Leach field and septic system replacement

When the field stops draining, you need a straight answer on what has to be replaced and what can stay.

Have a written quote for the same job? Text us a photo of it and our price will be lower.

Call (720) 273-0109 Text us Book a site visit

Signs the leach field has failed

  • Wet, soft or bright green ground over the field
  • Sewage smell in the yard
  • Slow drains and gurgling all through the house
  • Sewage backing up into the lowest drains
  • A tank that fills again soon after it is pumped

Any one of these can also come from a smaller problem, such as a clogged filter or a broken pipe. Read the signs of a failing leach field for how to tell them apart.

Replace the field, or the whole system?

A septic system has two main parts: the tank and the leach field. The field is usually what wears out. If the tank is sound and the right size for the house, it can often stay and only the field is replaced.

The whole system gets replaced when the tank is cracked or too small, or when the county requires the old system to be brought up to current rules. We cover the decision in repair or replace your leach field. If the problem turns out to be small, it is a septic repair instead.

What a replacement involves

  1. Site visit. We look at the tank, the field and where a new field could go.
  2. Soil evaluation. The new field is sized from the soil on your lot.
  3. Design and permit. The county has to approve the replacement before work starts.
  4. Install and inspection. A licensed septic installer builds the new field and the county inspects it.

We visit your site and bid the job. A licensed septic installer does the work and holds the contract and the county permit.

What a replacement costs

A replacement is priced the same way as a new septic system: by the soil, the type of system the lot needs, the size of the home and how hard the site is to reach. Reusing a good tank lowers the price.

Most installs start around $15,000. The final price comes after a site visit, because soil, system type, home size and access set it. The county permit, soil test and design are extra and quoted separately, so your total may vary.

Already have a written quote for the replacement? Bring it. We will beat it. Call or text (720) 273-0109.

Leach field replacement questions

How much does a leach field replacement cost?

It depends on the soil, the system type and the access to the site, so the price comes after a site visit. For a full system, most installs start around $15,000. The final price comes after a site visit, because soil, system type, home size and access set it. The county permit, soil test and design are extra and quoted separately, so your total may vary.

Can the old tank stay?

Often, yes. If the tank is sound and large enough for the home, only the field needs to be replaced.

Can the new field go where the old one was?

Sometimes. The county decides based on the soil and the required distances from wells, buildings and property lines.

Will you really beat another written quote?

Yes. Bring a written quote from a licensed installer for the same job at the same property, meaning the same system and the same scope of work. After we see the site, we will give you a lower price in writing.

Who does the work?

We visit your site and bid the job. A licensed septic installer does the work, holds the contract with you and pulls the county permit.

Do I need a permit to replace a leach field?

Yes. A replacement needs a permit from your local public health agency, the same as a new system.

Book your site visit

We price every septic job in person, so the first step is a visit to your property. Send the address and we will call or text to set a time.

By sending this you agree we may call or text you back to set up your visit. See our privacy policy.

Or call or text (720) 273-0109