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Septic System Installation & Replacement in Birmingham, AL
Whether you’re building on land without city sewer or replacing a system that has finally given out, a septic installation is one of the biggest jobs a property ever needs, and one of the few you can’t cheaply redo. Precision Services handles the whole thing in-house out of McCalla: the soil testing, the health-department permit, the excavation, setting the tank, laying the field lines, and the final grade. One licensed, insured team with 35+ years in Alabama soil, and no subcontractors between you and the people doing the work.
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New Septic System Installation
Building a home outside the reach of city sewer starts with the septic system, not the foundation. The soil decides where the house, the tank and the field lines can go, so the earlier we’re involved, the fewer surprises there are later.
We size the system to the home, usually by the number of bedrooms, and lay out the tank and field lines around the lot, the driveway, any well, and the property lines. We handle the permitting with the health department, and if you’re working with a builder, we coordinate with them directly so the septic work lands in the right place in the schedule.
Septic System Replacement
A septic system doesn’t last forever. When a tank collapses, the field lines are saturated and won’t recover, or a home has outgrown the system it was built with, repairs stop making sense and replacement is the right call.
What we won’t do is tell you that before we know it. Plenty of systems that other companies quote for full replacement only need a repair to the tank, the baffles, or a few runs of field line. We diagnose first, show you what we found, and tell you honestly whether you need a new system or a fix. If it turns out to be a repair, see our septic repair and field line services. When replacement really is the answer, we take out the old system and install the new one as a single job.
Signs you may need a new system
- Sewage backing up into the house even after the tank has been pumped
- Soggy, sewage-smelling ground over the drain field that never dries out
- A tank that is cracked, collapsed, or failing structurally
- The same problems coming back after repairs that should have fixed them
- An addition or extra bedrooms the original system was never sized for
Building new or replacing a failed system? Let’s look at the lot.
Upfront pricing before any work starts.
How a Septic Installation Works
1
Site visit. We walk the lot and look at the slope, the access for equipment, and where any existing system sits.
2
Soil and perc testing. The soil test decides what kind of system the lot can support and where the field lines can go. Central Alabama’s heavy clay makes this step matter more here than in most places.
3
Permit. We prepare the paperwork under the Alabama Department of Public Health onsite sewage rules and handle the permit with the county health department in Jefferson or Tuscaloosa County.
4
Excavation and installation. We dig, set the tank, install the field lines, and connect the system to the house.
5
Inspection and final grade. Once the installation passes inspection, we backfill and grade the area so the yard can recover.
The permit and soil work usually take longer than the installation itself, so the sooner you call, the sooner the trucks can roll.
What Affects the Cost of a New Septic System
Every lot is different, so we don’t publish a flat price. We quote upfront, after the site evaluation and before any work starts. The things that move the number:
Soil and perc results decide the type and size of field the lot needs.
The size of the home. More bedrooms means a larger tank and more field line.
Access and slope. How easily the equipment gets in, and how much grading is involved.
Removing the old system, on a replacement.
Distance from the house to where the system can go.
Not sure what it is? Call us.
We offer multiple easy payment options, including Wells Fargo, GreenSky and our in-house 90-day plan, so a failed system doesn’t have to wait on your budget.
Conventional Systems and Tough Lots
Most of what we install around McCalla, Bessemer and Birmingham is a conventional gravity system: a tank and a field of drain lines that let the soil do the treatment. Not every lot is that simple. Heavy clay, a high water table, a steep slope or a small lot can rule out a standard field. If yours is one of them, we’ll tell you after the soil test and walk you through the options that work under the health-department rules.
Why Homeowners Call Us for Septic Installation
- We run our own trucks and crews, so there’s no subcontractor and no second company to chase.
- McCalla sits right on the Jefferson and Tuscaloosa county line, and so do we. We work under the rules in both counties.
- We’re plumbers too, so the line from the house to the tank is handled by the same crew.
- After the install, we pump, inspect and maintain what we build.
On the team
Levi Bice
Field Operations Manager
Levi has been a valued member of the Precision Services team for more than five years.
Serving Birmingham, McCalla & Bessemer
Our shop is in McCalla, minutes from Bessemer, Hueytown, Bucksville and the Tannehill area, and we install septic systems across the Birmingham area and into Tuscaloosa County, wherever city sewer stops and septic takes over. For pumping, repairs and inspections on an existing system, see our main septic services page.
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FAQ
Septic Installation FAQs
It depends on the lot. The soil and perc test results, the size of the home, access for equipment, and whether an old system has to come out all change the price. We quote upfront after the site evaluation, before any work starts, and we offer multiple easy payment options: Wells Fargo, GreenSky and our in-house 90-day plan.
Yes. A soil evaluation and perc test are part of permitting a new or replacement system under Alabama Department of Public Health onsite sewage rules. The results decide what kind of system the lot can support and where the field lines can go. We handle the testing and the permit as part of the job.
Backups that come back even after the tank is pumped, a drain field that stays soggy or smells, a cracked or collapsed tank, or a home that has outgrown its system are the usual signs. Many systems can be repaired instead, so we diagnose first and only recommend replacement when a repair won’t hold.
A well-maintained system often lasts 20 to 30 years or more, and the drain field usually wears out before the tank does. Pumping the tank every 3 to 5 years is the biggest thing you can do to extend its life.
Yes. If you’re building on land without city sewer, bring us in early. The soil evaluation decides where the house, the tank and the field lines can go, and we coordinate the septic work with your builder so it fits the schedule.