How Much Does a New Soakaway Cost?
To meet the long-term drainage needs of your property, you may find yourself considering different groundwater infiltration systems. Soakaways are one way to deal with the surface water of your property. With more and more people making informed choices about wise water usage and disposal, you may be asking yourself how much does a new soakaway cost?
The simple answer, regarding the cost to install a soakaway is, it depends. Costs will vary based on the requirements of the soakaway, the location and soil type of the soakaway, and the materials and additional features required.
Soakaway Installation Overview
Before considering the cost to install a soakaway, let’s look at an overview of a soakaway installation.
Essentially, a soakaway is a void underneath the surface of a property that allows surface water (and in some cases, sewerage waste) to be stored and slowly filter back into the surrounding area at a rate that doesn’t cause any issues for the property or occupants of the property.
Prior to installing a soakaway, a percolation test is required to ascertain if the soil type is suitable for a soakaway. If it is deemed suitable, a hole will be dug at a suitable depth to accommodate the volume of storage required. A base layer of gravel or rubble is laid, pipes are put in place for surface water and/or septic waste to be directed to the soakaway. If a crates soakaway is being installed, a geotextile fabric is inserted prior to the crates being put in place. Alternately, rubble is used to fill in the void. The area is then back filled, and the surface soil and grass are replaced.
Different Soakaway Construction Methods
Traditionally, soakaways were constructed from a simple hole being dug and the hole filled with rubble for the water to filter through. Due to the diminished storage capacity of these soakaways, alternatives such as crate soakaways have become increasingly popular.
Construction methods can also vary depending on the location and requirements of the soakaway, such as whether the soakaway needs to accommodate the weight of vehicles (such as in a driveway), and whether the soakaway is solely for rainwater, or if it will also connect to septic waste.
Factors Influencing Soakaway Installation Costs
The main factors influencing soakaway installation costs are material selection and quality, and what additional services and features are required.
- Material selection & quality: The materials chosen for installing your soakaway will depend on whether it is for a domestic or commercial property, whether you are using crates, and, if so, what load rating is required. Whether you are purchasing flat-packed or pre-assembled crates, whether you choose a woven or non-woven geo-textile membrane, the diameter of adjoining pipes. All these factors will also be drivers in determining your soakaway installation cost.
- Additional services & features: It’s important to factor in any additional services and features for your soakaway when estimating the cost to install a soakaway. This could include the location of your property when considering delivery costs and travel for drainage experts to install your soakaway, pre-installation tests such as mandatory percolation tests to assess permeability of the soil in the soakaway site, accessibility of the site including if a driveway needs to be dug up in order to install the soakaway, the cost of hiring a mini-digger if you choose to, purchasing silt-traps or pre-filters if required, plumbing supplies for pipe entry, back fill and surface replacement. The costs of these additional services and features will be unique to each soakaway, as loam and grass seed will be considerably less expensive than a concrete or paved driveway surface for example.
Obtaining Quotes and Budgeting
All the factors mentioned above influencing soakaway installation cost need to be considered when seeking quotes and budgeting for your soakaway installation. Whether your soakaway is for a home or business property, you need confidence that any surface water is dealt with safely and efficiently.
Seek quotes from qualified and experienced drainage specialists to ensure you understand the water-carrying capacity of your property, the suitability for a soakaway, and all attendant costs so you can budget for a quality soakaway that preserves the foundation of your property.
OMDI is a family owned and run drainage specialist company with decades of experience in assessing drainage needs and tailoring drainage solutions. Call OMDI today for a professional quote for your soakaway installation cost. Trust OMDI to deliver quality advice and installation of your soakaway.
