Septic systems for baches and holiday homes, designed around part-time use and installed by a certifying drainlayer who works right across Northland.
A bach septic system has a harder job than most. It can sit almost unused for months, then cope with a full house and a steady stream of guests over Christmas and Easter. A system that isn’t designed for that pattern often struggles when the bach is busiest, which is exactly when you least want a problem.
Many Northland baches are also on the coast or close to streams, on sections that are small, steep or hard to reach. Older bach systems were often put in decades ago, long before the current rules, and for a much lighter load than they carry now. We install new and replacement septic systems for:
Plenty of Northland baches are at the end of a long gravel road, down a steep driveway or on a site where getting a digger and a tank in takes some planning. We plan access as part of the quote, so you know what’s involved before work starts. Travel time is included in the quote too. On one job, a cabin build on Mt Tiger Road, the only way in was a narrow track, so the tank was dropped off at the road and carried in by digger.
For remote sites, we offer a drainage report for $499 + GST. It sets out what the site needs before anyone makes a special trip, and your wastewater engineer and council can work from it. It’s often the most practical first step for a bach a long way from Whangarei.
Most bach owners are on site for at least part of the job, so you can see the work as it happens and talk things through with us. If you can’t be there, you can start by sending photos of the property, your plans and any existing wastewater design. We can also send progress photos during the job if you’d like them.
Holiday periods don’t rule a job out. If the only time that works for you is over summer or a long weekend, we’ll do our best to make it work. Talk to us about timing when you get your quote, and we’ll fit the job around how you use the bach.
Every site is different, so we quote each job individually. The main things that affect the price are:
Quotes are free in Whangarei and the surrounding area, and the drainage report covers remote sites. Either way, you’ll know what the job involves before you commit. We’ll talk you through the options once we’ve seen the site or your plans.
The process is the same as any septic install. A wastewater engineer designs the system, your district council issues the building consent, we install it, and council inspects the work before sign-off. Our septic tanks page explains each step in more detail. Septic tanks →
Every job is different, so we give you a realistic timeframe with your quote. How long it takes depends on the system, access, the site and the weather. If anything changes once work starts, we’ll keep you updated.
A standard septic tank is happy to be left over winter, but it still needs regular pump-outs and filter cleaning. For baches in Kaipara, the district council’s bylaw requires septic tanks to be pumped out every three years and aerated systems to be inspected every year. A secondary treatment system needs the power left on and servicing to the manufacturer’s schedule, which is every six to 12 months depending on the system. Drainspec doesn’t offer servicing, so you’ll need to book this with a septic servicing company or service agent.
Guests are often the biggest risk to a bach septic system, because they don’t know how it works.
Can’t see your question? Call us on 021 0236 9667.
It depends on the site. A standard concrete septic tank suits larger sections with good soil and copes well with long quiet spells, because it has no power or moving parts. On smaller, steeper or coastal sites, a secondary treatment system is often needed, and your wastewater engineer’s design will say which.
Most owners are on site for at least part of the job, but it isn’t essential. If you can’t be there, send us your plans and photos of the site, and we can send progress photos as the work goes. We’ll keep you updated from quote to sign-off.
A sudden jump in use can overload a system, especially an older one that was sized for a lighter load. Wipes, cleaners and lots of washing in a short time make it worse. If it happens regularly, the system may be too small or failing, and we can assess it.
Tell us where your bach is and what you need, whether it’s a new system or a replacement. If you live outside Northland, send through your plans and a few photos, and we’ll take it from there.
We reply to every enquiry within one working day.
021 0236 9667