Scammed by a rogue builder, now completing and fixing all the bad jobs

[lifeviaai]

Hi guys,

Had a lot of work done in my house by a contractor who I thought I could trust.

 

Now I'm fixing all of his mistakes one step at a time and need all the advice I can get.

 

I am currently trying to fix an inspection chamber in the garden which has one Inlet from a toilet on the ground floor.

 

It has been placed completely bent and it literally leaning against my shed (see attached pic), I want to place storm drains along this area so need to Straighten the Inspection chamber Base.

 

I've dug down and noticed that the inlet pipe is higher than the outlet pipe, therefore causing the chamber base to be wonky and bent.

 

Might be a silly question but how easy are 110mm pipes to disconnect from one another? Can I replace the inlet with an adjustable connector with a sufficient angle bend?

 

Should I use chippings/mot cat 1 to make a stable base for the inspection chamber then cement into place? As currently it is sitting in soil. (See attached pictures)

 

Please advise.

 

 

 

Edited May 28, 2023 by Nickfromwales
typo

[crispy_wafer]

At least the In is higher that the Out!

 

Once you have removed the surrounding material from the IC can you twist it so would point a bit more upright?  If so, the easiest method would be do that, then trim the top riser at at angle so the cover fits flush with the ground level.  Not perfect, but would it still be functional. 

 

If you are dead set on making it perfect, then you'd need to expose a good length of out, and in pipe.  You can cut pipe with a saw then knock out the I/C resite it and rejoin with a couple of slip connectors and a bit of pipe.

 

Have a look over at Inserting an Inspection Chamber | Pavingexpert as most of what I'd type out is probably better explained there.

[Dave Jones]

concrete it in place. you can use bends to drop into it if you really have too.

 

It's currently connected up incorrectly as well, the main flow needs to connect to the middle (middle is lower)not the sides, will then need a 45 i suspect to connect the outlet.

 

Edited May 28, 2023 by Dave Jones

[Nickfromwales]

Don't start cutting this out, there is no need. Straighten as much as possible as per above advice, and cut the turrets to correct the angle for the cover. This is a can of worms that doesn't need opening IMHO.

[Nickfromwales]

It is piped 'incorrectly' but will function perfectly well as is. The big question will be if your building control officer agrees this or not. @lifeviaai, what's the deal with building control?

[Dave Jones]

1 minute ago, Nickfromwales said:

It is piped 'incorrectly' but will function perfectly well as is. The big question will be if your building control officer agrees this or not. @lifeviaai, what's the deal with building control?

 

may get away with it not blocking over time if a bath/shower/mwashing machine is connected but if just a bog the turds will drop in the middle back and wont get washed away. BCO should fail it....

[PeterW]

You can technically come in on a branch and leave on the main channel if you are using the chamber to do a direction change but you need to make sure there is a decent “drop” across the chamber so you don’t have blockage issues. Not ideal, but as @Nickfromwales said it just needs straightening up and then should be fine  with some concrete around the base.

[Nickfromwales]

3 minutes ago, Dave Jones said:

 

may get away with it not blocking over time if a bath/shower/mwashing machine is connected but if just a bog the turds will drop in the middle back and wont get washed away. BCO should fail it....

 

1 hour ago, lifeviaai said:

I want to place stork drains along this area so need to Straighten the Inspection chamber Base.

Assuming that was meant to say storm drains(?) then maybe an opportunity to introduce that through the centre inlet and for it to be periodically washed through by rainwater.

 

If it's a combined sewer that is?

[PeterW]

7 minutes ago, Dave Jones said:

BCO should fail it....

Based on..? Nothing in the Building Regs about this or in the Drainage Design manual ..?

[Nickfromwales]

Plus I have lost count of how many of these are fitted / have been fitted as per in the above pic and they work just fine. May be a slight worry if immediately connected after a 1 or 2 storey vertical fall, eg where the brown dolphins are at Mach 4, but as there is a long straight run here at GF level things should only be travelling at a standard pace (so they will change direction without getting airborne first).

 

"Stand down brown alert!".  💩

[Dave Jones]

15 minutes ago, PeterW said:

You can technically come in on a branch and leave on the main channel if you are using the chamber to do a direction change but you need to make sure there is a decent “drop” across the chamber so you don’t have blockage issues. Not ideal, but as @Nickfromwales said it just needs straightening up and then should be fine  with some concrete around the base.

 

technically chambers are needed at changes in direction. could be installed correctly with a couple 45degree elbows on the in and out. main run is lower for a reason no sure what you dont understand about that.

[PeterW]

23 minutes ago, Dave Jones said:

 

technically chambers are needed at changes in direction. could be installed correctly with a couple 45degree elbows on the in and out. main run is lower for a reason no sure what you dont understand about that.

So just to correct you here.. you would use a pair of 22° bends on each side (as per Drainage Design guide) with a short rocker,  as a 45° is deemed restrictive for rodding purposes and can create binding if you were to use an IC as a direction change, although there is nothing to stop you using an IC as per install above in any of the regulations which the BCO can refer to, so not quite sure what you don’t understand about that..?

 

 

[lifeviaai]

Okay so a few things.

This is a secondary inspection chamber and only connects to a toilet on the GF of my house.

I've been living here for over a year and had no issues with blockages at all.

BC have been by and all clear.

 

The main issue I'm tackling is levelling the Chamber base as I wanna get the area tiled up.

