How Much Does a Percolation Test Cost?

By Sarah Stasik

October 29, 2024

With home prices soaring in many areas, potential homebuyers are looking closely at their options. For many, buying a tract of land a bit off the beaten path and building their own home — or bringing in a manufactured or modular home — seems like a great idea.

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If you're considering this option, it's important to understand what a percolation test is. You also might want to factor in percolation test costs as you plan financially for this new chapter in life.

What Is a Soil Percolation Test?

A percolation test evaluates the land and soil at a certain site to understand how water drains through the soil. During percolation testing, the rate at which the water moves down through the soil is measured.

The purpose of this test is to understand whether a location is a good place for a septic system and what type of septic system may be necessary.

You only have to worry about a perc test if you are purchasing land with an intent to add a home in an area that doesn't connect to municipal sewer systems. If that's the case, you need the land to perc so it's approved for an appropriate septic system for the house you want to build. There are some alternative options for septic systems that work even if the ground doesn't perc, but they tend to be more expensive to install and maintain due to complex working parts and other factors.

Who Performs a Percolation Test?

A septic percolation test is conducted by a certified or licensed professional. The requirements for who can conduct these tests depend on where you live. You can contact your local health department to find out what type of professional you may need. If you're shopping for land with a real estate agent, your agent will likely know of perc testers in your area you can work with.

How Long Does It Take to Get Percolation Test Results?

A perc test involves digging holes to understand the nature of a proposed drain field. Typically, at least two holes are dug. They're around 3 feet deep and up to a foot in diameter. The holes are dug fairly far apart to give an idea of the overall nature of the soil in the area.

Once the holes are dug, gravel is added to the bottom, and the soil is saturated with water. After conditioning the area, which takes at least a day, the perc tester adds a certain amount of water and measures how long it takes to drain away. This information is used to calculate the perc rate for the potential septic drain field.

How long it takes to get the perc test results back depends on how long the test took, how many tests the professional is conducting and the professional's process for creating and providing result reports. It will take at least a day and may take several days to a week or more, depending on those factors.

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How Much Does Percolation Testing Cost?

The average price of a percolation test is around $1,300 (CAD 1,762), according to Bob Vila.

Some factors that can make the cost more or less than the average include:

The size of the land.
When testing larger drain fields, a professional will need to dig more holes and conduct more drain testing. This increases the time the test takes, which increases the cost.
Required hole size.
If the test requires wider or deeper holes, that's more labor-intensive, driving up costs.
Septic system type and use.
The exact use of the land will impact the requirements for a perc test and how much it costs.

The best way to understand the percolation test cost for your specific project is to get a quote from a local tester.

All CAD conversions are based on the exchange rate on the date of publication.

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