Building a home, adding a second dwelling or developing a lot that needs a brand-new septic system? Septic Tank Guru supplies and installs complete residential septic systems, tank and drainfield, across metro Atlanta. We handle the whole septic installation, from the soil test and county permit to the final inspection, so you deal with one company instead of four.
We never charge to come out and look.
DPH-certified installers on every job.
Spread the cost of your new system.
Here are our septic tank installation prices, so you can plan before you call. Every lot is different, so after a free assessment you get an exact written price. Payment plans are available.
How to read these prices: A new septic installation is for a property with no system yet. We put in a complete system, tank and drainfield, starting at $14,000. The final price depends on your soil test, the size of the home and how easy the site is to reach. Steep lots or poor soil can need an engineered system, and the hardest lots can run $20,000 to $30,000 or more. Homes that already have a system are a different job, because a septic tank replacement is priced on what you need and the condition of the system you have now.
| What You Need | Starting Price | What Changes the Price |
|---|---|---|
| New Septic InstallationComplete system for a new home, tank and drainfield | From $14,000 | Home size, soil test results and site accessMost common for new builds |
| Engineered SystemMound, Eljen or similar. Clay, high water table, slope | Quoted after the soil test | The hardest lots can run $20,000 to $30,000 or moreDesigned by our engineering team |
| Aerobic Treatment Unit (ATU)Lots near water or with very poor soil | Quoted on-site | Site-specific designNeeded on certain parcels |
| Drainfield Installation OnlyExisting tank in good condition | Priced after a free assessment | Handled by our drainfield installation crewWe check the tank first |
Your next step is simple. Call 404-694-3060 or request a quote. We come out at no charge, look at your lot and your building plans, and give you a written price and payment options before any work starts. Comparing quotes from a few companies? Ask each one the same questions homeowners use when choosing a septic tank installation contractor in Atlanta, and hold our quote to the same test.
Your county sizes the septic tank and drainfield by the number of bedrooms in the home, not the number of bathrooms or people. A 4-bedroom home needs a larger system than a 2-bedroom home, so it costs more to install. Planning to add a bedroom later? Tell us now, because sizing the system for it today costs far less than enlarging it after.
Your soil test shows what system the lot can hold. Deep soil that drains well can usually take a standard system. Clay, shallow rock or a high water table can mean an engineered design, which costs more.
A bigger home needs a bigger tank and drainfield. Steep slopes, mature trees and tight lots add excavation work and affect the final price.
Every county has its own permit office and rules. We prepare the application, file it and follow up until it is approved, so the paperwork never holds up your build.
Which system your property needs depends on your soil, lot size, water table and the Georgia DPH rules your county follows. It is not a matter of preference. The soil test decides it, and we explain the results before you commit to anything.
Most Common in Atlanta
The standard gravity-fed system. The tank holds the solids, and liquid flows by gravity into a drainfield, where the soil filters it. It works on lots where the soil test shows enough good soil above rock and water.
Starts at $14,000
For Clay, Slopes and High Water Tables
When the soil test shows slow-draining clay, a high water table or a steep slope, a conventional drainfield may not be allowed. An engineered design solves that. A mound system raises the drainfield on imported soil that meets DPH specifications. An Eljen system uses special treatment units in a smaller footprint. We install mound systems across metro Atlanta, from Buckhead to Conyers. A soil report with limits rarely ends a project, because most lots still have septic options when the soil limits your lot.
Quoted after the soil test. The hardest lots can run $20,000 to $30,000 or more.
Lakefront & Restricted Sites
Some lots near streams or lakes, or with very poor soil, need an aerobic treatment unit. An ATU adds air to treat the wastewater to a higher standard before it reaches the drainfield. We install ATUs across metro Atlanta and service them after installation.
Quoted on-site
Not sure which system your property needs? Book a free assessment. We look at your property, book the soil test if you need one, go over the results with you and recommend the right system before you commit to anything.
Every installation follows a process set by Georgia DPH. We manage every step, so you never have to deal with the county yourself. On a new lot, the soil test and septic permit usually take about 5 weeks from the day you pay. The installation itself then takes 1 to 3 days for most systems.
What to have ready when you call:
Call us and we come out at no charge. We look at your lot and your plans and tell you what the installation needs, with a written price and payment options.
On a new lot, we book a DPH-approved soil scientist to test the soil. The results show which system the lot can hold. Our septic soil testing and permits service books the test and files the permit together, so nothing waits on paperwork.
About 2 to 3 weeks
We design the system to Georgia DPH and county rules and file the permit application. The county usually inspects the site about 7 days after filing, and approval tends to follow about 7 days later. Each county runs its own office, but septic permits across metro Atlanta follow the same basic steps.
