New build drains not as planned

[Mostly Chilled]

Hi all,

 

Burning question here and getting a bit worried. New build home near Newcastle reserved but initial site visit shows the FSW and rain water drains not as planned. Basically, how much can they deviate from the plans (that have been accepted by all the relevant parties)? They might have missed an on suite run and I'm worried when I tell them, they'll gash it into a pipe already fitted and not as a dedicated run as planned, but that's a separate story.

 

Once they change the layout and I mean they've added extra pipes/inspection joins, diverted from one join to a different one, ran rain drains alongside back of house instead of obvious 2m step out into garden area then across etc... what do they need to do to make it all official so I'm covered? I have before/after drawings personally made up from my viewing, so could PM anyone intersted.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

MC

[Jeremy Harris]

Welcome.

 

Generally there's no requirement for drain runs to follow any plan, all they need to do is be compliant with building regs.  They should be inspected by a building inspector, but with a new build that's part of a larger development not every house may get fully inspected.

 

The key thing is that the drains, both surface and foul, have to comply with the requirements in Part H ( https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/drainage-and-waste-disposal-approved-document-h ).  As long as the builder is complying with the regs, then all should be OK.

[Russell griffiths]

You need to satisfy yourself that the new location is ok

for example, if they have a drain run close to the house are you going to end up with inspection chambers in the middle of a nice path instead of hidden in the garden. 

 

Have a good think of why why it was drawn up the way it was and what implications it will have with a new layout. 

 

If you are not happy get it done as per the drawing simple as that. 

[Mostly Chilled]

Hi guys,

 

I've been informed it's all going back to the original plan. I have my doubts but can only take their word for it. At least I have it in writing now in case I find random pipes under the garden! There is one other thing though....

 

When looking at the foundations with foul sewer plumbed in, I originally spotted the upstairs en suite physically lacked it's exit pipe but the original plans showed a dedicated pipe to the outside inspection chamber. I've now been informed it will be going through the downstairs utility foul pipe. Is this a normal thing to do with new builds? My gut feeling is they forgot to plumb it in, but willing to accept a proper fix, as long as this won't create problems and is within regs.

 

Thanks again,

MC

[Bitpipe]

On 19/02/2020 at 18:01, Russell griffiths said:

You need to satisfy yourself that the new location is ok for example, if they have a drain run close to the house are you going to end up with inspection chambers in the middle of a nice path instead of hidden in the garden. 

 

We have quite a few ICs in our patio and resin bound driveway - we used clarke drain covers and inset with the surrounding material being used and they look pretty decent.

 

Agree that the default black covers look awful in that context.

[Russell griffiths]

Why would you take their word for it @Mostly Chilled, the drains should be clearly visible and cannot be backfilled until an inspection has taken place. 

Get your drawings and go and look, check with building control that they are happy, ask building control about this pipe they have missed and ask if they are happy with the amended layout. 

 

Its your house and your money, don’t except anything you are not 100% with. 

[Jeremy Harris]

1 hour ago, Mostly Chilled said:

Hi guys,

 

I've been informed it's all going back to the original plan. I have my doubts but can only take their word for it. At least I have it in writing now in case I find random pipes under the garden! There is one other thing though....

 

When looking at the foundations with foul sewer plumbed in, I originally spotted the upstairs en suite physically lacked it's exit pipe but the original plans showed a dedicated pipe to the outside inspection chamber. I've now been informed it will be going through the downstairs utility foul pipe. Is this a normal thing to do with new builds? My gut feeling is they forgot to plumb it in, but willing to accept a proper fix, as long as this won't create problems and is within regs.

 

Thanks again,

MC

 

 

Better to have as few pipes going out through the house as possible, as they will form thermal bridges and increase heat loss.  Sounds better to have the upstairs en suite draining inside the house via in internal stack to the ground floor foul drain.  Even better if this stack can be capped with a AAV and an external foul drain vent provided to avoid having a vent pipe go through the thermal envelope.  Only thing to watch with an internal soil pipe stack is noise suppression.  I packed all around ours with dense rock wool before boxing it, and that seems to silence it pretty well.