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Septic Systems and Bedrooms- Here is the poop on it.

By Donald Hester

Home Inspector with NCW Home Inspections, LLC

June 12, 2014 12:24 AM

Septic Systems and Bedrooms- Here is the poop on it. Chelan Real Estate Inspections

So you are looking at a home or trying to sell a home that is on a septic system. A crucial question needs to be asked. How many bedrooms was the septic system designed for? This may affect just how the home should be listed.

If your septic system (on-site waste system) is designed for 3 bedrooms then you have a 3 bedroom home no matter how many bedrooms there may be or anyone thinks there should be.

I just did a home inspection that was listed as 4 bedrooms but the septic was designed for 3 bedrooms. This will be recorded on my home inspection report as 3 bedroom home (oh did I mention that the bonus room has a closet ; ). I feel the listing should have been corrected to reflect the actual home septic design.

Chelan and Douglas County have this requirement-

New permits are required:

• When the number of bedrooms or sewage flow increases;

• Where the use is changed (e.g. an accessory structure is converted to a residence)

• Where new connections are made to a shared or community septic system.

So if you add or plan to add an additional bedroom you may have to modify your septic system to handle that additional load.

This is why getting a proper permit is so essential. The Health District will review the application to verify that there are records of the approved on-site sewage system installation that will support the proposed change to the building or property. The evaluation is intended to help assure that proposed changes will not impair the operation of the existing on-site sewage system.

What If an existing septic system (on-site sewage system) has no record of approval?

You will need to hire a Washington State licensed Septic System Designer or Professional

Engineer to verify that the existing on-site sewage system meets the current guidelines at the time of the application or install a new on-site sewage system. A replacement septic system may need to be installed if the located existing septic system does not meet today’s septic system guidelines for the proposed project.

So when it comes to homes on septic systems this is a very important piece of information that should be collected.

“If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.”

Red Adair

NCW Home Inspections, LLC is a Licensed Washington State Home Inspection service located in Wenatchee Washington serving Chelan County, Douglas County, Kittitas County, Okanogan County and Grant County Washington and the cities of Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Cashmere, Oroville, Cle Elum, East Wenatchee, Quincy and many more…

Your Wenatchee and Chelan Professional Real Estate, Home and Structural Pest Inspection Service

www.ncwhomeinspections.com 509-670-9572

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Lenn Harley

Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA

Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

In my area of MD and Northern VA, a building permit will be approved for 4 bedrooms if the septic is approved for 3 bedrooms. I've verified this with some of the counties in my area.

However, I did have a buyer interested in a home for sale with 3 bedrooms. He wanted to add another bed and bath in the attic. County said it couldn't be permitted.

You just can't have 4 bedrooms in a home with a 2 bedroom septic.

Jun 12, 2014 12:46 AM

Donald Hester

NCW Home Inspections, LLC - Wenatchee, WA

NCW Home Inspections, LLC

Lenn, I find that interesting. Then they should (in my humble opinion) list the system as good for up to 4 bedrooms. But like many things each jurisdiction can interpret as they feel.

Typically here they may require an additional frainflield line to handle the additional load.

Jun 12, 2014 12:58 AM

Jay Markanich

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA

Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

I see septic systems all the time in houses with three and four bedrooms. And I would have no idea what the original system was percked for.

Jun 12, 2014 09:02 AM

Charles Buell

Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA

Seattle Home Inspector

I think if I see a house that has three bedrooms with no alterations no red flags would go off. But if I see a house that was clearly a three bedroom house and the basment has been finished off with three more bedrooms, or the garage has been finished off into a couple of bedrooms or additions have been added with bedrooms, then I would be more interested in whether the septic system is adequate or not.

Jun 12, 2014 01:58 PM

Jay Markanich

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA

Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Agreed Charlie. There is no Virginia State Licensed whatever to tell us this or that, as Don describes Washington has. When I see what you describe I merely suggest the buyer find out.

And a three-bedroom house could be put on a lot percked for four. But unlikely.

Jun 12, 2014 06:40 PM

Joe Petrowsky

Mortgage Consultant, Right Trac Financial Group, Inc. NMLS # 2709 - Manchester, CT

Your Mortgage Consultant for Life

Good morning Donald. Outstanding post on septic systems. There are so many undersized septic systems out there. When flipping houses, I have replaced many that had failed.

Jun 12, 2014 08:15 PM

Donald Hester

NCW Home Inspections, LLC - Wenatchee, WA

NCW Home Inspections, LLC

Jay, Here they should have an as built . Quite often on the inspection the agent/buyer have that information with them.

Charlie, I agree. But I have also seen when the builder try to pull a little fasty so to get away with a smaller septic system.

Jay, Here every home has to that the septic pumped and certified on a sale. So often the information is available on what the septic design was for.

Joe, I have been on several inspections when everything went sideways because of the septic. On one the septic field had failed and they did not have a reserve field. So the question was can they get it to the sewer system which had been installed since this home was built.

Jun 12, 2014 11:24 PM

Jay Markanich

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA

Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Wow. There is no such requirement here. I suggest to my clients on the report that if the seller cannot provide a receipt proving pumping inside of the last two years that they have it pumped prior to settlement. And we are finding that lots of tanks and connections to and from were damaged by the earthquake 3 years ago!

Jun 13, 2014 07:50 AM

Debb Janes

Nature As Neighbors - Camas, WA

Put My Love of Nature At Work for You

Great advice, I always pull the records prior to showing a property with a septic system. And, we do ask for a current inspection and pumpling if it hasn't been done in the last two years. Lately, I've run into a few properties with 4 or 5 bedrooms - yet they are listed as only 3 bedrooms in the RMLS. The reason - the septic limitiations. At least they're being honest about it...

Jun 14, 2014 01:41 AM

Donald Hester

NCW Home Inspections, LLC - Wenatchee, WA

NCW Home Inspections, LLC

Jay, Yeah there have been quite a few systems that have failed over the years and they can create issues with groundwater when they do.

Debb, I think most really do not know and they should ask this basic question. It was good that those listing were reflecting what they had.

Jun 14, 2014 02:08 AM

James Quarello

JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC - Wallingford, CT

Connecticut Home Inspector

First, I have never listed in my report the number of bedrooms in a house. I have found on many occasions bedrooms that just weren't bedrooms for any number of reasons that fall within the scope of my inspection. Septic systems are not in any way part of my inspection, however I typically sub out the service if the client would like. I do advise clients on inspecting and having the system pumped prior to sale.

The WA rules seem to provide an avenue for you to comment to the client on the bedrooms relative to tank size. Not so here. I concur with Charlie, one bedroom more is not really an issue. Truly it is the number of occupants more than number of bedrooms that is relative. The sanitarians here always ask about current occupancy and expected occupancy.

Had two systems this week that are at capacity. :(

Jun 20, 2014 09:30 PM