Selling a home with a septic system in Colorado
A septic problem found a week before closing is expensive. Found two months before, it is just a repair.
If your home is on a septic system, the sale will likely involve the county. Many counties around Denver require the system to be inspected, and a permit or certificate issued, before the title transfers. The exact rule depends on your county.
How the inspection usually works
- The seller hires a certified septic inspector.
- The inspector checks the tank, the parts inside it and the leach field. The tank often has to be pumped as part of this.
- The inspector sends a report to the county.
- If the system passes, the county issues its approval for the sale.
We are not an inspection company. Your county keeps a list of the inspectors it accepts.
If the inspection finds a problem
Problems fall into two groups. Small ones, such as a broken baffle, a missing lid or a damaged pipe, can be handled with a septic repair. Large ones, such as a failed leach field, mean a replacement.
Counties generally want the problem fixed before they approve the sale. Some allow the buyer to take on the repair under a written agreement. Ask your county which options it allows.
Start early
A replacement needs a soil evaluation, a design and a permit before the digging starts. That takes weeks, not days. If you are thinking about listing, have the system inspected before the house goes on the market so there is time to deal with whatever turns up.
If you are the buyer
Ask for the inspection report and the county records for the system. Check that the system is sized for the number of bedrooms the house actually has. Read how long a septic system lasts so you know where this one is in its life.
Need a price to fix a failed inspection?
Send us the inspection report. We will look at the site and give you a written price. If you already have a written quote, we will beat it. Call or text (720) 273-0109.