Co-Owner · August 14, 2022
Inspired by true events
It was around 2008. Pushed along by an in-law, a couple and their 3 kids dreamed of leaving their dying city for rural Iowa. They badly wanted a quiet, simple life. The in-law, who already lived in the country, kept telling them, “If you're going to buy a house out here, do it now! With how the economy is going, it's going to become too hard or impossible for ya'll to do it later.” The couple felt rushed.
For about 20 years, the in-law lived a mile or so down a dirt road from some friends, an old farmer, and his wife. It just so happened that the old farmer and his wife put up their home for sale; a beautiful white house on five acres with fruit trees, a large garden, a chicken coup, and a stream running through the back. A house perfect for a family with children. The in-law told the couple they should hurry, hurry, hurry and buy the old farmers’ place.
So they did.
The farmhouse needed some renovations. One of the first things the couple decided to do was install a septic tank before they moved in. They hired a local company, and the technicians started the work and desperately hoped to finish before the cold and snow arrived to stop them. They finished the project right before the start of winter. The first snow fell the day before the couple, and their children were going to arrive with their moving truck.
While the family finished packing in the city (excited to move the next day), the cold was forcing their buried septic tank out of the ground. The long series of pipes that ran from their dream home to their tank were cracking and popping off their connections.
That same day, the in-law came over and assessed the damage. He covered his mouth when he saw it. He explained what had gone wrong: the people they hired had forgotten to fill the tank with water, which would’ve kept it from popping out of the ground. They soon realized that all the work would have to be redone. But the winter had come. They would have to wait some months to have operating sinks, toilets, and washing machines.
Their dream had turned into an anxious reality.
We tell you this story to make a point. When you hire a company for a big home project, like putting in a septic tank, make sure they have a good track record with their customers. Make sure they're known for good work and will fix their own mistakes. You don't want a septic tank ruining your dreams.