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A perc test takes an average of around two hours, but it can range from one hour up to around six hours. Perc tests that require wider or deeper holes and those that require multiple holes dug throughout your property will take longer because there’s more excavation involved. The actual filling of the hole and monitoring to gauge the rate of percolation should take under an hour per hole.

While parts of the appraisal are out of your control, there are some things you can do to potentially raise the home’s value. You can make necessary repairs and upgrades before the appraiser visits—an appraiser can only value what is currently part of the home, not its potential. You can also provide the appraiser with the cost of recent upgrades. The appraiser will likely increase the value of your home by about 50% or more of what you paid for those improvements.

Yes, rain can affect the results of a perc test because it will partially saturate the soil and slow down the rate of drainage. Ideally, you should do a perc test during the driest time of the year and try to schedule it after a stretch of days where no precipitation occurs. This will give you the best chance of passing.

Yes, you can rent a rototiller for around $60 per day and do the work yourself, but it’s not recommended. Tilling is more of an art than a science, as tilling too deep can be detrimental to your soil structure and the organic matter that is beneficial to plants and shrubs, and tilling too shallow won’t properly introduce fertilizer or break up the soil for rooting plants. Additionally, tillers are powerful machines with sharp blades to cut through small roots and soil, so they are inherently dangerous to use. It’s usually worth it to hire a professional rototiller.