Stupid question...what comes first?

[Qvrfullmidwife]

We have been looking for land and a house. We have recently begun considering buying land and putting a new triplewide on it. We would need to clear land, dig a well, install septic, etc. What do you do first, well or septic. How does the order of installation affect each other? (assuming that it does)

[Gayle in KY]

The first thing you need to do is decide where your house is going to sit. Then, have the county inspecter come out and tell you where the septic tank and lines ought to go. After you know where the septic will be, then have the well-driller come out. It really doesn't matter if the well or septic is installed first, if you know where the house septic are going to be.

[Windy in Kansas]

It is a lot easier to haul in water than to haul away effulent. I would determine if means can be used for a septic system. Perk test, etc. for a conventional system. Are there county rules in place for the kind of system allowed?

Water is also crucial since it will be needed for livestock which don't require a septic system. At least I've never seen a horse flushing a toilet as of yet.

[Shrek]

Been there, done that. I got both at the same time. If you can get the same guy doing both jobs its cheaper.

[Zuiko]

Consider having water/hydrants put in, inside a building would be nice, I am not sure what your plans are and if it includes animals, besides cats/dogs/etc. and you have plans of building a building. We have plumbing that works in 2 other buildings, neither of which will be used for animals. This used to be a pig farm and their are many buildings full of concrete 3' high dividers, which I think wouldnt work. It would atleast be nice to have it near one of the animal buildings, I have to use 200 ft of hose to get to one of the one buildings I am going to use.

[Mudwoman]

The guys that do this kind of work around here recommend that you determine where the septic has to go first, then based on that, you know the minimum distance for the well and where the house has to go. However, we have lots of hills and "hollers" and trees, trees, trees around here and that effects the septic alot. You may not have that problem where you are.

We put in our well first and then ended up with the house in a different place because we couldn't run lateral lines where we originally planned having the house.

Originally Posted by Qvrfullmidwife

We have been looking for land and a house. We have recently begun considering buying land and putting a new triplewide on it. We would need to clear land, dig a well, install septic, etc. What do you do first, well or septic. How does the order of installation affect each other? (assuming that it does)

Wait. I'd want to be very certain that the land in question *DOES* have a drinkable water source before purchase.

Then plan out all the rest on paper.

[Gary in ohio]

First think to do is find out if water and septic is possible on the land. You do this before you buy.

[Ann-NWIowa]

I wouldn't buy land unless I knew for sure water was available in the amounts needed and that it would pass for septic system. I'd make an offer subject to those working out. If I already had the land, I wouldn't consider building anything without the water/septic situation resolved. Around here a well can cost upwards of $20,000 to get clean (no farm chemicals) adequate water and the requirements for septic are tough. My nephew had to put in two septic tanks when he built his new home.

[stonefly71]

Depends on how hard it is to reach water and if the land has good water I'd pay the money for the well first. When my parents built there house they had to have 3 wells dug cause the first 2 went dry quick the 3rd was down 350 or 450 ft had plenty of good water then.