{"id":8918,"date":"2026-09-09T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.simplywise.com\/blog\/?p=8918"},"modified":"2026-09-09T16:21:37","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T16:21:37","slug":"septic-system-cost","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.simplywise.com\/blog\/septic-system-cost\/","title":{"rendered":"Septic System Cost: What the Code and the Parts Actually Run"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\ndocument.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() {\n  var sels = ['.entry-header','.page-header','article > h1:first-child','.entry-footer'];\n  sels.forEach(function(s){document.querySelectorAll(s).forEach(function(el){el.style.display='none';});});\n  var el = document.querySelector('.sw-a');\n  while (el && el !== document.body) {\n    el.style.maxWidth='100%'; el.style.width='100%'; el.style.padding='0'; el.style.margin='0';\n    el.style.float='none'; el.style.flex='0 0 100%';\n    el = el.parentElement;\n  }\n  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class=\"pm__hero\">\n<div class=\"pm__inner\">\n<nav class=\"pm__crumb\">Blog &nbsp;&rsaquo;&nbsp; Cost Guides<\/nav>\n<p><span class=\"pm__eyebrow\">Contractor Calculator &middot; Septic<\/span><\/p>\n<h1>Septic System Cost: What the Code and the Parts Actually Run<\/h1>\n<p class=\"pm__dek\">Septic system cost starts with a sizing table, not a price list. Set the bedrooms and the soil below and every line updates as you type.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pm__dek-cta\">Bidding the install? <a href=\"https:\/\/swcostestimator.app.link\/ce-ai\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Estimate it from a photo<\/a> in about six seconds.<\/p>\n<div class=\"pm__rating\"><span class=\"pm__stars\">&#9733;&#9733;&#9733;&#9733;&#9733;<\/span> <b>4.8<\/b> <span class=\"pm__rating-sub\">on the App Store<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"pm__meta\">\n<span>SimplyWise<\/span><br \/>\n<i><\/i><br \/>\n<span>Updated September 9, 2026<\/span><br \/>\n<i><\/i><br \/>\n<span>5 min read<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"swc\" id=\"swcalc\">\n<span class=\"swc__kicker\">Free Septic System Calculator<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"swc__title\">Size the field, price the parts<\/div>\n<div class=\"swc__grid\">\n<div class=\"swc__field\"><label for=\"swc-bd\">Bedrooms<\/label><input id=\"swc-bd\" type=\"number\" inputmode=\"decimal\" min=\"1\" max=\"5\" step=\"1\" value=\"3\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"swc__field\"><label for=\"swc-hrs\">Crew hours on site<\/label><input id=\"swc-hrs\" type=\"number\" inputmode=\"decimal\" min=\"1\" max=\"60\" step=\"1\" value=\"8\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"swc__field\"><label for=\"swc-perc\">Percolation rate (minutes per inch)<\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"swc__presets\" id=\"swc-presets\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"swc__preset is-on\" data-p=\"30\">30<\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"swc__preset\" data-p=\"60\">60<\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"swc__preset\" data-p=\"90\">90<\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"swc__preset\" data-p=\"120\">120<\/button><input id=\"swc-perc\" type=\"number\" inputmode=\"decimal\" min=\"5\" max=\"120\" step=\"1\" value=\"30\" aria-label=\"Percolation rate in minutes per inch\"><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"swc__hint\">Snaps up to the next published row.