Septic System ?

MeredithMan · 04-19-2018, 03:03 PM

...when we were looking to buy back in 2012, we came very close to putting an offer on a place in Moultonboro. It was a great house, great location, new construction, but it was listed as a two-bedroom septic. Master BR was on first floor, and 3 other "bedrooms" on the 2nd floor. However, only 1 of the "bedrooms", was a true "bedroom", as it had a closet. The other two rooms did not have closets, so they were technically not "bedrooms". I suppose you could have used them as a home office and sewing room or something, but they were clearly "bedrooms".

We decided to pass due to the 2-bedroom septic specification for what appeared to be a 4 bedroom house. I guess it didn't matter much, as someone came along right behind us and bought it!

DickR · 04-19-2018, 04:39 PM

Our situation was a bit reversed. When we built the new house in 2010, we had the septic system sized for five bedrooms, even though two of the five would be used for sleeping (when family comes to visit) but had no closets and thus were "utility rooms." The windows were sized and positioned for emergency egress purposes, as required for bedroom purposes, and one room since has acquired a free-standing closet ("wardrobe," I guess it would be called). I would think that instead of squeaking past legal septic requirements it would be more important to be sure that septic capacity is appropriate for actual use of the house. An undersized system, relative to use, is asking for trouble at some point.

TheTimeTraveler · 04-19-2018, 05:26 PM

If possible always engineer and build a larger system than code actually requires so that if you decide to add on or sell you can get your project done without a lot of hassle...... Codes are revised over time so it can make upgrading to a newer system to be very cost prohibited (especially if you are dealing with ledge or near wetlands).

Also, ALWAYS design your system to be compatible with the use of a garbage disposal, even if you don't use a garbage disposal. Subsequent buyers or user usually do want a garbage disposal.

A new septic system should be pumped at least every other year and it will provide a lifetime of worry free use.

.

FlyingScot · 04-20-2018, 09:28 PM

Second all of the above--it's a serious thing for both your family and the health of the lake. Like MM, we passed on a 4 bedroom house with a 2 bedroom septic. An undersized or unmaintained system is just a time bomb waiting to go off on a weekend with lots of friends/family up to visit.

Plus, septic rules in general are likely to get tougher over time, so even if you do skate by without incident, that introduces financial exposure when someday you try to sell.

Lamprey Septic has been great with the house we did end up buying.

tis · 04-21-2018, 05:00 AM

The whole thing doesn't make a lot of sense anyway. I know somebody who had several adults and 9 kids at a one bedroom camp with a loft area. I am sure it had a small septic system. The number of bedrooms doesn't have anything to do with how much the the septic is used. But I guess you can't control the number of people in a house so how else other than bedrooms would you figure what you need? I don't know why anybody would want to put in a smaller septic system, other than the lot is too small for the size they want.

swnoel · 04-21-2018, 07:30 AM

What's more important is if there is area large enough to accommodate a larger system. A 2 bedroom system can clearly handle 3 bedrooms! It is assumed there will be 2 people per bedroom!

04-19-2018, 03:03 PM	#1
MeredithMan Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Bedford, NH; Meredith, NH Posts: 954 Thanks: 263 Thanked 814 Times in 333 Posts	I believe that is true... ...when we were looking to buy back in 2012, we came very close to putting an offer on a place in Moultonboro. It was a great house, great location, new construction, but it was listed as a two-bedroom septic. Master BR was on first floor, and 3 other "bedrooms" on the 2nd floor. However, only 1 of the "bedrooms", was a true "bedroom", as it had a closet. The other two rooms did not have closets, so they were technically not "bedrooms". I suppose you could have used them as a home office and sewing room or something, but they were clearly "bedrooms". We decided to pass due to the 2-bedroom septic specification for what appeared to be a 4 bedroom house. I guess it didn't matter much, as someone came along right behind us and bought it!

04-19-2018, 04:39 PM	#2
DickR Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 751 Thanks: 4 Thanked 259 Times in 171 Posts	Our situation was a bit reversed. When we built the new house in 2010, we had the septic system sized for five bedrooms, even though two of the five would be used for sleeping (when family comes to visit) but had no closets and thus were "utility rooms." The windows were sized and positioned for emergency egress purposes, as required for bedroom purposes, and one room since has acquired a free-standing closet ("wardrobe," I guess it would be called). I would think that instead of squeaking past legal septic requirements it would be more important to be sure that septic capacity is appropriate for actual use of the house. An undersized system, relative to use, is asking for trouble at some point.

04-19-2018, 05:26 PM	#3
TheTimeTraveler Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 887 Thanks: 278 Thanked 288 Times in 178 Posts	If possible always engineer and build a larger system than code actually requires so that if you decide to add on or sell you can get your project done without a lot of hassle...... Codes are revised over time so it can make upgrading to a newer system to be very cost prohibited (especially if you are dealing with ledge or near wetlands). Also, ALWAYS design your system to be compatible with the use of a garbage disposal, even if you don't use a garbage disposal. Subsequent buyers or user usually do want a garbage disposal. A new septic system should be pumped at least every other year and it will provide a lifetime of worry free use. .

04-20-2018, 09:28 PM	#4
FlyingScot Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Tuftonboro and Sudbury, MA Posts: 2,399 Thanks: 1,297 Thanked 1,021 Times in 631 Posts	Second all of the above--it's a serious thing for both your family and the health of the lake. Like MM, we passed on a 4 bedroom house with a 2 bedroom septic. An undersized or unmaintained system is just a time bomb waiting to go off on a weekend with lots of friends/family up to visit. Plus, septic rules in general are likely to get tougher over time, so even if you do skate by without incident, that introduces financial exposure when someday you try to sell. Lamprey Septic has been great with the house we did end up buying.

04-21-2018, 05:00 AM	#5
tis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,746 Thanks: 752 Thanked 1,459 Times in 1,016 Posts	The whole thing doesn't make a lot of sense anyway. I know somebody who had several adults and 9 kids at a one bedroom camp with a loft area. I am sure it had a small septic system. The number of bedrooms doesn't have anything to do with how much the the septic is used. But I guess you can't control the number of people in a house so how else other than bedrooms would you figure what you need? I don't know why anybody would want to put in a smaller septic system, other than the lot is too small for the size they want.

04-21-2018, 07:30 AM	#6
swnoel Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 529 Thanks: 83 Thanked 194 Times in 118 Posts	What's more important is if there is area large enough to accommodate a larger system. A 2 bedroom system can clearly handle 3 bedrooms! It is assumed there will be 2 people per bedroom!