One of the most important questions to ask and plan for during a new build or extension is ‘Where will the water go?’ A simple yet design changing test to answer this is percolation testing. It determines how well the ground on your site can absorb water which in turn allows your structural engineer to design an effective drainage solution – a popular option is a specific soakaway percolation test for soakaways and drainage fields.
What is a percolation test?
Sometimes referred to as a “perc test” for short, a percolation test is carried out on site and measures how long it takes for water to drain through the soil. In terms of how to carry out a percolation test, it starts with us digging a small test pit so that we can time how fast water drops through. This part of the percolation test procedure allows us to record an accurate assessment in the ground’s permeability. Based on these percolation test results your structural engineer will recommend the right drainage system to suit the soil on your property, from septic tank soakaways to infiltration systems.
A percolation test might sound straight forward but to do it right is deceptively hard. Thankfully the Integra Surveys team have the expertise and experience you need to trust it has been done properly and accurately. It’s also worth knowing that if your project spans a larger area that soil types can be very different even just a few meters apart, so multiple percolation tests may be required.
The importance of a percolation test
You’ll hear us talk a lot about drainage on this site, and that’s because we believe it’s fundamentally important to your project. Getting it right means your property and the environment is protected from flooding, stagnant water smells, boggy gardens, and worse, damage to the foundations of your building or the local watercourses.
It’s the percolation test that ensures you can design the best drainage system for your ground conditions, working with them rather than against them. The cost of getting it wrong can be huge and you’ll also need to demonstrate compliance with building regulations and environmental guidelines. It’s not unusual for a local authority or similar, to request a percolation test for building regulations before they approve your planning request.
When to do a percolation test?
If your project involves a new or improved drainage system then a percolation test should be your first step in your project plan, whether you’re building a new home, adding bathrooms, an extension or installing a new septic system. Percolation testing in the early planning stages gives the insights and time to design the drainage system and subsequent structures. We can’t stress enough how early testing will help you avoid redesigns and delays which inevitably mean cost.
When you instruct Integra Surveys to do your percolation test, please be aware we may not do it straight away if we are experiencing a period of either very wet or dry weather – normal weather conditions are preferred for a more accurate test with no skewed results.
Choose Integra Surveys for your percolation test
For such an important test that can shape the design of the whole project, please talk to us and our expert team. As well as percolation tests, we specialise in all kinds of ground surveys and have the knowledge and experience to understand different soil behaviours and how to best respond to them. You’ll also get a percolation test report with insights to help you comply with necessary building regulations to get the planning permissions you need to continue.
We take a great deal of pride in our work and are here to support you from the ground up. Choose Integra Surveys and we’ll explain the process to you, so you understand what is happening at every stage, and we’ll also make sure what the report insights mean so you’re just as clear about next steps.
Every site, build, and client is unique, and our people-first approach means you’ll feel supported and confident that your project starts on solid, well-drained ground.