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"swc__field\"><label id=\"swc-syslab\">System type<\/label><\/p>\n<div class=\"swc__presets\" id=\"swc-sys\" role=\"group\" aria-labelledby=\"swc-syslab\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"swc__preset is-on\" data-s=\"g\">Conventional gravity<\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"swc__preset\" data-s=\"l\">Low pressure<\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"swc__field\"><label for=\"swc-fee\">Your permit fee ($)<\/label><input id=\"swc-fee\" type=\"number\" inputmode=\"decimal\" min=\"50\" max=\"5000\" step=\"1\" placeholder=\"optional\"><span class=\"swc__hint\">Fairfax County VA $425, Wake County NC $800, conventional<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"swc__out\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<div class=\"swc__big\"><span class=\"swc__num\" id=\"swc-tot\">$3,234 to $4,517<\/span><span class=\"swc__unit\">tank, stone, permit, and crew wages<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"swc__row\"><span>Drainfield area required<\/span><b id=\"swc-area\">780 sq ft<\/b><\/div>\n<div class=\"swc__row\"><span>Trench length<\/span><b id=\"swc-lin\">260 to 520 ft<\/b><\/div>\n<div class=\"swc__row\"><span>Septic tank<\/span><b id=\"swc-tank\">1,000 gal, $1,962 to $2,450<\/b><\/div>\n<div class=\"swc__row\"><span>Drainfield stone<\/span><b id=\"swc-stone\">36 tons, $435 to $812<\/b><\/div>\n<div class=\"swc__row\"><span>Permit<\/span><b id=\"swc-permit\">$425 to $800<\/b><\/div>\n<div class=\"swc__row swc__row--cost\"><span>Crew wages<\/span><b id=\"swc-wages\">$412 to $455<\/b><\/div>\n<p class=\"swc__note\" id=\"swc-note\">Sized on Virginia&#8217;s published absorption-area table, updated Aug 28, 2026, with two county permit schedules, published tank prices, and federal wage data. Local codes and prices vary.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n(function(){\n  \/\/ Every constant below is SOURCED DATA in one block, swap ready for a per\n  \/\/ state feed. Each figure mirrors an entry in sources.md.\n  \/\/ AREA, Virginia Administrative Code 12VAC5-610-950 Table 5.4, \"Area\n  \/\/   Required (Ft2\/Bedroom)\", all 24 published percolation rows, Gravity and\n  \/\/   Low Pressure Distribution columns verbatim (law.lis.virginia.gov,\n  \/\/   captured 2026-08-28). Same section D 1: \"the minimum absorption area for\n  \/\/   single family residential dwellings shall be 400 square feet\".\n  \/\/ TRENCH WIDTH, 12VAC5-610-950 E 2: gravity \"a width of from 18 inches to 36\n  \/\/   inches\"; low pressure \"a width of eight inches to 24 inches\".\n  \/\/ STONE DEPTH, 12VAC5-610-930 E: \"Minimum depth of gravel or crushed stone\n  \/\/   beneath the percolation lines shall be six inches\" plus backfill \"to a\n  \/\/   depth of two inches over the gravity percolation lines\". 8 in total.\n  \/\/ TANK CAPACITY, 12VAC5-610-815 Table 5.2: 1 and 2 bedrooms 750 gal, 3 bd\n  \/\/   900, 4 bd 1200, 5 bd 1500. Priced at the smallest stocked size above it.\n  \/\/ TANK PRICE, Tank Depot product JSON-LD, name and price on one node,\n  \/\/   captured 2026-08-28, two makers per size (Norwesco and Snyder\n  \/\/   Industries). SINGLE RETAILER, labeled in sources.md, top refresh\n  \/\/   priority: Plastic-Mart proved to be the same operator, not a second\n  \/\/   publisher.\n  \/\/ STONE PRICE, Wisconsin DOT Average Unit Price List (re-verified\n  \/\/   2026-08-28): Base Aggregate Dense 1 1\/4-Inch $12.07 per ton and 3\/4-Inch\n  \/\/   $22.56 per ton. Independent cross check: USGS Mineral Commodity\n  \/\/   Summaries 2026 crushed stone average unit value $18.50 per metric ton,\n  \/\/   which is $16.78 per short ton, inside the band. Conversion 1.85 tons per\n  \/\/   cubic yard is Wisconsin DOT Standard Spec 305.4, a DENSE BASE pay factor\n  \/\/   and a different gradation from washed septic stone, so the tonnage is a\n  \/\/   planning band, not a spec figure. Stated on the page.\n  \/\/ PERMIT, two published county schedules in two states. Fairfax County VA\n  \/\/   Environmental Health: new construction permit $200 county plus $215\n  \/\/   state plus $10 indemnification = $425; alternative system plan review\n  \/\/   adds $200 = $625. Wake County NC Onsite Water Protection: improvement\n  \/\/   permit $400 plus construction authorization $400 = $800; residential\n  \/\/   design review adds $110 = $910.\n  \/\/ WAGE, BLS OEWS May 2025 national flat file national_M2025_dl.xlsx:\n  \/\/   47-2061 construction laborers median $22.66, mean $25.02; 47-2073\n  \/\/   operating engineers median $28.78, mean $31.87. One operator plus one\n  \/\/   laborer is $51.44 to $56.89 per crew hour. Wages only.