Home Septic Systems Septic Installation

Septic system installation, done to the plan.

New systems for new builds and full replacements for the ones that quit. Test pits, county permit, tank, field and final grade — one crew, one point of contact, from the first hole to the record drawing. Fort Ann, Washington County and the Lake George side of Warren County.

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Built to the stamped design Inspected before backfill Free on-site quotes

A new lateral bedded in crushed stone in an open trench

Sized by the state code10 NYCRR App. 75-A

What a new system includes

The parts nobody sees, done right anyway.

A septic system is a tank, a distribution box and an absorption field, tied to the house by a sewer line and to the ground by stone, pipe and pitch. Every one of those is a place to cut a corner. We don't.

Septic tank, set level on a stone baseMinimum 1,000 gallons for up to three bedrooms under state standards, larger as the bedroom count climbs. Risers to grade so it can be pumped without digging.
Sewer line from the houseProperly pitched, bedded and backfilled, with cleanouts where the plan calls for them.
Distribution box & lateralsSet true so every trench gets its share. A tilted box is how one trench drowns while the rest sit dry.
Absorption fieldConventional trenches, beds, or a raised system when the test pits show shallow ledge or high groundwater. Built to the dimensions on the drawing, stone and pipe to spec.
Backfill, grade & topsoilGraded to shed surface water away from the field, ready for seed.

Quote a New Septic System (518) 409-6159

How it goes

How a septic install goes around here.

The digging is the quick part. The front end is where good planning saves you money.

Site visit & test pits

We walk the lot with you, then dig the county minimum of one deep test hole and two percolation holes so the designer can size the field from real soil, not a guess.

Stamped design

A New York State licensed design professional draws the system: tank size, field layout, setbacks from the well, the lake and the neighbors. We coordinate with them directly.

County permit

The plan and the $100 application go to Washington County Code Enforcement in Fort Edward (Warren County towns run through the town and, near the lake, the Park Commission). Two to four weeks of review is normal.

Install, inspect, grade

Usually a few days of digging. The system is inspected before backfill, then graded, topsoiled and left clean. The record drawing goes on file.

What moves the price

Why two septic quotes are never the same number.

We don't publish prices because no two lots dig the same. These are the things that actually change the cost — and the walk-through is how we pin them down before you get a number.

Bedrooms

Tank and field are sized by bedroom count, not bathrooms. A four-bedroom house needs a 1,250-gallon tank at minimum and more absorption area than a three.

What the test pits find

Fast-draining sand needs less field than clay. Shallow slate ledge or high groundwater can mean a raised or fill system, which is more stone, more fill, more machine time.

Setbacks & access

Distance to the well, the lake, property lines and the house decides where the field can go. A tight lot or a field behind the house changes the work.

Replacement vs. new build

On a replacement the old tank comes out or gets properly abandoned, the old field has to be worked around, and the house stays occupied while we do it.

Lake George Park Commission standards

Inside the Park Commission zone, replacement systems must meet the Commission's design standards, which can add treatment components to the plan.

Funding you may qualify for

The State Septic System Replacement Fund can return up to 50% (max $10,000) on eligible replacements in listed areas of Washington and Warren County. Ask — we'll point you to the form.

Permits, inspections & funding

Permits, inspections & funding, in plain English.

Septic work around here runs through a county permit, a stamped design and — near Lake George — the Park Commission. We deal with that side of it every week.

Washington County permit

Every new, repaired or replaced system needs a Sewage Disposal Permit from the county Department of Code Enforcement in Fort Edward: a $100 application, plans sealed by a New York State licensed design professional, and two to four weeks of review before anyone digs.

Lake George Park Commission

Systems within 500 feet of Lake George (or 100 feet of a protected stream feeding it) are on a mandatory five-year inspection cycle. In 2025 the Commission inspected 320 systems and more than half needed repair or replacement.

Up to $10,000 back

The State Septic System Replacement Fund can reimburse up to 50% of an eligible replacement, up to $10,000. Washington County lists Fort Ann, Fort Edward, Kingsbury, Argyle, Hartford, Dresden, Putnam, Easton, Greenwich and White Creek; Warren County runs its own for the Lake George basin.

Sources: Washington County Sewage Disposal System Application (rev. Jan 2026) · Lake George Park Commission 2025 Septic Inspection Program annual report · washingtoncountyny.gov, State Septic System Replacement Fund. Eligibility is decided by the county and the state, not by us — we'll point you to the right form.

Installation questions

Straight answers, before you call.

How long does it take to install a septic system?+

The digging is usually a few days once we start. Add the front end: test pits, the engineer's design, and the county's two-to-four-week review. Start the process early — especially for a new build, so the system isn't the thing holding up the certificate of occupancy.

Can you install in winter?+

Frozen ground and snow cover make it harder and sometimes impossible to do the field properly, and the county may not inspect frozen work. Tanks and emergency line repairs can often go in; new fields are best planned for thaw through late fall. We'll tell you honestly what the calendar allows.

Do you do the engineering too?+

No — the design has to carry the seal of a New York State licensed design professional. We dig the test pits, work from their drawing and coordinate with them and the county so you're not chasing three people.

What kind of system will I get?+

Whatever the soil and the designer call for: a conventional trench or bed system where the ground drains well, a raised (fill) system where ledge or groundwater is close to the surface, or an enhanced treatment unit if the site or the Park Commission requires one. We build all of them to the drawing.

Does a replacement need a permit even though a system is already there?+

Yes. Washington County's application specifically covers "repair or replacement of an existing disposal system." Same stamped plan, same $100 fee, same review.

I'm building a new house in Fort Ann. When should you get involved?+

Before the foundation. The septic location affects where the well, the driveway and the house can sit. If we're doing your site work too, the test pits happen on the same visit.