The Perc Test

I know we were supposed to be installed and ready to go by the end of last week, but things didn't work out.

For one, we learned we had to have ALL our utilities installed and ready to hook up so that the house itself could be installed and inspected for completion. As if that nightmare of money hemorraging wasn't enough, it's been raining so hard that they can't get into the pit to access the dirt for our foundation. Fabulous.

Today it finally stopped raining long enough that the engineer could come out and do the perc (percolation) test. He dug a series of holes 60-inches deep and noted the soil type as it came out. He had a really cool book with color swatches across two pages. These swatches were matched up with each batch of dirt and then notated. Once the holes were all dug to the proper depth, his assistant poured water about three feet up the holes. The water was then timed for absorption into the surrounding soil.

Good news: We passed! And it's of sufficient leach quality that the septic system won't cost any more than the original estimate. The gentleman installing our septic system said he would file the paperwork for a permit today. Weather allowing, he should be back out to install the system Monday. He even said he'd use his backhoe to take out a few sassafrass trees for me. :)

On a related note, I went by the county water authority to check on our progress up the waiting list. They said that if the rain holds off they would have us hooked up and a meter installed the beginning of next week. Whew! It's finally happening. With a quick check in on power and cable, we've tentatively set delivery date for next Thursday.