There is a distinct appeal to moving out to the country. The peace, the privacy, and the acreage drew many people to Saline and the surrounding areas of Bienville Parish. You aren’t just buying a house; you are buying a lifestyle.
However, buying rural property comes with a unique set of responsibilities that city dwellers often overlook. When you are outside city limits, there is no municipal water department to call if pressure drops, and no city sewer system to flush waste away. You are your own utility company.
At Fontenot Home Inspection, we understand rural properties. A standard inspection is a good start, but when buying country property, you need to pay special attention to three critical areas: the well, the septic system, and outbuildings.
1. The Septic System: Out of Sight, Out of Mind?
If the property isn’t connected to public sewer, it relies on a septic system. This is easily the most expensive component of a rural home to replace, often costing nearly as much as a new roof.
A failed septic system is a nightmare of sewage backing up into the house or pooling in the yard. A standard home inspection includes a visual check of accessible plumbing, but it does not include opening the septic tank or evaluating the leach field.
Our Advice: We strongly recommend that every rural buyer hire a licensed septic pumping contractor to locate, open, pump, and inspect the tank during their inspection period. It is a small upfront cost to avoid a massive future expense.
2. Private Water Wells
Instead of a monthly water bill, you have a private well. This means you are responsible for both the quantity and quality of your water. When inspecting rural properties, two questions need answering:
- Is the equipment working? We check the visible components of the well system, such as the pressure tank and switch, to ensure the pump is cycling correctly and providing adequate pressure to the house.
- Is the water safe? Just because water looks clear doesn’t mean it’s safe to drink. We highly recommend adding water quality testing to your inspection to check for common contaminants like coliform bacteria and nitrates, especially in agricultural areas.
3. Outbuildings: Barns, Sheds, and Workshops
That large pole barn or detached workshop is likely a major selling point of the property. But are those structures assets or liabilities?
Too often, buyers focus on the main house and ignore the outbuildings. We have seen barns that are structurally unsound due to termite damage, or workshops with dangerous, amateur electrical wiring rigged up by a previous owner.
Don’t assume these buildings are safe just because no one sleeps in them. A collapsing shed is expensive to demolish, and faulty wiring in a barn is a major fire hazard. We can include these structures in your inspection to ensure you know their true condition.
Choose the Rural Property Experts
Don’t hire an inspector who only understands city sidewalks. If you are buying land in North Louisiana, you need an inspector who understands rural systems.
Contact Fontenot Home Inspection
📍 Serving the Rural Communities of Bienville Parish
📞 +1 318-436-4662
🌐 Schedule Your Rural Property Inspection