Before the inspection deadline, gather the CDH permit and as-built drawing, pump and repair receipts, purchase-contract terms, and lender instructions. Each document answers a different question, and none should be treated as a substitute for all the others.
Get the records before we open the tank
The permit shows the approved design and replacement field. Service tickets show maintenance and repairs. The contract says what the parties agreed to inspect. The lender says what it needs to fund the loan.
Older records may be filed under a legal description. Ask whether additions changed bedroom count or water use. Compare patios, shops, driveways, and landscaping with the field and reserve area on the drawing.
CDH mortgage surveys are a separate service
CDH says lenders often request a mortgage survey for a sale or refinance. As of July 2026, a septic-only survey costs $178. The application lets the customer request well, septic, or combined work.
A mortgage survey may not satisfy every contract or lender. Confirm the report type, timing, water sampling, pump-out requirement, and who may perform each task before ordering overlapping work.
What our condition inspection covers
Within the agreed scope, we locate accessible parts, record tank level, measure scum and sludge, check baffles and filters, look at pumps and alarms, and walk the field for wetness or disturbance. Pumping can add an empty-tank view.
The report should separate measured conditions, defects, recommendations, and limitations. Buried parts, snow, unsafe covers, landscaping, electrical work, and lack of normal water flow can limit what we can inspect.
Set the pumping order before the appointment
Do not pump before the operating level is checked unless the agreed procedure says otherwise. Make sure lids can be opened and the seller permits access. Request prior service tickets early.
If wastewater is surfacing or the field is saturated, reduce water use and contact the health district. A seller-paid pump-out does not settle the cost or feasibility of a permitted repair.
When no septic inspection is needed
A property with an active sewer connection does not need a septic inspection just because an old tank once served it. Verify the sewer bill and tank-abandonment record. An abandoned tank can still matter for safety and future excavation.
Call (208) 297-2198 with the address, closing deadline, lender wording, system type if known, last pump date, and requested report. We will quote the requested private service without claiming Idaho mandates it.