\n  var AREA_G={5:165,10:180,15:198,20:218,25:237,30:260,35:286,40:314,45:344,50:376,55:412,60:452,65:496,70:544,75:596,80:656,85:718,90:786,95:862,100:946,105:1038,110:1138,115:1248,120:1368};\n  var AREA_L={5:165,10:180,15:198,20:218,25:237,30:255,35:260,40:264,45:279,50:293,55:309,60:325,65:342,70:359,75:375,80:394,85:409,90:424,95:431,100:473,105:519,110:569,115:624,120:684};\n  var TANK={1000:[1961.82,2449.99],1250:[2293.66,2999.99],1500:[2954.48,3399.99]};\n  var STONE_LO=12.07, STONE_HI=22.56, TPCY=1.85, AREA_MIN=400;\n  var PERMIT_G=[425,800], PERMIT_L=[625,910];\n  var W_LO=51.44, W_HI=56.89;\n  var NOTE=\"Sized on Virginia's published absorption-area table, updated Aug 28, 2026, with two county permit schedules, published tank prices, and federal wage data. Local codes and prices vary.\";\n  var sys='g';\n  function $(i){return document.getElementById(i);}\n  function ceil6(x){return Math.ceil(Number(x.toFixed(6)));}\n  function val(el,lo,hi){var v=parseFloat(el.value);if(!isFinite(v)||v<lo||v>hi){return null;}return v;}\n  function money(n){return '$'+Math.round(n).toLocaleString('en-US');}\n  function band(a,b){return money(a)+' to '+money(b);}\n  function run(){\n    var bd=val($('swc-bd'),1,5);\n    var perc=val($('swc-perc'),5,120);\n    var hrs=val($('swc-hrs'),1,60);\n    var fee=val($('swc-fee'),50,5000);\n    if(bd===null||perc===null){\n      $('swc-tot').textContent='$0';\n      $('swc-area').textContent='enter the bedrooms';\n      $('swc-lin').textContent='0 ft';\n      $('swc-tank').textContent='0 gal';\n      $('swc-stone').textContent='0 tons';\n      $('swc-permit').textContent='$0';\n      $('swc-wages').textContent='$0';\n      $('swc-note').textContent=NOTE;\n      return;\n    }\n    bd=Math.round(bd);\n    if(hrs===null){hrs=0;}\n    var p=Math.min(120,Math.max(5,ceil6(perc\/5)*5));\n    var grav=(sys==='g');\n    var col=grav?AREA_G:AREA_L;\n    var area=Math.max(col[p]*bd,AREA_MIN);\n    var wLo=grav?1.5:(8\/12), wHi=grav?3:2;\n    var linLo=ceil6(area\/wHi), linHi=ceil6(area\/wLo);\n    var cy=area*(8\/12)\/27;\n    var tons=ceil6(cy*TPCY);\n    var stLo=Math.round(tons*STONE_LO), stHi=Math.round(tons*STONE_HI);\n    var gal=bd<=2?750:(bd===3?900:(bd===4?1200:1500));\n    var size=gal<=900?1000:(gal<=1200?1250:1500);\n    var tkLo=Math.round(TANK[size][0]), tkHi=Math.round(TANK[size][1]);\n    var pmLo,pmHi;\n    if(fee!==null){\n      pmLo=pmHi=Math.round(fee);\n      $('swc-note').textContent='At your posted '+money(fee)+' permit fee. Field sizing still follows the published Virginia table; check your own state loading rates.';\n    }else{\n      var pm=grav?PERMIT_G:PERMIT_L; pmLo=pm[0]; pmHi=pm[1];\n      $('swc-note').textContent=NOTE;\n    }\n    var wgLo=Math.round(hrs*W_LO), wgHi=Math.round(hrs*W_HI);\n    $('swc-tot').textContent=band(tkLo+stLo+pmLo+wgLo, tkHi+stHi+pmHi+wgHi);\n    $('swc-area').textContent=area.toLocaleString('en-US')+' sq ft';\n    $('swc-lin').textContent=linLo.toLocaleString('en-US')+' to '+linHi.toLocaleString('en-US')+' ft';\n    $('swc-tank').textContent=size.toLocaleString('en-US')+' gal, '+band(tkLo,tkHi);\n    $('swc-stone').textContent=tons.toLocaleString('en-US')+' tons, '+band(stLo,stHi);\n    $('swc-permit').textContent=band(pmLo,pmHi);\n    $('swc-wages').textContent=band(wgLo,wgHi);\n  }\n  ['swc-bd','swc-perc','swc-hrs','swc-fee'].forEach(function(i){$(i).addEventListener('input',run);});\n  var pb=document.querySelectorAll('#swc-presets .swc__preset');\n  pb.forEach(function(b){b.addEventListener('click',function(){\n    $('swc-perc').value=b.getAttribute('data-p');\n    pb.forEach(function(x){x.classList.remove('is-on');});\n    b.classList.add('is-on');\n    run();\n  });});\n  $('swc-perc').addEventListener('input',function(){pb.forEach(function(x){x.classList.remove('is-on');});});\n  var sb=document.querySelectorAll('#swc-sys .swc__preset');\n  sb.forEach(function(b){b.addEventListener('click',function(){\n    sys=b.getAttribute('data-s');\n    