type of inspection is rare because problems with the actual septic tank will usually cause the leach field to fail, and once the leach field fails, you’ll start noticing sewage in the yard.
Cost to Replace/Repair Pipe from House to Tank: Particularly on an older home, the pipe or the connection points may need to be repaired or replaced.
Cost of Permit to Repair Septic System: The local county or city government usually requires a permit for repairs to a septic system. The fee for the permit varies wildly, even for counties in the same state.
Cost of Permit to Install Complete System: Permit fees for an installation are usually higher than for repairs and also vary wildly.
Cost of Replacing Septic Baffle: The septic baffle is a critical component inside the septic tank. The baffle is like a sideways “T”. The top of the “T” is under water inside the septic tank, keeping grease and oil at the water’s surface from flowing into the leach field. If broken, the homeowner should replace it as soon as possible to avoid more costly repairs.
Cost of Pressure Cleaning Distribution Pipes: Once waste water flows out of the septic tank, it moves through the distribution box into the distribution pipes. These pipes are usual made of plastic and have multiple small holes; their purpose is to evenly distribute waste water into the ground for absorption. If they become clogged, a contractor can force high-pressure water through the system to unclog them.
Cost of Repairing/Replacing Distribution Box: If cars or machinery drive over the leach field, they may damage or tip the distribution box causing waste water to distribute unevenly. The soil in the leach field receiving an uneven flow may not be able to absorb it all, and the uneven flow may also cause the soil and pipes to clog faster.
Cost of Septic Tank: Septic tanks, especially older, concrete tanks, can crack. A cracked and leaking septic tank is a safety hazard because the raw sludge, not just waste water, is seeping into the ground and ground water. A leak also messes up the operation of the baffles and could allow grease and oil to flow into the leach field, so replacing a septic tank could save the cost of replacing a whole leach field.
Cost of Replacing Drain/Leach Field: The purpose of septic maintenance and smaller repairs is to avoid the cost of replacing the leach field. Grease, oil, and fine particles (particularly lint from the washing machine) can actually cause the soil to clog. If the soil around the pipes can no longer absorb waste water, then the leach field will have to be replaced. The cost is usually in the range of $3,000 to $5,000 but can be over $10,000 in difficult cases.
For an explanation of coverage areas, please see my post: Spring Hill Electricity Providers. Then, follow the instructions for the provider you fall under. Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation (MTEMC) If you’re moving but staying within the Mid TN Electric service area and your account with Mid TN Electric is in good standing, then they’ll transfer your deposit, and you’ll have to pay a $40 initiation fee. Everyone new to the company has to pay the $40 initiation fee plus a $5 membership fee. If your home is new construction or doesn’t have a meter, then there’s a $75 fee to install a new meter. Then, they will do a credit check to see if they’ll require a deposit of $275. If your credit meets their criteria, then it’s just the $45; if it doesn’t, then it’s $45 plus $275 or $320. On the plus side, the deposit will be applied to your last bill or will be mailed back to you when you move away. To have your service set up, you’ll have to give them a call at (877) 777-9020. Duck River Power The deposit for duck river power is $10. You’ll need to fill out the Application and send it to the district office in Columbia. You can drop is off at 798 New Lewisburg Highway in Columbia, or fax it to them at 931.381.5331. Their phone number is 931.388.3131. http://www.dremc.com/Forms/DR-77.2.pdf Columbia Water and Power Only a very few homes in Spring Hill are served by Columbia Power. Ff you fall in this area, you’ll need to call 931-388-4833 to get your power set up. We live on the Williamson County side of Spring Hill, so we’re in the Mid TN Electric service area. Please see my post about service areas: Spring Hill Electric Power Providers. We have a HVAC package unit that uses gas to heat and electricity to cool. As you can see from the numbers below, cooling our home in the summer is our biggest electricity cost. Our home is about 1,300 square feet, 1 story. We have a gas stove. We don’t have any kids yet, so we have some rooms where the lights are off all the time. On the other hand, we’re only ok about turning lights off, and I leave my computer on all the time. Hopefully, this will give you a basis for comparison. Here are our electricity bills for the past 12 months: | Electric Bills | | Feb ‘10 | $50.00 | | Jan ‘10 | $59.00 | | Dec ‘09 | $70.00 | | Nov ‘09 | $96.68 | | Oct ‘09 | $167.00 | | Sept ‘09 | $170.79 | | Aug ‘09 | $205.00 | | Jul ‘09 | $182.00 | | Jun ‘09 | $142.00 | | May ‘09 | $71.85 | | Apr ‘09 | $84.00 | | Mar ‘09 | $75.00 | | Feb ‘09 | $53.48 |
