THE 10 STEPS OF
SOIL WORK IN
WILLIAMSON COUNTY
TENNESSEE
STEP 1
REQUEST SOIL WORK
Clicking the button below and filling out the form on the next page, is the first step to getting on the schedule. Due to the nature of the business, I am away from the phone for most of the day. This form keeps my client information organized, all new information in one place, helps me get back to you faster, allot the proper amount of time for your job, and gets your job done sooner.
STEP 2
GETTING ON THE SCHEDULE
Once you have filled out the form above, I will contact you and get you on the schedule. Please allow 10 business days from the time you submit the form to be contacted. If you are checking on the status of a request, please email me. Texts are much harder to keep track of and my voicemail is frequently full due to high demand.
Multiple "REQUEST FOR SOIL WORK" submissions, multiple voicemails, multiple texts, and multiple emails do not make the process go any faster. Many times it has the opposite affect.
STEP 3
YOU'VE GOT A PROJECT
The only labor intensive part of this process for you is going to be keeping the site mowed and/or cleared. In order to complete the preliminary soil testing (the next step), I need access to an area that is free of dense vegetation. Grass must be mowed, undergrowth needs to be cleared, dense thickets need to be thinned, and any other debris that would prevent me from having a clear view of how the ground lays for at least 50 feet from anywhere I am on the property needs to be removed. How this is done is important, please review the SITE PREP page for more information
Once you have been scheduled, you should anticipate keeping the site mowed, cleared, and clean until step 9 has been completed (usually 3-4 months). If grass is higher than your ankles, it is possible that Williamson County Septic Departments will require you to mow it before they approve your soil map.
STEP 4
PRELIMINARY SOIL TESTING
A preliminary soil evaluation will take about an hour per soil site depending on the size of the property, the complexity of the soil present, and ease of access. During the evaluation, we will look at the absorption rate of the soil, evidence of water logging, and general suitability for septic.
In order to complete this step, the property will need to be walkable and mowed/cleared enough to see physical features like gullies, holes, and other things that may limit the soil's usage for septic. If a property is not clear enough to be evaluated, rescheduling may be required and a fee may be charged.
You will have an answer as to the suitability of your site for septic by the end of the evaluation. If your soil is suitable, the area will be marked with flagging, GPS points will be recorded, and we will discuss the next steps.
You have the option to pay on site, or you can be invoiced. Payment on the day of the preliminary evaluation is always appreciated.
STEP 5
PRELIMINARY REPORT
In about a week, you will receive a report stating the findings of the preliminary soil evaluation including a satellite image of the area(s) that were found to be suitable for septic. You will also receive an invoice (marked as paid if you paid on the day of the preliminary evaluation).
When you move to the next step, your surveyor is going to need to see this report.
STEP 6
HIRE A SURVEYOR
Once you know that you have an area suitable for septic, you will need to hire a surveyor. They may need to do a boundary survey of your site before they put stakes in a 50 foot grid pattern with centimeter accuracy. They will then create a field map using these reference points that we will use for the next phase of the process, soil mapping.
These stakes need to be protected and the site needs to be kept mowed, cleared, and undisturbed. Stakes can be protected by driving metal fence posts next to them to keep them in place. If stakes are knocked over, bush hogged, or disturbed, you may need to re-hire the surveyor to re-create the grid. This costs time and money.
Clearing can be done with a bush hog, a mower, by hand, or using a forestry mulcher (on a machine no larger than a skid steer with rubber tracks). Do not damage the surface of the soil site in any way or the preliminary findings may be nullified. Digging, pushing dirt around, creating large ruts, parking heavy equipment, piling up dirt from other areas, etc. may all nullify the preliminary report.
This area will need to be kept cleared until after step 9. Failure to keep an area mowed may result in longer wait times (an potentially extra charges) due to surveyors, soil scientists, and county employees not being able to navigate the site and see what is needed to complete the job.
If you would like a recommendation for a surveyor, I would be happy to point you to those who know the Williamson County Septic Department. Here is a document that may help you communicate what you need from a surveyor.
STEP 7
SOIL MAPPING
Once we have received the map from the surveyor, we will get you on the schedule for soil mapping. During soil mapping, we will take a sample at every stake and in the center of each grid box. This is only possible if the grid is still intact. Using the map and the observations made during sampling, we will create a map of the soil and make recommendations for how the soil can be used for septic.
Payment for mapping is required once the mapping is complete.
STEP 8
The completed soil map will be submitted to Williamson County Septic Department for review. At this point, you will receive an invoice for the soil mapping.
SUBMISSION TO
WILLIAMSON COUNTY SEPTIC DEPARTMENT
STEP 9
APPROVED SOIL MAP
A Williamson County employee from the Septic Department will come out to review the map and make any necessary comments. Once all comments are addressed, the map will be approved, and you move onto the platting phase.
This is the end of my involvement with your project.
STEP 10
PLATTING
This tends to be the most time consuming step. Your surveyor will create a septic plat that will eventually become the official plan for how and where your septic system will be installed. The plat is subject to approval by Williamson County Septic Department just like the soil map.