sb.forEach(function(x){x.classList.remove('is-on');});\n    b.classList.add('is-on');\n    run();\n  });});\n  run();\n})();\n<\/script><\/p>\n<figure class=\"pm__fig\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Excavator digging a trench, the drainfield work that sets septic system cost\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/images.unsplash.com\/photo-1759579478942-a6992a87fb8f?w=1400&amp;h=700&amp;fit=crop&amp;q=80&amp;auto=format\"\/><br \/>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"pm__body\">\n<div class=\"pm__inner\">\n<aside class=\"pm__tldr\">\n<div class=\"pm__tldr-label\">At a glance<\/div>\n<ol>\n<li>Soil drives septic system cost. The perc rate sets the field, and the field sets everything else.<\/li>\n<li>Virginia's Table 5.4 sizes a gravity field at 260 sq ft per bedroom at 30 minutes per inch, 1,368 at 120.<\/li>\n<li>Virginia floors the field at 400 sq ft and the tank at 750 gallons. Other states set their own floors: North Carolina requires 1,000 gallons.<\/li>\n<li>Poly tanks post at $1,962 to $2,450 for 1,000 gallons, $2,954 to $3,400 for 1,500.<\/li>\n<li>Permits are public: Fairfax County VA posts $425 conventional, Wake County NC $800.<\/li>\n<li>Crew wages run $51.44 to $56.89 an hour, operator plus laborer.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"pm__tldr-cta\"><span>Turn the design into a quote your customer signs, free to try.<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/swcostestimator.app.link\/ce-ai\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">SimplyWise Cost Estimator<\/a><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<h2>Soil sets the price, not the house<\/h2>\n<p>Every septic bid starts with a perc test, because the loading tables run off it. Virginia's absorption-area table gives <strong>260 square feet per bedroom<\/strong> at 30 minutes per inch and <strong>1,368<\/strong> at 120. Same house, same tank, five times the trench. That is why two bids on one street can be thousands apart.<\/p>\n<p>The table floors the field at 400 square feet and the tank at 750 gallons.<\/p>\n<h2>The permit is public, so quote it exactly<\/h2>\n<p>Fairfax County, Virginia charges <strong>$200 county plus $215 state plus a $10 indemnification fee<\/strong> on a new system at or under 1,000 gallons per day, and adds <strong>$200<\/strong> for alternative-system plan review. Wake County, North Carolina charges <strong>$400 improvement permit plus $400 construction authorization<\/strong>, plus <strong>$110<\/strong> design review.<\/p>\n<p class=\"pm__inline-cta\"><a href=\"https:\/\/swcostestimator.app.link\/ce-ai\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">SimplyWise Cost Estimator<\/a> turns a photo into one branded quote you can edit.<\/p>\n<h2>Septic system cost by bedrooms<\/h2>\n<p>Gravity system, 30 minute per inch soil, eight crew hours, permit band from the two counties.<\/p>\n<table class=\"pm__table\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Bedrooms<\/th>\n<th>Field area<\/th>\n<th>Trench<\/th>\n<th>Tank<\/th>\n<th>Stone<\/th>\n<th>Parts, permit, wages<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>1<\/td>\n<td>400 sq ft<\/td>\n<td>134 to 267 ft<\/td>\n<td>1,000 gal<\/td>\n<td>19 tons<\/td>\n<td>$3,028 to $4,134<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2<\/td>\n<td>520 sq ft<\/td>\n<td>174 to 347 ft<\/td>\n<td>1,000 gal<\/td>\n<td>24 tons<\/td>\n<td>$3,089 to $4,246<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>3<\/td>\n<td>780 sq ft<\/td>\n<td>260 to 520 ft<\/td>\n<td>1,000 gal<\/td>\n<td>36 tons<\/td>\n<td>$3,234 to $4,517<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>4<\/td>\n<td>1,040 sq ft<\/td>\n<td>347 to 694 ft<\/td>\n<td>1,250 gal<\/td>\n<td>48 tons<\/td>\n<td>$3,710 to $5,338<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>5<\/td>\n<td>1,300 sq ft<\/td>\n<td>434 to 867 ft<\/td>\n<td>1,500 gal<\/td>\n<td>60 tons<\/td>\n<td>$4,515 to $6,009<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Those totals cover the tank, stone, permit and crew wages only. Machine and trucking, burden, fuel, the soil evaluation, the designer, pipe, the box, risers, backfill and margin ride on top. The tank figures are one retailer's posted prices for poly tanks, read off the product pages on August 28, 2026. They are not precast concrete prices: no reachable publisher posts one.