What To Put In A Septic Service Agreement
A generic contractor service agreement usually misses the three things that matter most in septic work: who handles permits and county inspection, how perc test results can change the scope of a new install, and protection from liability for a drain field that was already failing.
Permits and county inspection
State clearly who is responsible for filing permits and scheduling any required county inspection — typically the company for repairs and new installs — and that work proceeds only after permits are in place.
Perc test and soil conditions
A new system's design and price are based on perc test results and observed soil conditions. The agreement should say plainly that if actual field conditions differ from what the perc test indicated, the client gets notified and a revised price before continuing.
No liability for pre-existing field failure
The agreement should explicitly state that the company isn't liable for failure of drain field or system components outside the current scope of work — especially failures that predate the agreement or stem from conditions outside the company's control.
The rest: standard but still necessary
Warranty terms, pricing and payment, insurance and liability, and a termination clause round out the agreement.
This is a starting point, not legal advice. Have a licensed attorney in your state review any service agreement before using it for real jobs — requirements vary by location.