 Upon a little more digging I've found a 30° connection.

 

But once again the inlet is higher than outlet.

 

Can I get an adjustable connection which will allow both a turn and a drop in height?

 

[lifeviaai]

50 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

 

Assuming that was meant to say storm drains(?) then maybe an opportunity to introduce that through the centre inlet and for it to be periodically washed through by rainwater.

 

If it's a combined sewer that is?

Yes. Storm drain. Thank you. And I will be using the bottle gully that is connected to a seperate chamber for that

[lifeviaai]

1 hour ago, crispy_wafer said:

At least the In is higher that the Out!

 

Once you have removed the surrounding material from the IC can you twist it so would point a bit more upright?  If so, the easiest method would be do that, then trim the top riser at at angle so the cover fits flush with the ground level.  Not perfect, but would it still be functional. 

 

If you are dead set on making it perfect, then you'd need to expose a good length of out, and in pipe.  You can cut pipe with a saw then knock out the I/C resite it and rejoin with a couple of slip connectors and a bit of pipe.

 

Have a look over at Inserting an Inspection Chamber | Pavingexpert as most of what I'd type out is probably better explained there.

 

 

I wasn't sure whether the riser would sit properly if I did this. I think this might be my best bet.. because I really don't wanna mess this up 😅

[PeterW]

Just now, lifeviaai said:

 

 

I wasn't sure whether the riser would sit properly if I did this. I think this might be my best bet.. because I really don't wanna mess this up 😅

Depends how much you need to trim as between the ribs is fairly easy, if you have to cut a rib it’s more difficult.

 

What is the chamber bedded on to..? Just looks like muck..? Any pea gravel or concrete ..?

[crispy_wafer]

1 minute ago, lifeviaai said:

 

I wasn't sure whether the riser would sit properly if I did this. I think this might be my best bet.. because I really don't wanna mess this up 😅

Worst that could happen, is that you trim the riser wrong, but (make sure you find out the manufacturer of the IC and risers so you can identical) you can then fetch another and have another go...

 

Inlet is fine on the branch angle. outlet is on the main run - good!

[lifeviaai]

21 minutes ago, PeterW said:

Depends how much you need to trim as between the ribs is fairly easy, if you have to cut a rib it’s more difficult.

 

What is the chamber bedded on to..? Just looks like muck..? Any pea gravel or concrete ..?

No, but I've bought some pea grav and concrete to stabilise it. I think once I get the riser cut right I can pea gravel and concrete the base and be done with it.

[lifeviaai]

21 minutes ago, crispy_wafer said:

Worst that could happen, is that you trim the riser wrong, but (make sure you find out the manufacturer of the IC and risers so you can identical) you can then fetch another and have another go...

 

Inlet is fine on the branch angle. outlet is on the main run - good!

Thanks for the help. I hope this works. Because I really didn't want to have to change any pipe work

[Nickfromwales]

35 minutes ago, lifeviaai said:

Can I get an adjustable connection which will allow both a turn and a drop in height?

Seriously, just leave it alone. You risk doing more harm than good tbh, especially if you are not doing this type of work every day.

You've just said yourself this functions perfectly and has been doing so for a year, so if it ain't broke.....just cut the extenders at a slight angle to get the turret straight enough to get the lid flat and leave as is.

Dig out under and clear room for concrete, and then pour the first lot to bind the base to the fist extender. Once cured you can push pull on the next and hold it in place during a second concrete pour. After that you should be fine, even if the lid is a Heath Robinson fit you'll be fine.

 

Do not make the concrete too wet, this needs to be a semi-dry mix so slurry doesn't bleed into the loose joints.

[Dave Jones]

1 hour ago, PeterW said:

So just to correct you here.. you would use a pair of 22° bends on each side (as per Drainage Design guide) with a short rocker,  as a 45° is deemed restrictive for rodding purposes and can create binding if you were to use an IC as a direction change, although there is nothing to stop you using an IC as per install above in any of the regulations which the BCO can refer to, so not quite sure what you don’t understand about that..?

 

 

 

just to correct you, 45 degree is allowed for by NHBC. Not sure why you getting so prim about it.

 

[PeterW]

3 hours ago, Dave Jones said:

 

just to correct you, 45 degree is allowed for by NHBC. Not sure why you getting so prim about it.

 

err cos the NHBC isn’t BCO..? Which you’ve still not explained why the BCO would fail it which is where this started…

 

Also, the drainage design guide is part of the British standard - the NHBC guide is part of an expensive insurance business that has zero value in regulation or law and can be ignored and regularly is… 

[Dave Jones]

20 hours ago, PeterW said:

err cos the NHBC isn’t BCO..? Which you’ve still not explained why the BCO would fail it which is where this started…

 

Also, the drainage design guide is part of the British standard - the NHBC guide is part of an expensive insurance business that has zero value in regulation or law and can be ignored and regularly is… 

 

err no. BCO applies NHBC rules, never seen them go against NHBC ever. Have you ?

[dpmiller]

Surely the BCO is checking compliance with the Statutory Instruments and likes it if you take the easy option of using the ADs to achieve this?

[Nickfromwales]

4 hours ago, Dave Jones said:

 

err no. BCO applies NHBC rules, never seen them go against NHBC ever. Have you ?

Not in any of my experiences. BCO walked the job, warranty folk wandered around behind him taking notes.