Septic inspection: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering septic inspection

A septic inspection is a written assessment, and the customer will use it to make a sale or a repair decision. The report has to show what you checked and what you could not check.

What customers ask

  • Will this report pass for the sale?
  • Is the drain field failing?
  • How long will the inspection take?
  • Do you pump the tank as part of the report?
  • What if you cannot find the lids?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask the system age, the tank count, the last pump date, the household use, and what the report is for.
  • Bring a probe, a flashlight, a sludge measuring tool, a pump and alarm tester, a camera for the risers, and a report template for the sale or upkeep format.
  • Find all the lids before you start, and note any you could not open in the report.
  • Measure and record the levels, the baffles, the pump chamber and the field, with photos of each.
  • Quote the inspection and any pumping, dye test or field test as separate lines, so the scope is clear.
  • Give a written report with the findings, the photos, what was not checked, and the recommended next steps.

What to put on your profile

  • Photos of an inspected tank showing the baffles and levels, labeled
  • List the report types you produce, such as sale, upkeep and repair assessment
  • Note the parts you test, such as pumps, floats and alarms, and the tests you run
  • Show a sample report with the sections you fill in

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer a follow-up inspection after the repair or pump, to confirm the system is working
  • Recommend a reminder for the next inspection at a set interval
  • Suggest a field check after a wet season when the report noted soft ground

Licenses and permits

Septic inspection is commonly done by licensed or certified septic professionals, and the report may need to meet local rules or the lender's and buyer's requirements. Confirm the requirements with your state or local licensing agency and the local health department before taking the work.

Questions

What do I say when the seller wants a clean report without the field test?

Explain what the report can and cannot show. Offer the field test and the reason for it, and note in the report whether it was done.

How do I handle a tank I cannot open safely?

Do not force the lid. Note the access limit in the report, and recommend the lid be exposed or repaired before the inspection is finished.

What should I do when the report finds a failing drain field?

Show the findings and the evidence, and explain the options. A failing field is a repair or replacement decision that needs a licensed designer or installer in many areas.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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