Why We Charge $100 per Foot to Locate and Dig for Septic Lids

A typical conversation we have every day is when a customer calls asking what our septic tank pump fees are. We always begin by asking what size tank they have. Most tanks are either 1,000 gallons ($325) or 1,500 gallons ($400). We pride ourselves on not hiding costs to gain a job, so our next question always is; Do you know where your lids are, and are they exposed? If the customer isn’t sure, that’s okay, we are able to help locate them and dig them up. We charge $100/ft to do that. When a customer hears that, there is an initial: “Why does it cost $100 per foot?!”

It’s a fair question—we understand that sounds like a lot of money just to dig up some lids. Because we get that question a lot, we figured we’d write a blog post to help explain a little better. The first answer is, i’ts not just about digging a hole. It’s about doing the job correctly, safely, efficiently, and with the right tools, training, and insurance to protect your property and your system.

Let’s break it down.

1. Locating Is Skilled Work

Most septic systems weren’t installed with a treasure map. Typically we’re working off of old permits, vague diagrams, or more commonly - nothing at all. Finding your lid may involve electronic locators or educated guesswork based on years of experience in the field. When we find it quickly, it’s just because we’ve had a lot of experience around a variety of different systems. The first benefit of having us locate and dig for your lids is you just end up with holes where the lids are instead of ending up with more of your yard torn up. 

2. Digging Takes Time and Precision

We’re not just sticking a shovel in the ground. Septic lids can be right under the surface of the soil, or even up to 4 feet deep. They might be under concrete, landscaping, roots, or frozen soil. We dig carefully to avoid damaging the lid, tank, and surrounding utilities. This takes experience and sometimes special equipment. 

We also make sure to leave your yard the way we found it. You're paying for accuracy and care, not just locating and digging. 

If you are someone who has lids buried fairly deep and you really don’t like the idea digging them yourself or paying for someone else to locate and dig up your lids, it may be worth taking a look at what it would cost to install some risers. We can help with that too!

3. It Protects Your System 

Uncovering septic lids the wrong way can cost far more in the long run. A cracked lid, damaged riser, or busted pipe can run hundreds to thousands of dollars in repairs. Our pricing reflects the fact that we’re doing it safely, correctly, and to code, with trained staff and full insurance coverage.

4. We Don’t Like Surprises

Our $100/foot rate is transparent. You’ll know exactly what the charge is based on depth. If we find your lid at 2 feet, that’s $200. If it’s 4 feet down, it’s $400. Clear, simple, and honest.

We also offer the option to install risers afterward, so you never have to dig again. If you do decide to go with this option, the fee you would have paid for us to dig to locate your lids will be applied to the cost of installing the risers. 

5. It’s Faster and More Efficient for a Professional

It seems like it’s easy because we can find the lids and dig them up in 10 minutes. That’s because we’ve done this hundreds of times. Just like you wouldn’t ask a locksmith for a discount because he picked your lock in under 60 seconds, we charge based on the value of the service—not the minutes on a stopwatch. We have seen a number of times, homeowners decide to save the money and locate and dig themselves, just to end up exhausted and with hours of their time invested.

If you still have questions, give us a call or fill out our form—we’re happy to explain how we keep your system working as it should.

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