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kanesta
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# Posted: 3 Dec 2013 09:54
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Hi all,
I just talked with the owner of a property I like - it's a relatively large forested tract with a cabin / small off-grid cottage. The price is good, but it needs a lot of work to be usable all year round. Right now there is an artesian well (not connected to anything indoors) and no bathroom, just an outhouse. If I choose this property I would want to put in a flushing toilet at some point.
How can I even start investigating the permits, cost and process of septic in Quebec? I look it up but it's so confusing. I would like to make sure it is possible and get an idea of the budget before I commit to the property. Also, can the artesian well be connected with a pipe to provide toilet water / drinking water / shower / sink indoors? Is all that too for an artesian well?
If it helps: the cabin is built at the top of a slope.
Thanks so much for your advice! Kind of intimidating at this point..
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bldginsp
Member
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# Posted: 3 Dec 2013 10:33
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Can't help with specific regulations in Quebec, but here's a start-
To know if it is possible to instal a standard septic system on the parcel you need to verify the soil conditions. If the soil won't handle the water it won't work. Where I am you have to hire a geotechnical consultant who does a perc test on the soil to determine this. The test determines how fast or slow water percolates through the soil. I suggest you do this test before buying.
Talk to the local health department and see what they will require for the installation.
About the well, are you asking whether the pressure from the well itself is enough to charge the house?
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kanesta
Member
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# Posted: 3 Dec 2013 10:40
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Yes that's what I'm asking. I don't know if an artesian well can be used instead of or in tandem with a water tank or some other system
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bldginsp
Member
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# Posted: 3 Dec 2013 10:46
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Good question, I don't really know, but I imagine it's a function of how much pressure you really need. A toilet will gradually fill on low pressure, but low pressure showers are no fun. Do you have a pressure reading from the well? How far above or below the cabin is the well? Could the well be used to fill a tank up hill from the cabin far enough to provide higher pressure?
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razmichael
Member
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# Posted: 3 Dec 2013 10:52
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Quoting: bldginsp Where I am you have to hire a geotechnical consultant who does a perc test on the soil to determine this
Although I suspect from your original posting you have this already but the regulations are available here. In the area of Quebec where I built the building permit was only $50 BUT I needed to have a geotechnical consultant produce a report to show that I could put in a septic if I wanted (currently using an outhouse). This is not cheap to have done but, likely needed anyway if you ever want to put the system in. You can talk to locals and check with the installers in the area to get a rough idea of cost but every piece of land is different. If it is a large piece of land then you should not have any problems keeping it the required distance from waterfront, boundaries, wells etc. Unlikely you would not be able to put in a septic but it comes down to the cost.
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bldginsp
Member
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# Posted: 3 Dec 2013 21:39
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I agree talk to an installer. Mine was a very helpful and experienced backhoe operator who helped a lot.
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kanesta
Member
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# Posted: 5 Dec 2013 00:25
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Okay, thanks a lot guys for explaining it in simple terms. Now I understand the steps and how to proceed, at least as far as septic goes.
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bldginsp
Member
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# Posted: 5 Dec 2013 08:33
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I was new to septic when I did mine. I had the health department inspector come out and look before we started, nice he was willing to do that. He convinced me to locate the drainfield in a different location than planned, his choice was the wiser. And I had the backhoe operator come out, he had good advice. I'm happy with the end result.
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morock
Member
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# Posted: 8 Dec 2013 22:00
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Go to the municipality website and look for regulations. My municipality in QC requires at least 2.5 acres to build on. There are lots of rules to follow, septics in QC are provincially regulated but the municipality enforces the rules. You can get an engineer to look at your soil or even a licensed technologist. There are grandfather clauses for holding tanks if you already have one, if you don't you need to do a septic, minimum cost $5 but more likely $10 - 20 k..
Watch out for crooked contractors.
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