Building codes generally require footings to be set at least 12 inches below the undisturbed soil and below the local frost line. Middle Tennessee has a fairly shallow frost line, but your local building department sets the exact requirement. Footings also need to reach firm ground, which sometimes means digging past soft topsoil or fill dirt.

Limestone bedrock sits close to the surface in parts of Middle Tennessee, so crews sometimes hit rock while digging footings, trenches, or septic lines. Breaking through it requires heavier equipment, such as a hydraulic hammer, and adds time to the job. Limestone also forms sinkholes in some areas, which makes careful planning important before any digging begins.

Slow drains, gurgling pipes, sewage smells, and soggy or extra-green grass over the drain field all point to trouble. Sewage backing up into the house means the system needs attention right away. Tennessee's heavy clay soils can limit how well drain fields absorb water, so problems often show up after long stretches of rain.

Shut off the water at your main valve, which usually sits near the meter or where the line enters the house. Call your water provider if the leak appears to be on their side of the meter. For breaks on your side, an excavating contractor can dig down and repair the line before the leak washes out soil or floods your yard.

Tennessee requires a soil evaluation and a permit from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation before any digging starts. The installer then excavates the hole for the tank and trenches the drain field lines, and a state inspector checks the system before anyone covers it up. Once it passes, the crew backfills and grades the area so it blends back into the yard.