Septic System Installation in Davidson County
A new or replacement system in Davidson County starts with a soil test and a permit — not a shovel.
Installing a septic system is the largest-ticket job a septic owner faces, and the design is dictated by your land: soil type, how fast it percolates, and how high the water table sits all decide what system you're allowed to build and what it costs.
Every legal install begins with a site evaluation and a county permit. The output of that evaluation — conventional drainfield, engineered mound, or an aerobic/nitrogen-reducing unit — is what drives the final price far more than the tank itself.
Local ground is the deciding factor in Davidson County: Effluent reaching bedrock fractures gets little filtration before entering the karst aquifer, so soil depth and sinkhole avoidance dominate permit approval And the rules here matter — sinkhole and karst-feature setbacks are strictly enforced; fields cannot discharge toward closed depressions, which can raise the cost of a new system considerably.
How a septic installation works
- Site & soil evaluation. A licensed evaluator or engineer tests percolation and locates the seasonal high water table to determine what the soil can handle.
- System design. The system is sized to your soil and the number of bedrooms, and the type is chosen — conventional, mound/filled, or aerobic.
- County permit. Plans are submitted to the county health department for an OSTDS construction permit before any work begins.
- Tank and drainfield install. The tank is set and the drainfield is built to spec, with fill brought in where the water table requires elevation.
- Final inspection. The county inspects the open system and signs off before it's covered and put into use.
- System type — conventional vs. mound vs. aerobic/nitrogen-reducing
- Soil and water table (high water tables require expensive fill)
- Drainfield size, which scales with bedroom count
- Permit and engineering/site-evaluation fees
- Site access and how much excavation is needed
- Tank material and capacity
- Use a licensed Registered or Master Septic Tank Contractor
- Make sure they pull the county permit (never skip it)
- Insist the design matches your soil/site evaluation
- Get the warranty and final county approval in writing
30 septic system installation providers in Davidson County
License-verified contractors (active state license) are listed first.
5th Generation Builders/Bryan Sauer
Verified · Lic. 13569A Team Footers and Excavation LLC
Verified · Lic. 18977A-1 ADVANCED ENERGY SOLUTIONS
Verified · Lic. 11700A-TEAM SEPTIC
Verified · Lic. 13212A. Goedeke Services
Verified · Lic. 18094A&B Excavating Brad Moss
Verified · Lic. 12917AA Land Development
Verified · Lic. 14833Abm Landscaping LLC
Verified · Lic. 14311Adam Nash Enterprise
Verified · Lic. 12573Adam Verone
Verified · Lic. 19545Adams Backhoe
Verified · Lic. 420Adriel
Verified · Lic. 14350Advanced Lawn and Land, LLC.
Verified · Lic. 19594Alcorn Drainage and Land Works
Verified · Lic. 18310ALEXANDER BACKHOE & DOZER
Verified · Lic. 10320All-Pro Plumbing, LLC
Verified · Lic. 17932Allen Plumbing and Septic
Verified · Lic. 13157American Dirtworks
Verified · Lic. 13741American Excavation, LLC
Verified · Lic. 14286Anthony Bowling Backhoe
Verified · Lic. 778anthony collins
Verified · Lic. 10092Ashley Daniels, Cove Haven Farm LLC
Verified · Lic. 13542Ashworth's Backhoe Service, LLC
Verified · Lic. 10416Austyn Carter
Verified · Lic. 18563B3 Construction LLC
Verified · Lic. 13206Bagwell Waste LLC
Verified · Lic. 1026BATES SEPTIC PUMPING LLC
Verified · Lic. 954Beyond Drain Solutions
Verified · Lic. 14290Bison Developments, LLC
Verified · Lic. 18677Septic System Installation in Davidson County — FAQ
What does a new septic system cost in Davidson County?
Conventional systems commonly run from several thousand dollars to well over $10,000; mound and nitrogen-reducing systems cost more. Soil and water-table conditions in Davidson County are the biggest cost driver.
Do I need a permit to install a septic system in Davidson County?
Yes. Permits are issued by the Local authorized agent / county health department in Davidson County, under Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Division of Water Resources., and the system must pass inspection before use.
How long does an installation take?
Once permitted, the install itself is often 1–3 days, but evaluation and permitting can add weeks. Plan ahead.