My wife and I are capturing the steps involved in building a custom home.  Test pits and soil tests are not the most glamorous or interesting steps to write about but they are both important steps in reducing risks by understanding the reality of the build site.

During the purchase of the land we performed a level 3 soil study and validated that the property could support a septic system for a six bedroom home.  The soil tests showed that we may require a more expensive septic system (one with an aerobic treatment unit) if more suitable soil could not be located on the property. We probably should have dug test pits at that time but we liked the property so much that we knew we would proceed with the purchase regardless of any potential test pit results .  The perc test passed and we were willing to give up a basement if required so we concluded the due diligence process and proceeded with the land purchase.  We decided to postpone test pits until we were closer to the actual build. Continue reading Test Pits and Soil Tests →