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The site and soil evaluation process is the most important first step in developing a property to be served by an Onsite Sewage Disposal System. A thorough understanding of the proposed development, landscapes, soil conditions and restrictive features are imperative to ensure the wastewater and water supply system will provide safe long term service. Let our experienced team of Certified Professional Soil Scientists (CPSS) and Virginia Authorized Onsite Evaluators (AOSE) help make your next project the most successful one yet.
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Soil Related Services
- General Soils Mapping
- Land Use & Planning
- Fairfax D.E.M.
- Special Projects
- Onsite System Suitability Studies
- Hydric Soil Delineations
- BMP/SWM Infiltration Trench Studies
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Onsite Sewage Disposal
Our team of Soil Scientists, Autorized Onsite Evaluators, Design Engineers and Licensed Contractors can provide you with the most effective and economical method of sewage disposal. Whether it's new construction, expanding your residence or facility or the repair of a failing system, let SES handle your Sewage Disposal needs from Design to Installation.
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YOUR SITE EVALUATION
SES conducts 4 different site evaluations depending on your specific needs. Two basic types of evaluations, AOSE and non-AOSE, are available. AOSE evaluations are approved by the health department in an expedited time frame without a field review. Non-AOSE evaluations require a health department field review and do not receive priority time processing.
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Non-AOSE Letter of Opinion is usually selected when time frames are short and you are not ready to build right away. We will evaluate any single specific site you indicate or simply attempt to find a suitable site anywhere on "The Property". You will receive a letter and rough location sketch of the site. No other soil documentation will accompany this letter. The letter is not suitable for submission to the health department or intended to be used as a certification that the parcel percs for real estate transactions. A disclaimer to this effect will be included in the letter.
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Non-AOSE Site Evaluation is usually selected when the health department’s turn around time is reasonable and there are no pending real estate transactions. We will evaluate any single specific site you indicate or locate a suitable site anywhere on "The Property". The non-AOSE evaluation is also recommended when trying to relocate or move a permitted health department site. You will receive a letter of opinion and accompanying soil / site documentation including a detailed location sketch and an abbreviated design form suitable for submission to the health department.
Fees can vary, depending on site conditions, location and time frame. These fees do not include time to meet with the Health Department specialists in the field to review the work. Subdivision evaluations may be processed as multiple non-AOSE Site Evaluations depending on the local county requirements. Fees are negotiated on a case by case basis.
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AOSE Certification Letter
is usually selected when there are no plans for immediate construction. These situations usually arise prior to pending real estate transactions. We will evaluate any single specific site you indicate or locate a suitable site anywhere on "The Property". You will receive a letter of opinion and accompanying soil / site documentation including a detailed location sketch and an abbreviated design form suitable for approval by the health department. Once submitted to the Health department, the letter will be approved without a site visit. The letter is suitable for recordation in the land records and guarantees that an onsite system can be designed on the lot. Depending on the location of the site and individual county requirements, a surveyed location may be necessary. The Health District office must process single lot applications in 20 days with a target time of 10 days.
Fees will vary, depending on site conditions, location and time frame. This fee does not include survey locating the site or abbreviated designs by a professional engineer if required by local health district policies. Subdivision evaluations may be processed as multiple AOSE Certification Letters depending on the local county requirements. Fees are negotiated on a case by case basis. The Health District office must process these applications in 60 days with a target time of 45 days.
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AOSE Certified Sewage Disposal Construction Permit is usually requested when there are plans for immediate construction. We will evaluate any single specific site you indicate or locate a suitable site anywhere on The Property. You will receive a letter of opinion and accompanying soil / site documentation including a detailed location sketch and a detailed sewage disposal system and well location construction design. It is imperative that the final house location be staked on the lot and that the lot lines are clearly marked. Depending on the location of the site and individual county requirements, a surveyed location or other means of locating the site may be necessary. The Health District office must process these applications in 15 days with a target time of 5 days.
Fees do not include survey locating the site if required. In addition, fees do not include the design of systems that require a professional engineer or design review fees charged by local health districts.
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OTHER CHARGES
Minimum Fee
If we attempt to locate a site on "The Property" but there are no suitable sites found, a minimum fee will be charged for the first two-hours on site and then hourly rates will begin to incur, until reaching the maximum quoted price. A letter citing the reasons a site could not be identified will be sent to the client.
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Split Site Fee
Our primary goal is to locate a single site with sufficient capacity to accommodate the proposed use and any required reserve area. If it is absolutely necessary to delineate two separate sites to meet these objectives, SES will charge an additional 25 % of the quoted fee for the second site.
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Perc Test Fee
Percolation or infiltration tests are sometimes required to determine an actual rate as opposed to an estimated rate. Some Counties require this test on individual lots and some require it on all or a certain percentage of subdivision lots. Additional fees for percolation testing vary, depending on location and site conditions. No percolation tests will be conducted without first obtaining the authorization of the client and agreement on the fee.
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Health Department Fees
In addition to the fees quoted above, the health department will charge a fee to process the non-AOSE Site Evaluations, AOSE certification letters and AOSE Certified Sewage Disposal Construction Permits. Minimum fees vary from County to County. When the health department processes applications for site certification letters based on bare applications, non-AOSE evaluations or AOSE Certification Letters, the guarantee that a system can be installed on the lot never expires. The certification letter can be converted to a health department issued construction permit with no additional fee in within 18-months. After 18 months, new health department fees are due.
When the health department processes applications for construction permits based on bare applications, non-AOSE evaluations or AOSE Certified permits, the permit design and fee expire in 12 months. After twelve months, there is still a guarantee that a system can be installed but the type of system will be determined by whatever regulations are in place at present, not when the permit was originally issued.
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Backhoe Fees
Where soil conditions are stony, deeper than six feet, extremely variable, extremely dry or extremely wet a backhoe will be required to complete the site evaluation. Certain soil types obviously do and others obviously do not warrant the use of a backhoe. Certain Counties require a backhoe and others prohibit the use unless absolutely necessary. Machinery moving charges, machine charges and operator charges are the responsibility of the client. SES has subcontract backhoes available for client use or you may hire your own backhoe. When hiring your own backhoe, the machine and operator must be capable of quickly excavating 2-foot wide pits to depths of 6 to 10 feet. Backhoes mounted on skid steer loaders, Terramyte type backhoes, older worn out machines or those mounted on the rear of small farm tractors are not suitable for this type of evaluation. Posthole diggers are not an acceptable alternative to a backhoe.
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Backhoe Use Policy
The following is our policy on the use of a backhoe and additional fees. Prior to quoting a fee to perform the site evaluation, SES will recommend one of the following with respect to the use of a backhoe:
- A backhoe is necessary to complete the site evaluation
- A backhoe may be necessary to complete the site evaluation
- A backhoe is likely not required to complete the site evaluation
If SES recommends either option 1 or 2, and the client elects to have SES attempt the evaluation without the backhoe and evaluation cannot be completed, SES will charge an additional fee to re-visit the site with the backhoe.
If the client elects to use SES’s subcontract backhoe, the client may either pay the subcontractor on site the day of the evaluation or have SES bill the client for the services at cost plus 10%.
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