Collapsed drains conundrum!

[Benjseb]

We’ve discovered a slight problem..

 

We have a courtyard at the back of our property which is surrounded on 3 sides by our property and next doors. The top end is open (highest ground level)

 

we have about 5 rainwater gulleys feeding into surface water drainage, plus some from next door. 
 

these then flow downhill towards our utility, under the utility and out the other side where they exit the wall as clay pipes and pour water onto a grass verge

 

Except they don’t. I’ve rarely seen water exit these pipes. 
 

So got a CCTv survey. Told the drains under our utility have collapsed and need abandoning. So the surface water is sat under our utility. 

 

Obviously we need to address this. I’ve been told we can’t line the pipes as they have collapsed. 
 

is there a way of reinstating the drains under the utility (about 2.5m wide, external wall on both sides)?

I’m trying to avoid digging up our utility inside but not sure if there’s any possibility of laying new pipes without doing this / can they be mole ploughed under a house if there’s access both sides?

 

The only other option is to reverse the drains and run them up the courtyard against the natural fall of the land so it’s an awkward job and will require digging all the pipes up, raising the gulleys, etc. 
 

seeming like a huge job that’s possibly wear and tear so not covered by insurance

 

Any tips?

 

Ben

[ProDave]

Can you not re lay so the drains go around your study and out to the front alongside the study?

[Benjseb]

1 minute ago, ProDave said:

Can you not re lay so the drains go around your study and out to the front alongside the study?

the neighbours house is attached to our study unfortunately. So the only “free” place is on the far right of that diagram which is uphill

 

or possibly at the top of that diagram which goes to next doors courtyard but not sure how happy they will be with our drains redirected through their property 

[Gone West]

Do the existing clay pipes go under the foundations or through them. I had a quote for moling 4m under a lane which was quite cheap with me digging a big hole both sides of the lane.

[Benjseb]

32 minutes ago, PeterStarck said:

Do the existing clay pipes go under the foundations or through them. I had a quote for moling 4m under a lane which was quite cheap with me digging a big hole both sides of the lane.

 

The ground levels are a bit strange. Level on the courtyard side of the utility but the ground drops about 6ft the other side where the pipes exit. 
 

the actual pipes come out under the DPC (which is 5ft up) but Just above ground level 

[Mr Punter]

Would Aco type drains around the perimeter of your property work instead?  You can feed downpipes into these and they will also catch the surface water from the yard.

 

Not sure about your neighbours though.

[Temp]

1 hour ago, Benjseb said:

I'm trying to avoid digging up our utility inside but not sure if there’s any possibility of laying new pipes without doing this / can they be mole ploughed under a house if there’s access both sides?

 

 

Yes. You could probably save by digging the holes both sides yourself..

 

https://www.trenchlesssolutions.co.uk/moling-110mm-drain/

 

Would depend on what the ground is like. 

Edited November 1, 2019 by Temp

[Russell griffiths]

Use a company with a mole, mole under the building and open trench any other part where the surface is not important. 

[Benjseb]

Thanks guys. I’m going to give a few moley people a shout 

[Mr Punter]

Maybe worth CCTV or rod to check the rest of the drains on site.

[Benjseb]

13 minutes ago, Mr Punter said:

Maybe worth CCTV or rod to check the rest of the drains on site.

Yeah I think they all need doing

 

The report basically said “They’re goosed”
 

gives me a good opportunity to install some aco drains around the perimeter of the property tho