SepticOwner
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How SepticOwner Works

There is no automated matching engine here, and no auction. A person reads each request, works out what kind of service it describes, and checks whether a provider covering that area works in that category.

That is deliberately unglamorous, and it is described accurately below.

The sequence

  1. You work out what you are dealing with, using the guidance on this site or the triage tool.
  2. You submit a request with the property details, the situation and any deadline.
  3. The request arrives with SepticOwner. It is not broadcast anywhere.
  4. A person reviews it, classifies the service category, and checks whether the information is complete enough for a contractor to act on.
  5. We check whether a provider covers your area and works in that category.
  6. If one does, the request goes to that single provider — not to several.
  7. That provider contacts you directly to arrange the work.
  8. If no provider is available, we tell you plainly rather than leaving you waiting.

What we promise

  • Your request is read by a person, not scored by a formula.
  • It goes to at most one provider during the exclusive period.
  • We tell you if no provider is available for your area.
  • We do not sell your details to unrelated parties.
  • We do not claim a contractor has been assigned before one has.
  • The guidance on this site is free to use whether or not coverage exists near you.

What we do not promise

  • A response time. Availability varies and a promise we cannot keep is worse than none.
  • A number of quotes. This is not a three-quotes service.
  • That a contractor will accept the work.
  • A price, or any influence over what a contractor charges.
  • That coverage exists in your area.
  • That your system can be repaired rather than replaced — nobody can know that without inspecting.

Why requests are reviewed by a person

Because septic requests are not uniform. A routine pumping request and a request describing wastewater in a basement need different handling, and the difference is in the prose rather than in a dropdown.

Manual review also lets us screen out what is not a genuine homeowner service request — vendor solicitations, job applications, and requests that are actually about interior plumbing. Contractors pay for qualified leads, and the qualification standard is published so both sides know what that means.

How service categories are assigned

If your request describes...It is classified as...
Routine pumping, cleaning or maintenance planningA maintenance request
Buyer, seller or transaction-driven inspectionAn inspection request
An alarm, a pump, a baffle, a line, or repeated symptomsA repair or diagnostic request
Wet ground, surfacing wastewater or suspected field failureA drain-field evaluation request
Confirmed or suspected replacement, or a new systemA replacement or installation request
Active backup or surfacing wastewater right nowAn emergency response request

What we do with your information

A request contains your contact details, the property address, and what you have told us about the situation. When a provider is assigned, those details go to that provider so they can contact you and quote the work.

We do not sell your details to unrelated parties, and we do not distribute the same request to multiple contractors. The privacy page sets out what is collected and how it is handled.

If no provider covers your area

You will hear that from us. It is not a satisfying answer, but it is better than an unanswered request and much better than a claim that somebody is on the way.

The guidance on this site is still worth using in that situation: knowing which service you need, what a competent version of it includes, and what to ask makes any contractor you find yourself a better transaction.

Common questions

How quickly will I hear from someone?

We do not publish a response-time promise, because availability varies by market and by service category, and a promise the system cannot keep is worse than none. What we can say is that a request describing an active backup is treated differently from a routine pumping request — so describe the situation accurately.

Will several contractors call me?

No. During the exclusive period a qualified request goes to one provider. If that provider declines or does not respond, the request may be reassigned — but it is never sent to several at once, and we do not resell it.

Does it cost me anything?

No. The site and the request process are free to homeowners. Contractors pay for qualified leads, and we take no percentage of what you pay a contractor for the work itself.

What if my area is not covered?

We will tell you. Coverage is being built market by market rather than claimed nationally, and we would rather say so than leave a request unanswered. The guidance on the site remains useful for finding and evaluating a contractor yourself.

Request septic service

Submit your project details. We review each request and determine whether an appropriate provider is available for your area. We will not tell you a contractor has been matched before one has, and a qualified request goes to one provider — never several at once.

How to reach you
A contractor will usually call rather than email.
Preferred contact method (required)
The property
The address of the property with the septic system.
What is happening
Specific detail here produces a far better first visit. Say when it started and what changed.
Is sewage actively backing up into the building? (required)
Is there standing water or unusually wet ground near the system? (required)
Do you know where the septic system is? (required)
Do you have records or a prior inspection report? (required)
Pick the closest match. The description above is what actually carries the detail — this just classifies the request so it reaches the right kind of visit.
Is a septic alarm sounding or lit? (required)
Only systems with a pump have one. If you are not sure whether you have an alarm, say so — that is useful information in itself.
Only if a professional has said so. A guess here is worse than leaving it blank — an unverified assumption tends to narrow the visit prematurely.
Do you have a septic inspection report? (required)
Having one changes what a contractor needs to do on the first visit. Do not send it with this form — bring it to the conversation.
Have you already received a quote for this work?
Timing
Is this connected to a property purchase or sale? (required)
If a closing or contingency date applies, this is the most important field on the form.
From your project planner
Carried across from the planner as a list of selected goals. You can edit it.
What you noticed. Selecting an observation records it — it does not identify a cause.
Context a professional may ask about. It does not establish that a change caused anything.
The detailed list from the planner. The question above asks the same thing more broadly; this one says which.
What a provider should know before they arrive.
Consent and anything else

No cost to you. We never sell your details to unrelated parties.