Anyone do this for a living? Or know anyone in the Washington DC Mertro area that has expertise in this? I might be willing to fly someone in who can help me on this.

We are looking into building a Log Home on one of a couple lots in Fairfax County, VA. They both are having trouble passing the PERK test. Yes, we know all the warnings about this, but both lots have potential, and both have homes on either side of them so they have to be buildable.

Big business soil engineers charge a damn fortune for this service because they are commonly used in large land developments. We are small time and on a budget to build a dream home here, and cannot blow the whole wad on just breaking ground.

Thanks in advance for your help.

You could also consider a plumbing engineer. All of my contacts are in the midwest, they may not be licensed for the east, but perhaps they can refer you. These are a couple that we used on a past job...


Geotechnical engineer:
HH Holmes Testing 847-541-4040

Enviromental engineer:
Gabriel Enviromental Services 847-541-4040

Sewer engineer: Infracon, Inc. 847-215-1133

Thanks Cord. I am doing some searches now.

Brian,
I just PM'd you some info. and # of a friend of mine who is local. If he can't help you, I'm sure he can put you in touch with someone who can.


Craig

Craig, thanks a bunch. I will call him today.

My dad builds stores around there, When I get ahold of him I will ask who he has had good and bad luck with.

Tommy

Tommy, thanks as well.

Sydwayz, My partner and I are in environmental insurance and when I saw this post we discussed your problem. many questions came up. Some of them are:

1. Did your neighbors test positive for Perc?
2. What level did your test come back at?
3. Who owned your land before you did? (munitions site, Industrial site, etc)

It might turn out that you may be able to get the prior owner to pay for the testing and remediation, especially if they had environemtnal coverage. I am meeting with an environmental attorney tomorrow morning on another matter and I will get some free advice for you. Get me some more info so I can ask more specific questions.

Rick

Both places are probably zoned as farm land. We are looking into all this right now. We are very early in the process.

One place is one acre, in farm country. It is a long, somewhat narrrow and flat acre that, has a home right next to where ours would be. We would be able to see the mountains from the front of the house. The problem with that lot is the somewhat slope toward the back of the lot holds water after a wet spell, and probably is the reason a perc will not pass, as a septic field cannot go there.

Both properties are listed with realtors, and it seems as though both owners just want to sell and walk away. The one acre lot has been listed for a few months. The five acre lot has been listed for over 2 years and has not sold.

The second is completely flat and completely wooded, 5 acres. There is literally a mansion on the next lot, but we know he had to do some work to pass perc too, and not sure if he has a basement. We are not sure why this lot will not perc, but it may have to do with the mixed clay and crappy soil in VA.

Thanks a bunch Rick.