Three power companies serve portions of Spring Hill, so it can be a little bit confusing. Middle Tennessee Electric covers the majority of Spring Hill. They cover all of the Williamson County side of Spring Hill except the Willowvale Subdivision. On the Maury side of Spring Hill, Mid TN Electric covers everything north of Derryberry Lane on Port Royal Rd and from the intersection of Hwy 31 and Kedron to the intersection of Kedron and Old Kedron. Duck River Electric covers everything south of Derryberry Lane on Port Royal Rd and everything South of the intersection of Kedron and Old Kedron Roads. Columbia Power covers the Willowvale Subdivision. On the south side of Duplex Rd, they cover Hardin’s Landing Subdivision and everything to the West, and on the north side of Duplex, they cover everything to the west of Lexington Farms but not the subdivision itself. They also cover the Town Center subdivision. As a point of interest on HWY 31, Columbia Power serves The Commons shopping center on the west side of the road and almost to the Captain D’s on the east side. We have a gas oven/range, gas water heater, and package HVAC unit that uses gas to heat. Our house is about 1,300 square feet. In a previous post I mentioned that we like to take long showers. On the other hand, we don’t cook much, and we both like it cool in the house (thank goodness!). So, our gas bill might be on the low side. Here are our averages for ‘08 through a good portion of ‘09. | Billing History | | Due Date | Payments | | 30-Sep-09 | 17.72 | | 1-Sep-09 | 17.72 | | 30-Jul-09 | 18.46 | | 29-Jun-09 | 31 | | 29-May-09 | 41.62 | | 27-Apr-09 | 94.32 | | 30-Mar-09 | 149.23 | | 26-Feb-09 | 152.43 | | 29-Jan-09 | 103.65 | | 29-Dec-08 | 36.37 | | 1-Dec-08 | 24.29 | | 31-Oct-08 | 20.33 | | 30-Sep-08 | 23.69 |
ANDERSON ACRES – MONDAY ASHWICKE PARKE – THURSDAY ASTONWOODS – MONDAY AUGUSTA PLACE – FRIDAY BAKER SPRINGS – TUESDAY BEECHCROFT STATION – MONDAY BENEVENTO – WEDNESDAY BRIXWORTH – WEDNESDAY BUCKNER CROSSING – WEDNESDAY BUCKNER PLACE – MONDAY BURTONWOOD – FRIDAY CAMERON FARMS – WEDNESDAY CAMPBELL STATION – THURSDAY CANDLEWOOD – TUESDAY CHAPMANS CROSSING – FRIDAY CHAPMANS RETREAT – FRIDAY CHERRY GLEN – FRIDAY CHERRY GROVE – MONDAY CHURCHILL FARMS – THURSDAY COCHRAN TRACE – TUESDAY CREEKWOOD HEIGHTS – TUESDAY CROWNE POINTE – THURSDAY DAKOTA POINTE – WEDNESDAY DEER CREEK – TUESDAY DEERFIELD – TUESDAY DEPOT STREET – MONDAY ELM STREET – TUESDAY FAIRWAY ESTATES – TUESDAY GOLFVIEW ESTATES – TUESDAY HAMPTON SPRINGS – TUESDAY HARDINS LANDING – TUESDAY HAYNES CROSSING – FRIDAY HUNTERS POINTE – TUESDAY JACKSON JONES – TUESDAY LEXINGTON FARMS – FRIDAY LOOPERS LANDING – THURSDAY MAIN STREET – MONDAY MAPLELAWN – WEDNESDAY MEADOWBROOK – WEDNESDAY NEWPORT COVE & MEADOWS/TOWNHOMES – FRIDAY NEWPORT CROSSING – WEDNESDAY PICKETTS RIDGE – WEDNESDAY PIPKIN HILLS – FRIDAY RIDGEPORT – FRIDAY RUBENS LANDING – MONDAY RUTHERFORD DOWNS – TUESDAY RUTHERFORD PLACE – TUESDAY SHANNON GLEN – MONDAY SPRING HILL ESTATES – THURSDAY SPRING HILL PLACE – WEDNESDAY SPRING MEADOWS – FRIDAY STONEGATE – TUESDAY SUTHERLAND – MONDAY TANYARD SPRINGS – MONDAY THE LAURELS – MONDAY THE RESERVES @PORT ROYAL – WEDNESDAY WAKEFIELD – FRIDAY WAKEFIELD-THE GABLES – (NOT PICKED UP BY US) WADES GROVE – WEDNESDAY WEAVER FARMS – TUESDAY WHISPERING WOODS – TUESDAY WILLIAMSBURG – MONDAY WINTER PARK – TUESDAY WITT HILL – MONDAY WYNGATE – FRIDAY Simply fill out the form below and take it to city hall Monday – Friday: 8:00am – 4:30pm Water Hookup Form City Hall is located at 199 Town Center Parkway. From the North: go South on HWY 31 > turn right on Beechcroft, at the Co-op > turn left on Town Center Parkway. From the South: go North on HWY 31 > turn left on Kedron Rd, just past Sonic > turn right on Town Center Parkway. For an explanation of billing, please look at my previous post: Spring Hill Water, Sewer, and Trash Bill. In Spring Hill, water, sewer, and trash pickup all come on the same bill. Spring Hill is split by the Williamson/Maury county line; however, the rates are the same on either side because they’re set by the city. My wife and I don’t have any kids yet, and our bill was $30.36 for Jan. That’s a little bit high for us. It’s usually around $26 or $27. We both take fairly long showers, so it would probably be a little less if you don’t indulge in hot showers like we do. Garbage is $10.77 per month for everyone and automatically gets added to your water bill. The water and sewer rates are listed below. Sewer is determined by how many gallons of water you use. WATER RATES
0 – 2,000 = $6.85 (minimum)
2,000 – 5,000 = $2.68 per thousand
5,000 – 10,000 = $2.42 per thousand
10,000 -20,000 = $2.47 per thousand
Over 20,000 = $2.76 per thousand SEWER RATES
0 – 2,000 = $6.75 (minimum)
2,000 – 5,000 = $2.53 per thousand
5,000 – 10,000 = $2.17 per thousand
10,000 -20,000 = $1.97 per thousand
Over 20,000 = $1.76 per thousand Some homes with a Thompsons Station mailing address are actually in the city of Spring Hill, so their water/sewer/garbage would be the same as the rest of Spring Hill. Here’s the form to have water put in your name. |
