Septic, OWTS & ORCA
We inspect, pump, repair and maintain septic systems across Los Angeles County with our own crew and vacuum truck. Most systems can be restored instead of replaced. We also install and service ORCA Pod treatment, made by ORCA OWTS. Selling a home? Inspections are typically scheduled within 48 to 72 hours of approval.
Who it's for
Homeowners on septic, and the buyers, sellers and agents working against an escrow deadline.
- Owners whose seepage pit has stopped draining, or whose cesspool was flagged during a sale or refinance
- Owners adding an ADU, pool or addition who need a County OWTS evaluation
- Fire rebuilds in Altadena and Malibu that need a cesspool abandoned or a new tank set
- Builders who need the septic scope handled while they run the rest of the job
How the work goes
- We open the system. A certification needs access to both tank compartments, the distribution box and every seepage pit or leach line. Running a camera or pumping the tank is not the same thing.
- If the lids are buried, a locating crew exposes them on time and material, usually in a day or less. You pay only for the time used.
- You get it in writing. A system that passes gets a certification letter. One that can't be certified gets an inspection report with the options.
- Repairs come as a lump-sum proposal that lists what is included and what is not. Most repairs take one to three working days, and you can usually stay in the house.
- Once repairs are done, the certification is re-issued as part of the original fee.
What drives the cost
The inspection itself depends mostly on how many tanks, pits and leach lines the system has, and how easy they are to reach.
- Buried lids, long hose runs and hillside access add time
- Repairs depend on what the inspection finds, which is why we don't price a repair before we inspect
- Permit and County fees are paid by the owner directly to the agency
- Travel distance and the current fuel surcharge
What we do differently
Own vacuum truck; authorized ORCA Pod installer and service provider; restore before you replace; certificate re-issue after repairs included.
Common questions
Who pays the permit and agency fees?
The owner pays permit and agency fees directly to the agency. We don't include them in our price, because the amounts aren't known until the agency invoices them. On street work we pull the permit under our license, and the fee notices come straight to you.
Can my septic system support an ADU or an addition?
That takes a County OWTS evaluation, which goes further than a basic septic inspection. The County looks at whether the system can carry the added use and may ask for a future expansion area. Start the evaluation before you commit to the ADU design, so the septic answer shapes the plans.
What does a septic certification inspection include?
A certification means opening the whole system: both tank compartments, the distribution box and every seepage pit or leach line. Running a camera or pumping the tank is not a certification. If the lids are buried, our crew locates and exposes them on time and material, and you pay only for the time used.
From the field
Ready to talk about your project?
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