Chiere
New Member
History; Space Coast, Fl. Septic set in '74; no permits or plans on record. But 2 br house build plus an addition in '81 of another br and bath was done by the owner who was both a general & concrete contractor. The house is solid as a bomb shelter. Everything is cement. As is the septic vault. Never have problems, just one toilet will flush slower after a hurricane comes through and dumps days of water on us. We are 8' above the water table, maybe more here. It never floods even when the neighbors do. The field seems to work just fine. The only time it was greener was after some of that heavy heavy weeks long rain. Otherwise, hard to find. We may even have a black field and a grey field. Don't know.
Last week one of the top panels broke and fell in. Guy comes out yesterday, pokes for edges of tank, says we def need a new lid, and maybe a new tank. And field. I cringe, but it is what it is. Then he goes on about sewer gas eating the concrete tank, and it's all probably crumbling in, and will need to be abandoned, and why replace the top when they will just have to replace the rest later, and so on with the earnest-ish reasons I need to rip it all up and start over. I start to have a few doubts. He sends two guys out today to excavate the lid. Other two sections look fine. So do the walls I can see; 3" plus thick, little/no degradation. But, they say Florida requires a whole lid with two ports. Yesterday a whole lid was $1200. Today it's $1500, after I overhear $900 on a phone call between the worker bee and the boss. I was also told don't flush bleach into the septic (because I guess I look stupid?,) and don't flush beneficial bacteria either as that will kill the good bacteria. Uh,...
I'm a 60yr old woman. I have been given reason to doubt a lot of mechanics, carpenters, plumbers, and electricians. Especially since I had a career in construction, swinging a hammer, running chain saws, hanging off scaffolding, etc etc, and fixing my own cars. The things men will tell you, like, don't flush bleach down your toilet. And it will cost $300 to replace your radiator fan, and you have to do it NOW or it will fly off and cut up your engine!
So. Tank lid area is 8' x 5', lives with about a foot of dirt over it. I know it's almost half a century old, but if it looks fine*, do I have to replace the tank? Not only do I hate to fix what ain't broke, but if that thing is built like the house is, it's probably good for another hundred years. (ok, 30.) Is there a way to tell besides pumping it out and laying an eye on it? Tho, it is due, been 5 years.
Is $1200, I mean $900, er, $1500 a fair price for a cement lid with two ports? I do realize prices are skyrocketing.
And, is it ok to call another plumber out to get prices on finishing the job? I can be a crass AH if it saves me $500 for the same work.
I feel that these guys will do a quality job. But I also feel like they are being a bit, opportunistic,...
Last week one of the top panels broke and fell in. Guy comes out yesterday, pokes for edges of tank, says we def need a new lid, and maybe a new tank. And field. I cringe, but it is what it is. Then he goes on about sewer gas eating the concrete tank, and it's all probably crumbling in, and will need to be abandoned, and why replace the top when they will just have to replace the rest later, and so on with the earnest-ish reasons I need to rip it all up and start over. I start to have a few doubts. He sends two guys out today to excavate the lid. Other two sections look fine. So do the walls I can see; 3" plus thick, little/no degradation. But, they say Florida requires a whole lid with two ports. Yesterday a whole lid was $1200. Today it's $1500, after I overhear $900 on a phone call between the worker bee and the boss. I was also told don't flush bleach into the septic (because I guess I look stupid?,) and don't flush beneficial bacteria either as that will kill the good bacteria. Uh,...
I'm a 60yr old woman. I have been given reason to doubt a lot of mechanics, carpenters, plumbers, and electricians. Especially since I had a career in construction, swinging a hammer, running chain saws, hanging off scaffolding, etc etc, and fixing my own cars. The things men will tell you, like, don't flush bleach down your toilet. And it will cost $300 to replace your radiator fan, and you have to do it NOW or it will fly off and cut up your engine!
So. Tank lid area is 8' x 5', lives with about a foot of dirt over it. I know it's almost half a century old, but if it looks fine*, do I have to replace the tank? Not only do I hate to fix what ain't broke, but if that thing is built like the house is, it's probably good for another hundred years. (ok, 30.) Is there a way to tell besides pumping it out and laying an eye on it? Tho, it is due, been 5 years.
Is $1200, I mean $900, er, $1500 a fair price for a cement lid with two ports? I do realize prices are skyrocketing.
And, is it ok to call another plumber out to get prices on finishing the job? I can be a crass AH if it saves me $500 for the same work.
I feel that these guys will do a quality job. But I also feel like they are being a bit, opportunistic,...
