Sand and Clay Mix For The Septic System

Our second week and we are hard at work.  Mike and I continue to mow and clear some of the land.  We have also done our first of many trips to Lowes for supplies.  

On tuesday of our second week the inspector from the health department came out to talk to us about a septic system.  He told us that since we have a lot of clay soil that we would have to have a mound system with a pump....and it would cost about $9000.00 which is insane.  Also with a pump system the main pipe from the house would be above ground and visible.  Hmm...we need a solution.

That night Mike came up with an idea...we like when Mike "has an idea", lol.  We have a huge sunken hole on our property that may or may not be a very old sink hole.  Mike called our septic contractor, Greg, and asked him to come and look at the hole.  Mike's idea is to clear all of the trees and fill it with the sand/clay mix that was required to do the mound system.  It would be the exact same thing as the inspector wanted but it would be a traditional septic since it is technically below "our" ground.  Greg came out and said he would talk to the inspector for us.  

The inspector likes the plan so now it's time for Mike and I to get to work.  The hole that is filled with mostly smaller trees and is about 60x60 feet and about 12 feet down.

Mike cutting one of the larger trees.  We used a strap and tied it off the the tractor for safety and also so it fell on high ground and not back into the hole, lol.

Mike cuts and I do the pulling and loading the trailer with debris:

Our hole is cleared and ready to fill:

One trailer full of many:

Now it's time for the deliveries.  We need a sand/clay mix to fill the hole.  Our first truck laod of about 15:

The sand is dropped on the edge and Mike has to push it over with our little tractor:

It takes him quite awhile to get the sand pushed and dropped into the hole:

One push at a time:

It's a bit daunting but if we do the work ourselves we have to put in the time.  This time it is Mike's time on the tractor.  He must have 50 hours on that tractor to date:

This week we also ordered the trusses for the house and started getting estimates for a concrete slab.  

Our next chapter we will be setting up a small solar system, a lot more sand, and our well.