Do I need a Title 5 inspection?
A Title 5 inspection is required in Massachusetts when transferring ownership of a property or changing the footprint of an existing building.
How do I schedule a Title 5 inspection?
Call our office and our friendly staff will take the required information about the property
We will need to know:
- Owner of record?
- Address with zip code?
- Contact person – with phone number & email
- Number of bedrooms in the home?
- Number of current occupants or date last occupied?
- Year-round home?
- Town or well water?
- Is there a garbage grinder present?
- Is the laundry tied into the septic system?
- Is there a sump pump present?
Do I need to get any information from the town for a Title 5 inspection?
In most cases, we will obtain the required information (beyond the questions listed above) from the town offices. This includes design plans, permits, as-builts, pumping records, and water usage records.
Do I need to be home for the inspection?
Normally, no… but you are welcome to be present if you would like. There are some cases - if the system is very old (pre-dating town records), or if there is inadequate information available from the town - where it may be necessary for the inspector to have access inside the dwelling. You will be notified if this is necessary.
Should I get my septic system pumped before it is inspected?
No. The state of Massachusetts requires that your system be inspected under “normal use conditions” – this means that the system cannot have been pumped within the last 2 weeks.
Will the inspection make a mess?
We are normally able to obtain the “as built” from the town, which shows where your system is located. The inspector will locate & remove the covers and then use a camera to inspect throughout the rest of the system. We take care to cause only minimal disturbance to your yard.
What happens after the inspection is completed?
Our inspector will take detailed notes while at your property and bring them back to the office. The required 18-page report will be typed up and is usually ready in 2 to 3 business days. A copy of the report will be emailed to you or a hard copy an be mailed/picked up at our office, once payment is received. We would be happy to send copies to your realtor and/or closing attorney as well. A copy of the report is also filed with the local board of health.