<\/p>\n<section class=\"pm__promo\">\n<h2>Turn the design into a signed quote<\/h2>\n<p>SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns a photo of the site into an itemized, branded estimate in about 6 seconds, with material, labor, and fee lines you can edit. Pricing is $29.99\/mo or $239.99\/yr, about $20\/mo on annual, with a 7-day free trial.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"pm__btn\" href=\"https:\/\/swcostestimator.app.link\/ce-ai\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">SimplyWise Cost Estimator<\/a><br \/>\n<\/section>\n<h2>When the alternative system is the cheap one<\/h2>\n<p>Virginia defines a conventional system as a tank feeding a gravity drainfield, and an alternative system as anything else. Low pressure distribution is pumped, so it carries the higher review fee.<\/p>\n<p>It also carries a smaller field. On a three bedroom house at 120 minutes per inch that is <strong>4,104 square feet of trench under gravity against 2,052 under low pressure<\/strong>. The extra $200 in Fairfax or $110 in Wake buys back half the digging.<\/p>\n<h2>What the trench is made of<\/h2>\n<p>Code, not preference. Virginia requires <strong>six inches of clean gravel or crushed stone under the percolation lines and two inches over them<\/strong>, where the tonnage comes from. Trenches run 18 to 36 inches wide under gravity, 8 to 24 under low pressure.<\/p>\n<p>One honest gap: nobody official publishes a density or a price for washed septic stone. The tonnage converts at Wisconsin DOT's 1.85 tons per cubic yard, a dense graded base pay factor for a different rock. Confirm it with your pit.<\/p>\n<h2>Price a septic install in this order<\/h2>\n<ol class=\"pm__steps\">\n<li>\n<h3>Get the perc rate first<\/h3>\n<p>The soil number drives the field, the stone and the days on site.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>Size the field from your own state table<\/h3>\n<p>Every state publishes loading rates. Pull yours, then the minimum.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>Pull the county fee schedule<\/h3>\n<p>Enter yours above and the band becomes one figure.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3>Add what the calculator leaves out<\/h3>\n<p>Machine, burden, design, pipe, backfill, margin. Parts are the floor, never the bid.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"pm__next\">\n<h2>Keep reading<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplywise.com\/blog\/contractor-hourly-labor-rates-by-trade\/\">Contractor Hourly Labor Rates by Trade (2026)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplywise.com\/blog\/how-to-estimate-foundation-work\/\">How to Estimate Foundation Work: 2026 Guide<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplywise.com\/blog\/handyman-pricing-guide-maximum-profit\/\">Handyman Pricing: 6 Steps to Price Jobs for Profit<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"pm__sources\">\n<h2>Sources<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/admincode\/title12\/agency5\/chapter610\/section950\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Virginia 12VAC5-610-950<\/a> (Table 5.4, trench widths, 400 sq ft floor; 2026-08-28).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/admincode\/title12\/agency5\/chapter610\/section930\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Virginia 12VAC5-610-930<\/a> (stone depths, 2026-08-28).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/admincode\/title12\/agency5\/chapter610\/section815\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Virginia 12VAC5-610-815<\/a> (Table 5.2, 2026-08-28).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/admincode\/title12\/agency5\/chapter613\/section10\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Virginia 12VAC5-613-10<\/a> (definitions, 2026-08-28).