Out of 20+ companies I contacted for quotes, only 3 responded, and Jay was the lowest by almost 50% which was staggering.
There are 2 reasons I did not give a higher rating.
1) The soil used, despite calling for topsoil, was the lowest grade unscreened fill dirt. I spent hours picking out shards of glass, plastic, rubber, toothbrushes, rope, wire, etc. and even weeds wouldn't grow on some areas of the drain field.
2) The amount of settling required 2 yards of additional soil around the tank.
Response from the owner
Adcock Excavating, LLC deserves nothing less than a 5-star review. After I explain a few things, you will see why. Adcock Excavating, LLC quotes are not the cheapest and not the highest. We treat our customers fairly, like we want to be treated. The soil we used on David Hartman’s septic system was unscreened topsoil, not fill dirt! Wake County Department of Environmental Services (WCES) requires unscreened topsoil. We use it on every septic system where topsoil is needed. Our cost for the unscreened topsoil is $18/yd, plus sales tax, plus delivery, plus 2 hrs. labor and machinery to spread. $1600 is NOT an exorbitant amount to charge. The topsoil used on David’s property came from a tobacco field. It is the best topsoil you can buy in the area, just as Jay told him. Jay was not disingenuous in saying that! There was no glass, plastic, rubber, toothbrushes, rope, wire, etc. in the topsoil that was delivered. Those things could have been underground and brought to the surface when the trenches were dug for the drain lines. Soil settling that may occur around the tank/drain field is normal. It states on our estimates that we are not responsible for soil settling. David’s WCES Wastewater Permit stated, “Initial & Repair systems are at-grade/shallow placement, which requires imported soil cover at time of installation. This imported soil must cover the entirety of the system area and extend beyond 5 feet on all sides. A minimum of 6” of soil cover is required after settling, additional soil cover beyond 6” may be required to account for settling. Imported soil cover must be approved by WCES prior to placement. System area must be seeded and strawed for stabilization”. Adcock Excavating, LLC did not include seeding and strawing on David’s estimate because he wanted sod. We have never had a landscaper tell any of our customers that sod will not grow on a drain field we installed. We had an unusual amount of rainfall in July that could’ve caused some of the topsoil to wash downslope. The system area should have been seeded and strawed or sod put down right after system was installed to avoid that. It states on our estimate that we are not responsible for underground utilities such as sprinkler systems; furthermore, Wake County Environment Services Wastewater Permit states, “no underground utilities, water lines or sprinkler systems may be located in the original system or permit areas”. Our crew was not aware of a Spectrum cable in the system area until they cut through it. They marked where it was cut with orange flags. Our crew capped off all sprinkler pipes that were cut. The reason you must hire an electrician is because we are licensed septic contractors and not licensed electricians. We connect the pump and floats from the system to the alarm box. A licensed electrician must connect from the alarm box to the house. Payment was due upon completion… stated on the estimate (accepted/signed by David Hartman on 6/8/25) and the invoice. Job was completed 7/14/25 and the invoice was emailed to David 7/15/25. We finally received partial payment on 9/5/25 for less than half of the amount billed. Now, more than 60 days later, we still have not received the balance. If you're searching for professional and reliable septic system services in your area, then look no further. Adcock Excavating, LLC proudly provides a wide array of septic system services including installation, and repairs. From the simplest project to the most extensive issue, Adcock Excavating, LLC is your trusted source for all your residential or commercial septic system services. We make customer satisfaction our top priority and ensure that every project we complete meets the highest standards. Our team is highly trained, professional, courteous, and will be happy to answer any questions you have at any point during the project. Contact us to learn how we can help you! Recipient of the 2024 Steve Steinbeck Onsite Water Protection Hall of Fame
