All Things Septic Systems: Everything You Need to Know!
Buying land? Skip the septic due diligence and you could light $30,000–$40,000 on fire.
In this episode, host Mac Christian sits down with Tyler Sgro, President & CEO of Davis Horizons (licensed professional soil classifier), and Robert Waddell of National Land Realty to lay out—in plain English—how septic systems make or break raw land purchases.
We cut through the hype on septic vs. sewer, conventional (non‑engineered) vs. engineered systems, and the real drivers of cost: soil texture, seasonal high water table/zone of saturation, space constraints, topography, and bedroom count. You’ll get a straight answer on the “perc (perk) test” vs. soil test debate (hint: in South Carolina it’s a soil classification that matters), plus what actually happens in the drain field, how septic tanks work, and the maintenance that keeps systems from failing.
What you’ll learn (without the sales pitch):
- When a lot truly supports a conventional drain field and when you’ll need an engineered/pre‑treatment system—and why engineered isn’t “bad,” it’s just different.
- Budgeting that doesn’t blow up: why a soil test before closing protects you from $30k–$40k surprises; typical pump‑out costs (~$500 every 3–5 years); realistic lifespans (conventional ~30–50 years; treatment systems ~20–30 years).
- How bedroom count dictates system size (plan for more bedrooms now; you can scale down later) and the regulatory planning number of ~120 gallons/day per bedroom.
- Mounded fill vs. pre‑treatment: footprint trade‑offs, aesthetics, and costs in shallow‑groundwater or poor‑soil scenarios.
- Wetlands & permits: when you cannot place a system without a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wetland fill permit; why setbacks and space—not just acreage—often control feasibility.
- Common failure points (and how to avoid them): solids getting past the tank, flushing the wrong materials, vacation‑rental usage spikes (barrier‑island problem), and ignoring annual service on advanced treatment units.
- Replacement realities & regulations: why many replacements are treated as repairs (SC context) and when a new soil look makes sense on older systems.
Who this episode is for: land buyers and sellers, agents, builders, homesteaders, developers, investors—anyone evaluating buildable acreage without municipal sewer.
Guests:
- Tyler Sgro, President & CEO, Davis Horizons — a tech‑forward soil services firm operating statewide in South Carolina.
- Robert Waddell, National Land Realty — 14 years in land sales with a focus on contract contingencies that actually protect buyers.
Bottom line: If septic feasibility isn’t a top contract contingency, you’re gambling with your buildability, your budget, and your timeline.