About 2 weeks
We supply and install the septic tank, distribution box and drainfield, built to the approved design. Then we grade and restore the site.
1 to 3 days
A county Environmental Health inspector checks the installation before the system can be used. We book the inspection, so you don’t have to call the county.
1 to 3 days after install
Once the county approves the installation, you get all the permit paperwork and your system is ready to use. We also schedule a free check-in visit after the first year. From then on, regular septic tank pumping keeps it working.
System live
Georgia setback rules: Georgia rules set minimum distances between your septic system and wells, streams and property lines. We check every required distance during design, and the county inspector checks them again at final review. For the full state rules, visit the Georgia DPH On-Site Sewage Management program.
Working against a build schedule or a closing date? Call now. We come out to look at your lot for free, and we start the soil test and permit paperwork right away.
Emergency service available in: Acworth, Vinings, Buckhead, Stone Mountain, Lilburn, Douglasville, Fayetteville, Jonesboro, Smyrna, Decatur, Sandy Springs + all Atlanta metro areas.
Georgia-certified on every job. No subcontractors on your property.
We know Metro Atlanta's soils, county codes, and failure patterns.
Documented on-site, delivered before we leave your property.
Ask us about spreading the cost of a new system.
If it's fine, we'll say so. We don't manufacture problems to sell repairs.
Every repair we perform is backed by our 1-year warranty.
We install new septic systems across 9 metro Atlanta counties, from Stone Mountain and Lilburn to Sandy Springs and Vinings. Call 404-694-3060 to check your address. Building in Douglas County? Local permits and lot conditions for septic tank installation in Douglasville GA follow Cobb and Douglas Public Health rules.
Lilburn, Snellville, Lawrenceville, Buford, Grayson, Loganville.
Every county runs its own permit office. We file and follow up in all 9.
Cumming, Sandy Springs, Alpharetta, Buckhead, Roswell.
Fayette, Douglas, Rockdale (Conyers), Clayton, Henry, Cherokee, Newton, Carroll. Call to confirm coverage and same-day availability.
Not sure if we cover your area? Call us now — we'll confirm in 30 seconds.
A new septic installation from us starts at $14,000. That is a complete system, tank and drainfield, for a property that has no system yet. Replacing an existing system is a different job, and the cost of a septic tank replacement depends on your needs and the shape your current system is in. The final price depends on your soil test results, the size of the home and how easy the site is to reach. Lots with poor soil, a high water table or a steep slope can need an engineered system, and the hardest lots can run $20,000 to $30,000 or more. Call 404-694-3060 for a free assessment and a written quote.
No. We never charge for an assessment. We come out, look at your lot, explain what the installation needs and give you a written price before any work starts.
Yes. A new septic system is a big cost, so we can set up a payment plan. Ask about it when you call, and we will go over the options with your written quote.
The installation itself takes 1 to 3 days for most systems. On a new lot, the soil test and septic permit come first and usually take about 5 weeks from the day you pay. Some jobs move faster and some take longer. We start the permit paperwork as soon as we have what the county needs.
Yes. Every septic installation in Georgia needs a permit from your county health department before work begins. The county reviews the soil test report, approves the system design and inspects the finished system before it can be used. We prepare and file the permit and book every county inspection, so you never have to call the county yourself. Installing a septic system without a permit is illegal in Georgia.
Three things come first. A soil test that shows what system the lot can hold, a septic permit from your county health department, and a site plan that shows where the house and drainfield will go. We book the soil test and prepare the permit through our septic soil testing and permits service, then work from your builder’s plans.
Your county sets the size by the number of bedrooms in the home. More bedrooms means a bigger tank and a bigger drainfield. We size the system to your county rules after the soil test, and we plan for any bedrooms you want to add later.
Georgia red clay soaks up water more slowly than sandy soil. When the soil test shows slow-draining clay or a seasonally high water table, a conventional drainfield may not be allowed. Then an engineered system, such as a mound, an Eljen or an aerobic treatment unit, is the answer. The soil test tells us which one your lot needs, and we explain it before you commit to anything.
Here is what happens when you call. We book a free on-site assessment. We look at your lot and tell you what the installation needs. You get a written price and payment plan options before any work starts. New septic installation starts at $14,000 and comes with a 1-year workmanship warranty.
Serving Atlanta, GA – Acworth – Vinings – Decatur – Stone Mountain – Lilburn – Douglasville – Fayetteville – Smyrna – Sandy Springs – Buckhead – and 20+ more cities.
