Lakeville, MA · Serving the South Shore & Cape Cod

Reliable Excavations

Septic system installation and builders lot packages from a crew with 30+ years in the dirt.

Call for a Free Estimate Our Services
If you've got dirt, we can dig it!
Commercial & Residential

What we dig

Septic System Installation

Reliable installs all types of systems, whether it be a gravity feed, pump, or a pressure dosing system. We use only the best materials and the most reputable suppliers around.

Builders Lot Packages

Complete packages from stump and strip of raw land, to digging and backfilling of foundations and utility lines, septic system or town sewer hookups, sonotubes, stone and recycled asphalt driveways. All sites custom to the builder's needs.

If you've got dirt, we can dig it.Reliable Excavations · Est. 2016
About

30+ years. One crew. The whole job.

We are an excavation company with 30+ years experience in all phases of excavation. Reliable specializes in septic system installation and builders lot packages. We take pride in our work and use only the best materials in all phases of our business. Your job will be done in a timely manner while keeping your jobsite as neat and organized as possible.

For homeowners, we can put you together with a top engineer and organize all permits and fees associated with the job to remove the hassle or stress that comes with the process. We strive to beat our competitors in every way, from quality work to lowest prices, but most of all we take charge of the entire process.

Reliable is located in Lakeville, MA but we travel the entire South Shore including Cape Cod. We like to form long lasting relationships with all of our customers, so you can depend on getting your work done in a timely, professional manner. It's our goal to leave every customer happy with as much money left in your pocket as can be. Give us a try, you will be glad you did!

30+Years experience
2016Established
FreeEstimates
Reliable Excavations excavators and trucks on a job site
Projects

Recent work

Septic tank installed next to a new foundation
Concrete septic tank with riser
Skid steer grading beside a new garage
Crew and excavator working in a road trench
Finished graded road and lots in a new neighborhood
Sand-filled leaching field with excavator behind
Foundation walls excavated and backfilled
Gravel leaching system with orange safety fence
Septic piping and distribution box at a new home
Volvo excavator loading a dump truck
Block retaining wall beside a driveway
Homeowner Information

Need a new septic system?

Here's how the process works, start to finish. Feel free to call us with any questions.

Usually you will have some sort of effluent (septic grey water) leaking out of the ground near or on your leaching area. Sometimes it won't break out of the ground but will just start backing up into the tank and eventually into the plumbing of the house. A good way to check would be to open your septic tank cover and check the level of the waste in your tank. There will be a sanitary tee on the in and out of the tank. If the waste is above either tee that means your system is either not leaching or possibly some solids escaped out the outlet tee and is obstructing the piping to the leaching facility. A normal looking tank would have the waste just at the height of the bottom of the outlet pipe.

If you have concluded that you have a failed septic system, your first step is to call a local engineer. The engineer will quote you a price to do what is called a perc test. A perc test consists of an excavation company coming in and digging a minimum of two deep holes in your yard, usually near your existing septic system, with one hole having a shelf into what is considered good leaching material. The engineer then pours water into a hole dug on that shelf to test how fast the water will drain through the material. The reason for two deep holes is to check for depth of water table and to establish the soils and elevations of those soil layers. The engineer will then take all that data and design a septic system that best suits your soils and number of bedrooms inside your home. The perc test is witnessed by your local town health agent, which is coordinated by your engineer.

Once your engineer has completed your septic design plan, they will give you multiple copies so you can have an excavation company quote you a price for the work to be done. They will also be able to send you PDF files of the plan so you can e-mail copies to companies for quotes. You should always get a minimum of three quotes from three different excavation companies.

Septic systems vary in price; your price will depend on the size of your system and the soils you have. Some systems need what is called a remove & replace. That is when unsuitable materials are removed and screened perc sand is installed in its place. You should always hire a company that is going to include everything needed for the installation of your system, including all labor and materials, loam and seed, and any repair to walls or driveway that may have been disturbed.

Negotiate a payment schedule with your installer that works for you both. Typical terms are 50% upon start of work and 50% upon completion. A certificate is issued to the installer by the board of health that states the system was installed correctly by the plan and according to local and state regulations. The installer passes that along to the homeowner after final payment is made. In some cases, the homeowner may have sold the house, and the system is being paid for at closing. In that case the closing attorney usually may require the certificate up to a week before the closing date, and will cut a check at closing directly to the installer. Since installing a septic system can be a large expense, some homeowners apply within the town they live in for a Betterment loan to cover the installation. In this case some installers will install the system, and the town will pay in full once the system is installed.

All septic installers automatically have to warranty the installation of the system for 1 year. Some installers may warranty longer, but any good company would help you out beyond that year expiration.

If you need a new septic system, start the process by calling an engineer or a septic installation company that will put you in touch with a quality engineer. From there they will schedule a perc test with the town. Once the perc test is complete the engineer will draw up a design, then submit it to the board of health for approval. In most cases you could have an approved design within 30 days. Some towns take longer than others for approval. Once you have the design from the engineer you can start shopping your design around for pricing. You should always get at least 3 quotes for your design. We hope this information is helpful; we will try to add more as new homeowner questions are brought to our attention.
Contact

Need a septic system?

Call for a free estimate.

(774) 417-9719
Head Office
121 County Street
Lakeville, MA 02347
Email
[email protected]
Hours
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Employment
To apply, send a cover letter and resume to [email protected]
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