Time of sale
Certified well and septic inspectors
With over 45 years of experience, our professionals have the qualifications to assist you with all your home inspection and well water testing needs.
We know purchasing a new home can be overwhelming, that is why our inspectors strive to make the process as painless as possible.
Some helpful tips
- Washtenaw County requires a time of sale inspection when you are selling a home (valid for 12 months). In the case of a well being used on the property, water samples are also required to be taken and tested in order for the deed to transfer (if you have a Reverse Osmosis system, it is required to take an additional sample). If you do not have a septic permit or site plan on file with the county, Washtenaw County will require you have your septic tank pumped and inspected in addition to the time of sale inspection.
- Wayne County requires a time of sale inspection and requires the septic tank be serviced at the time of sale inspection when you are selling a home (valid for 6 months).
- Keep in mind when purchasing a home in a county that does not require a time of sale inspection, you may be purchasing a home on a failed or failing septic system and will encounter trouble when you move in. For this reason, we recommend having a private time of sale inspection done. Counties we service that do not currently have a time of sale inspection ordinance: Monroe, Lenawee, Jackson, Livingston, and Oakland.
- We do not have the final say in whether or not the septic system or well passes or fails the county's requirements. After our inspections are submitted, the county reviews our findings and issues an approval or denial letter to you which will indicate any recommendations or requirements they may have.
Recommendations for a smooth process
Why do we need a time of sale inspection?
Nearly half of the septic systems have reached their service life expectancy, and studies show that drinking water quality and availability are decreasing. By performing a time of sale inspection, the county, home owners, and prospective buyers can all be sure that the septic system and well water are safe, up-to-date, and functioning properly.
What does a TOS inspector do?
First things first, we gather all permits and county files regarding your septic and well. You can also find this information yourself — see our online services page which explains how.
If the home has a well, we test the water from the kitchen sink for Arsenic, Nitrates, and Coliform Bacteria. If there is a reverse osmosis system, it is required to test it additionally for arsenic. We check the water volume and pressure, and inspect the well cap to see if it is damaged and if it is vented. When water samples are submitted, it can take 3–5 business days to receive results. For an additional fee we can rush the samples if you need results right away.
We inspect the plumbing to make sure everything is discharging to the proper locations and there are no repairs needed.
We augur test holes into the septic fieldbed to check the soil conditions, ideally looking for dry stone and dry sand, and we check for tree rooting. Clay or concrete pipe is an indication the septic system is old. We may need Miss Dig to stake out your lot if you are unsure where the system is, to avoid puncturing utility lines.
If we are pumping the septic tank (as is required for all TOS inspections in Wayne County) we perform a routine pumping and inspect the septic tank when it is empty. We draw up a site plan of where your well and septic are located in respect to your house, and finally we file the report with the county on your behalf. Hassle free.
Operation and maintenance yearly inspection
Homeowners in Washtenaw County with an Advanced Treatment System are required yearly to test, evaluate, and review the working quality of their system. Read more about the O&M inspection.