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What the Dig for a Septic System Costs in New Brunswick

$3,000 to $12,000 for the excavation

National guide read in September 2026, no Atlantic breakdown. A full conventional system runs about $10,000 to $25,000 in the same guide.

Reviewed 2026-09-28 · how we set these ranges

A septic job has two trades. The provincially licensed installer designs, applies and installs; the excavation contractor digs what the installer arranges. Plan it in that order.

1 The pieces of the price

The excavation

Quoted for the job or by machine hour

$3,000 to $12,000 (national guide, thin)

The whole system

From the licensed installer

$10,000 to $25,000 for a conventional system (national guide)

Provincial approval

Application fee paid by the installer

$150

Rock, if it turns up

By the hour with a hydraulic breaker, or as a quoted extra

$200 to $300 an hour for a breaker (thin: one guide; large machines run higher)

Crushed stone or Granular A

Per cubic metre, plus delivery

Crushed stone $40 to $75/m³ · Granular A $35 to $55/m³ · delivery $75 to $200 a load

2 What's under your yard

The things nobody can see until the bucket goes in, and what to do about each before it does.

Buried lines

Gas, power, cable and old private lines can sit anywhere in a yard. NB Power says its lines can be buried as little as one foot down.

Before the dig: The contractor must have utilities located before digging (WorkSafeNB). Ask to see both tickets: Info-Excavation (3 working days' notice, valid to the end date on the request) and NB Power (five business days, valid 60 days, NB Power lines only). Mark private lines yourself.
Rock

We found no public source on how deep rock sits under any New Brunswick town, so nobody can promise a rock-free lot.

Before the dig: Get the rock clause in writing before the dig: how it is found, how the breaker time is logged and what it costs per hour.
A brook, lake or wetland nearby

Any clearing, digging, fill or machine work within 30 metres of a watercourse or wetland needs a provincial WAWA permit first. The 30 metres is measured from the top of the bank, on the ground.

Before the dig: Measure before you book the machine. The landowner usually applies; a single alteration is $25.
What the test pit shows

The installer's application includes the soil as found in a test pit inspection, and the design follows from it.

Before the dig: Let the installer arrange the test pit before anyone prices the full dig.

3 Before the first bucket

Tick them off as you go. Nothing here is saved or sent anywhere.

Hire the licensed installer first Before any quote for the dig Only a provincially licensed installer may install, repair or replace a septic system, and the installer applies for approval ($150).
Wait for the provincial approval Before installation The installer may proceed only after a provincial inspector has approved the application.
Book both locates 5 business days ahead Info-Excavation needs 3 working days' notice and NB Power runs its own request with five business days' notice. Ask the contractor for both tickets.
Check the 30-metre rule Before anything is booked Within 30 metres of a watercourse or wetland, a WAWA permit comes first.
Inspection before covering Before backfill The province's on-site sewage program requires the installed system to be available for a provincial inspector's approval before it is covered.
Keep the paperwork Within 10 days of covering The installer gives you the installation plan and operating instructions within 10 days after the system is covered.

4 Rules by place for this job

Everywhere in New Brunswick: On-site sewage approvals are provincial: the licensed installer applies, and the province's pages sit under Justice and Public Safety's Technical Inspection Services.
Shediac and Riverview: Building permits come through Plan 360, the Southeast Regional Service Commission.
Anywhere else: We found no excavation-specific rule for Dieppe, Sussex, Miramichi or other towns: ask your municipality or Regional Service Commission before the machine arrives.

What the written quote should name

The installer's name and the approval number before the dig starts
What the excavator digs (test pits, tank hole, field) and what the installer does
How rock is priced
Backfill and cover material, placed only after the inspection
Clean-up of the work area

More on the work itself: Septic System Excavation

Questions people ask

Can an excavation company install my septic system?

No. A provincially licensed installer installs it; an excavator can dig the test pits, tank hole and field when the installer arranges it.

Can I install my own septic system?

No. The regulation requires a provincial licence to install, construct, repair or replace a system.

What do I get after the system is covered?

The installation plan and operating instructions, from the installer, within 10 days after covering.

Want this done at your place?

Tell us what needs digging and we'll pass it to local New Brunswick excavation contractors for a written quote. We send it out to local contractors for you. Free, no pressure.

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Plan another job

Foundation dig$7,500 to $30,000 for a whole-house dig
Water or sewer trenchMini $65 to $150 · standard $150 to $250 an hour
Lot clearing and gradingMini $65 to $150 · standard $150 to $250 an hour
Driveway dig and base$1,500 to $5,000 for excavation and base
Weeping tile and drainage digMini $65 to $150 · standard $150 to $250 an hour
Rock breaking$200 to $300 an hour for a breaker
Backfill and haul-awayCrushed stone $40 to $75 per m³