Percolation Test

dfcelt

Currently finalising plans for planning submittal on a 1/2 acre site. Besides getting mortgage approval from the bank I would imagine the next logical step would be to have percolation test done on-site to submit with rest of application. I rang a company in <SNIP> who have quoted me 900euro + mileage :eek:, I have to arrange digger (not an issue as bro. in-law has one nearby) but I have a feeling this cost may be excessive.

Anybody willing to share the cost of their own test & what it entails? Could an engineer carry this out or does it have to be an environmental type agency Would appreciate your views before I make my decision. Any other contacts/firms in the North East that ye can recommend will be greatfully accepted.



Edit by muffler: Its always better not to mention a company name.

sandyg

Ours cost €700 by our Engineer (he was qualified in that field of work as well). Failed first time and charged us €500 for second test which passed. We had to arrange to have the holes dug. Got Bord na mona treatment plant installed at a cost of €4,800.

muffler

In Donegal you would be looking at a figure of around €550 - €600. From a previous post somewhere here I know its a bit dearer than that in other parts of the country.

Officially the test is supposed to be carried out by someone on the PA' s approved list but it would appear that anyone with a bit of knowledge in this area can do it. Ideally the person involved should have completed the FETAC course.

Sorry I dont know of anyone in the North East myself but your architect/agent should be able to give you a couple of names or if you ring the local planning office they may give out a couple of names to you. They are not really supposed to recommend anyone but if you explain that you are stuck and that you just want to get a couple of quotations Im sure they will sort you out.

Good luck with it

dfcelt

Thanks for the replies, will leave out company names in future.

godtabh

muffler wrote: »

Officially the test is supposed to be carried out by someone on the PA' s approved list but it would appear that anyone with a bit of knowledge in this area can do it. Ideally the person involved should have completed the FETAC course.

What FETAC course is it? Never heard of it

muffler

kearnsr wrote: »

What FETAC course is it? Never heard of it

AFAIK its a course run in conjunction with FAS/EPA. I think it was called something like Assessment for On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems but I am open to correction on that.

I have never involved myself much in that end of things but I have seen it written down in a couple of reports that came to me from site assessors.

smashey

I know a guy who did two planning applications recently and wasn't aware of the site assessment requirement. The applications were invalidated because of this. I gave him a few contacts in Donegal to do it for him but he did it himself. (He is an architectural technician and was working at something else for a while). He discussed it with the EHO and was told that as they didn't have an approved list of qualified people yet, there was no reason why his assessment couldn't be accepted. Planning permission was given.

Slates

Just after getting mind done last week, €480 for the test but in most cases cash will bring down the price a bit further

I'll have to put in a treatment system with a raised perc bed, the system I'm going for will cost €4600 all in, but as I said when you are selfbuilding "Cash is King"

godtabh

Thats interesting.

As I've siad I've never heard of it.

Most of the ones that I've got done has been done by SI people. But for one reason or another I've had done them myself. Maybe because most of my work is in dublin and infiltration isnt much use here thats why I never heard of it

Slates

Question,

When you have to use a Wasterwater treatment system and a raised perc bed, what exactly do the council require from the manufacturer of the system ?

smashey

Slates wrote: »

Question,

When you have to use a Wasterwater treatment system and a raised perc bed, what exactly do the council require from the manufacturer of the system ?

The Council go by what the assessor recommends. The recommendation is based on soil conditions.

Slates

smashey wrote: »

The Council go by what the assessor recommends. The recommendation is based on soil conditions.

Do they need a copy of the Agrement cert. ?

smashey

Slates wrote: »

Do they need a copy of the Agrement cert. ?

The reports that I got done recently all included the manufacturer's literature which in turn would have an agrement cert.

Slates

smashey wrote: »

The reports that I got done recently all included the manufacturer's literature which in turn would have an agrement cert.

Thanks for the help, I've just out that the maunfacturer has to come out a do a site suitability report which is submitted with the planning application

construct06

Kearnsr, link to course details:

http://www.fas.ie/en/Employer/One+Step+Up/One+Step+Up+Programmes+Listing/Environment/Site+Suitability+Assessments+for+On-Site+Wastewater+Management.htm

Ive done this course. In order to get on the Councils panel you must ass the course and council interview, including ongoing assessment. Most councils in the Midwest have this requirement now. Oh u must have Pi insurance aswell...

muffler

Slates wrote: »

Question,

When you have to use a Wasterwater treatment system and a raised perc bed, what exactly do the council require from the manufacturer of the system ?

Most likely they will condition it on the PP that you submit details of a 5 year maintenance agreement/programme with the manufacturer prior to commencing the works.

sydthebeat

Slates wrote: »

Question,

1.When you have to use a Wasterwater treatment system and a raised perc bed,
2.what exactly do the council require from the manufacturer of the system ?

1. generally where there is a high water table level, or high bedrock level.. SR 6 and EPA guidelines generally require a minimum distance of 1.2 m between these and the invert of the percolation pipes, thus sometimes requiring a raised bed area. An Effluent treatment system is also generally required where the percolation test fails, although some councils require it automatically for rural dwellings.

2. generally, a site specific report from the manufacturers, a specification of the system and a signed maintainence contract.

roadmaster

Kearnsr, link to course details:

http://www.fas.ie/en/Employer/One+St...Management.htm

Ive done this course. In order to get on the Councils panel you must ass the course and council interview, including ongoing assessment. Most councils in the Midwest have this requirement now. Oh u must have Pi insurance aswell...

Hi I know its a whiile since this topic was last talked about, the above link seams to be no longer working, does anyone know if fas is running this course anymore? as i cant seam to find it on there website

atech

Try Paul Cruise/Catriona Cummins in FAS at 01-6070814. They were in charge of running it.

Last course was in September. I think they only do 1 a year.

cagefan

Anyone know if there is an equivilent (and cheaper) test in UK?