Septic System Excavation in Reno, NV

Septic system excavation is the earthwork behind a new or replacement onsite system: test pits for the soil evaluation, the hole for the tank, trenches or beds for the leach field, and the backfill and grading that finish it. Large parts of the Reno area sit outside sewer service, especially in the north valleys, Washoe Valley, Lyon County and the rural edges of the Truckee Meadows, so septic digs are routine work here.

The design comes first

A septic system is built to a design approved by the health authority with jurisdiction over your parcel. The design depends on soil tests, groundwater depth, slope and setbacks from wells, property lines and buildings. We dig test pits for the evaluator, then excavate to the approved plan. We do not size or design systems ourselves.

Soil makes or breaks a leach field

Western Nevada valley soils vary sharply over short distances. Granitic alluvium, like the Haybourne soils mapped in Carson Valley, is very deep and well drained. The Reno soil series has a cemented duripan 20 to 40 inches down that water barely moves through. Floodplain soils such as the Voltaire series are poorly drained and saturated within about 15 inches of the surface in late winter and spring unless drained. The test pits tell the evaluator which one you have, and that decides the system type.

Cost depends on the system type

HomeAdvisor puts a typical new septic system at $3,590 to $12,463. Conventional systems run $3,000 to $8,000, chambered systems $5,000 to $12,000, and mound or aerobic systems $10,000 to $20,000. Excavation is a large share: HomeAdvisor lists excavation contractors at $1,500 to $6,300 on a septic job, with labor making up 50 to 70 percent of total installation cost.

Working with the installer

On many jobs we are the excavation crew for a licensed septic installer or plumbing contractor; on others the owner hires us directly for the dig while the installer sets and connects components. Either way, the trenches are cut level to the elevations on the plan, the tank hole is sized for the tank and bedding, and nothing is backfilled until the required inspection is done.

Replacing an old system

Failed leach fields are common on older rural properties. Replacing one usually means abandoning the old field, digging a new one in a fresh area, and sometimes replacing the tank. We dig carefully around existing tanks and lines and haul contaminated material as the health authority directs.