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/septic\/types-septic-systems\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">US EPA, Types of Septic Systems<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fairfaxcounty.gov\/health\/environment\/fees\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Fairfax County VA, Environmental Health Fees<\/a> (2026-08-28).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wake.gov\/departments-government\/onsite-water-protection\/septic-system-permitting\/wastewater-fees\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Wake County NC, Wastewater Fees<\/a> (2026-08-28).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsindot.gov\/hccidocs\/contracting-info\/average-unit-price.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Wisconsin DOT Average Unit Price List<\/a> ($12.07 and $22.56 per ton).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/pubs.usgs.gov\/periodicals\/mcs2026\/mcs2026-stone-crushed.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Crushed Stone<\/a> ($18.50 per metric ton).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tank-depot.com\/norwesco-102-inch-long-1000-gallon-plastic-two-compartment-septic-tank-with-two-manholes-iapmo-certified-n-41721\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Tank Depot, septic tanks<\/a> (Norwesco and Snyder prices; 2026-08-28).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bls.gov\/oes\/special-requests\/oesm25nat.zip\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">BLS OEWS May 2025 national file<\/a> (47-2073 and 47-2061).<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplywise.com\/blog\/contractor-hourly-labor-rates-by-trade\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">SimplyWise, Contractor Hourly Labor Rates by Trade<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"pm__faq\">\n<div class=\"pm__inner\">\n<h2>Common questions on septic system cost<\/h2>\n<details>\n<summary>How much does a septic system cost to install?<\/summary>\n<div>\n<p>On a three bedroom house in 30 minute per inch soil, the tank, stone, permit, and crew wages run $3,234 to $4,517. Machine time, design, pipe, backfill, and margin ride on top.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>What size septic tank do I need?<\/summary>\n<div>\n<p>Virginia's Table 5.2 sets 750 gallons for one or two bedrooms, 900 for three, 1,200 for four and 1,500 for five, never under 750. Stocked poly sizes are 1,000, 1,250 and 1,500.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>How big does the drainfield have to be?<\/summary>\n<div>\n<p>It depends on the perc rate. Virginia's table runs from 165 square feet per bedroom at 5 minutes per inch to 1,368 at 120, on a 400 square foot floor.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>What does a septic permit cost?<\/summary>\n<div>\n<p>It depends on the county. The schedule is public. Fairfax County VA posts $425 conventional and $625 alternative. Wake County NC posts $800 and $910.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>Is an alternative septic system always more expensive?<\/summary>\n<div>\n<p>No. It costs more to permit, but in slow soil it needs about half the trench: on Virginia's table at 120 minutes per inch, 1,368 square feet per bedroom under gravity against 684 under low pressure. Your own state publishes its own loading rates.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>Can SimplyWise price a septic install from a photo?<\/summary>\n<div>\n<p>Yes. SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns a photo into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds, with material, labor, and fee lines you can edit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"pm__final\">\n<div class=\"pm__inner\">\n<span class=\"pm__eyebrow\">Quote it before you dig it<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Turn the site into a signed quote.<\/h2>\n<p>Snap a photo and get an itemized, branded estimate in about 6 seconds. Free to try.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"pm__btn pm__btn--lg\" href=\"https:\/\/swcostestimator.app.link\/ce-ai\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">SimplyWise Cost Estimator<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@type\": \"BlogPosting\",\n  \"headline\": \"Septic System Cost: What the Code and the Parts Actually Run\",\n  \"description\": \"Septic system cost from the published sizing tables up, with tank prices, drainfield stone, two county permit schedules, and crew wages. Set the bedrooms and perc rate.\",\n  \"author\": {\n    \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n    \"name\": \"SimplyWise\"\n  },\n  \"publisher\": {\n    \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n    \"name\": \"SimplyWise\",\n    \"logo\": {\n      \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n      \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.simplywise.com\/icon-512x512.png\"\n    }\n  },\n  \"datePublished\": \"2026-09-09\",\n  \"dateModified\": \"2026-09-09\",\n  \"mainEntityOfPage\": {\n    \"@type\": \"WebPage\",\n    \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.simplywise.com\/blog\/septic-system-cost\/\"\n  },\n  \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.simplywise.com\/blog\/septic-system-cost\/\",\n  \"image\": [\n    \"https:\/\/images.unsplash.com\/photo-1759579478942-a6992a87fb8f?w=1400&h=700&fit=crop&q=80&auto=format\"\n  ]\n}\n<\/script><br \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@type\": \"HowTo\",\n  \"name\": \"How to Price a Septic System Install\",\n  \"step\": [\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"HowToStep\",\n      \"position\": 1,\n      \"name\": \"Get the perc rate before you get excited\",\n      \"text\": \"Run or obtain the percolation test first. Published state loading tables key the required absorption area off the percolation rate, and Virginia's table ranges from 165 square feet per bedroom at 5 minutes per inch to 1,368 square feet per bedroom at 120 minutes per inch.\"\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"HowToStep\",\n      \"position\": 2,\n      \"name\": \"Size the field from your own state table\",\n      \"text\": \"Apply the loading table your health department publishes, then apply the single family minimum area. Virginia floors a single family absorption area at 400 square feet and floors septic tank capacity at 750 gallons regardless of the calculated figure.\"\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"HowToStep\",\n      \"position\": 3,\n      \"name\": \"Pull the county fee schedule\",\n      \"text\": \"County health departments publish onsite sewage fee schedules. Fairfax County Virginia posts 200 dollars county, 215 dollars state and a 10 dollar indemnification fee, plus 200 dollars for alternative system plan review. Wake County North Carolina posts 400 dollars for the improvement permit, 400 dollars for the construction authorization and 110 dollars for residential design review.\"\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"HowToStep\",\n      \"position\": 4,\n      \"name\": \"Add what the parts list leaves out\",\n      \"text\": \"Add the excavator and its trucking, payroll burden, fuel, the soil evaluation, the designer, pipe, the distribution box, risers, backfill, seeding and margin on top of the tank, stone, permit and wage floor before sending the bid.\"\n    }\n  ]\n}\n<\/script><br \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n  \"mainEntity\": [\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"How much does a septic system cost to install?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"The sourced parts and fees are the part you can pin down. On a three bedroom house in 30 minute per inch soil, the tank, drainfield stone, permit and crew wages run 3,234 to 4,517 dollars. Machine time, design, pipe, backfill and margin ride on top.\"\n      }\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"What size septic tank do I need?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"Virginia's Table 5.2 sets the minimum at 750 gallons for one or two bedrooms, 900 gallons for three, 1,200 gallons for four and 1,500 gallons for five, and in no case under 750 gallons. Stocked poly sizes are 1,000, 1,250 and 1,500 gallons.\"\n      }\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"How big does the drainfield have to be?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"It depends on the percolation rate. Virginia's published absorption area table runs from 165 square feet per bedroom at 5 minutes per inch to 1,368 square feet per bedroom at 120 minutes per inch, with a 400 square foot floor for any single family home.\"\n      }\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"What does a septic permit cost?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"It depends on the county. The schedule is public. Fairfax County Virginia posts 425 dollars for a conventional new construction system and 625 dollars for an alternative one. Wake County North Carolina posts 800 dollars and 910 dollars.\"\n      }\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"Is an alternative septic system always more expensive?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"No. In the two counties on this page it costs more to permit, but in slow soil it needs about half the trench. At 120 minutes per inch the published Virginia table requires 1,368 square feet per bedroom under gravity distribution and 684 square feet per bedroom under low pressure distribution.\"\n      }\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"Can SimplyWise price a septic install from a photo?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"Yes. SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns a photo into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds, with material, labor and fee lines you can edit. Free to try, at $29.99\/mo or $239.99\/yr.\"\n      }\n    }\n  ]\n}\n<\/script><br \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@type\": \"BreadcrumbList\",\n  \"itemListElement\": [\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n      \"position\": 1,\n      \"name\": \"Home\",\n      \"item\": \"https:\/\/www.simplywise.com\/\"\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n      \"position\": 2,\n      \"name\": \"Blog\",\n      \"item\": \"https:\/\/www.simplywise.com\/blog\/\"\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n      \"position\": 3,\n      \"name\": \"Cost Guides\",\n      \"item\": \"https:\/\/www.simplywise.com\/blog\/category\/cost-guides\/\"\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n      \"position\": 4,\n      \"name\": \"Septic System Cost: What the Code and the Parts Actually Run\",\n      \"item\": \"https:\/\/www.simplywise.com\/blog\/septic-system-cost\/\"\n    }\n  ]\n}\n<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Blog &nbsp;&rsaquo;&nbsp; Cost Guides Contractor Calculator &middot; Septic Septic System Cost: What the Code and the Parts Actually Run Septic system cost starts with a sizing table, not a price list. Set the bedrooms and the soil below and every line updates as you type. Bidding the install? Estimate it from a photo in about [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"septic system cost","_yoast_wpseo_title":"Septic System Cost: What the Code and the Parts Actually Run","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Septic system cost from the published sizing tables up, with tank prices, drainfield stone, two county permit schedules, and crew wages. Set the bedrooms and perc rate.","_yoast_wpseo_linkdex":"74","_yoast_wpseo_content_score":"90","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[180],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8918","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cost-guides"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Septic System Cost: What the Code and the Parts Actually Run<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Septic system cost from the published sizing tables up, with tank prices, drainfield stone, two county permit schedules, and crew wages. 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