Sewer colour coding

[Rachieble]

I'm hoping to buy this property to build on the side land. The auction is tomorrow and I didn't get a drainage search as its a built up area I know well and have had local drainage searches before so assumed there wouldn't be any issues as there is no evidence of sewers on the land as no manhole covers. Turns out I shouldn't assume as they have literally just updated the legal pack with these drawings - they are theoretically the same sewer/drain but they seem to have slightly different trajectories. Can anyone interpret whether these would be build-overable (with the necessary agreement) or not? I can't work out if this is a strategic sewer, a normal sewer or a lateral drain from the drawings. Is there a code for the colours? 

[Russell griffiths]

I always ask myself, why has nobody built on it previously. 

[Rachieble]

16 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said:

I always ask myself, why has nobody built on it previously. 

It's been let on an assured tenancy for 50 years. The Guy just died.

[Russell griffiths]

Just now, Rachieble said:

It's been let on an assured tenancy for 50 years. The Guy just died.

Why didn’t the original developer not put another house on it. 

[Rachieble]

23 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said:

Why didn’t the original developer not put another house on it. 

The house is over 100 years old

[Mr Punter]

Red would be foul, blue surface.  You would need to divert them if they are near the proposed building.  Don't assume they are near where the drawings indicate.  They may be fairly deep.

[Rachieble]

The property is at the top of a hill in a small town. Seems to feed about 30 houses and can’t really go anywhere else after due to hill as this would make it the end of the branch I’m going to guess. So by a process of elimination it should be smaller than a 375mm pipe and It’s  unlikely to be a main sewer. Seems build over with raft or cantilevered foundations might be an option. 

[Russell griffiths]

If you are on a journey to become a developer, you would be better off buying quality plots with planning and go from there. 
buying poor plots with problems is a sure fire way to loads of grief and small profits. 
look at a plot for two houses as a starter, if you are short on funds then get some financing, don’t buy rubbish because that’s all you can afford. 
 

[kandgmitchell]

Depends where this is - Thames Water for instance will not agree a build over for new dwellings, only extensions.

[saveasteading]

Auctions are for risky sites. 

I'm an expert and I would want 2 weeks research before considering buying or even advising.

 

Are there manholes? Depth, diameters, problems?

 

I suggest walk away unless you love a huge gamble AND the site is very cheap.

[Rachieble]

The project is an extension, not a new build so I believe Thames water would allow build over. It's a very small house and the project would be to make it into a very large house. The price is very good and it'll make over £300k in capital gains on the GDV when finished so it really isn't rubbish.  It's not my first auction. I've been doing flips for 20 years. 

Edited Tuesday at 11:09 by Rachieble

[Rachieble]

1 hour ago, saveasteading said:

Auctions are for risky sites. 

I'm an expert and I would want 2 weeks research before considering buying or even advising.

 

Are there manholes? Depth, diameters, problems?

 

I suggest walk away unless you love a huge gamble AND the site is very cheap.

No manholes. There is a manhole in the road outside but nothing with the boundary. The manhole outside suggests the older plan showing the pipes running up the boundary are in the correct position, not the one from the LR. The house next door has a large side extension right up to the boundary so likely had a build over agreement as would have been within 3m. 

[Rachieble]

2 hours ago, Russell griffiths said:

If you are on a journey to become a developer, you would be better off buying quality plots with planning and go from there. 
buying poor plots with problems is a sure fire way to loads of grief and small profits. 
look at a plot for two houses as a starter, if you are short on funds then get some financing, don’t buy rubbish because that’s all you can afford. 
 

Quality plots with planning won't make any money round here (Surrey). The asking prices are so ridiculous they are really only for the self builder - most have less than a 10% profit margin which would make financing impossible. This isn't rubbish and I'm not buying it because I can't afford anything else. Its a great plot in an amazing location with a potentially huge profit margin. It just has some oddities to deal with. 

[Dave Jones]

you need to lift a lid and see what size pipe it is. Highly unlikely you will be allowed to build over. They would insist on a divert if thats even possible.

 

£££££££££££££££££££££££££

 

be very very careful

[kandgmitchell]

Had a quick look at Southern Water's requirements and build overs are limited to sewers 225mm dia or less. If it's more then it's a diversion I'm afraid. Those drainage details provided by the seller are deliberately vague - enough to cover themselves - "look we told you about them" but not eneough to make a proper decision. It'll be a gamble............  good luck!

[Rachieble]

12 minutes ago, kandgmitchell said:

Had a quick look at Southern Water's requirements and build overs are limited to sewers 225mm dia or less. If it's more then it's a diversion I'm afraid. Those drainage details provided by the seller are deliberately vague - enough to cover themselves - "look we told you about them" but not eneough to make a proper decision. It'll be a gamble............  good luck!

It's not Southern its Thames. They will allow build over under 375mm. 

[Rachieble]

36 minutes ago, Dave Jones said:

you need to lift a lid and see what size pipe it is. Highly unlikely you will be allowed to build over. They would insist on a divert if thats even possible.

 

£££££££££££££££££££££££££

 

be very very careful

No way to lift the lid- its in the middle of a busy road. 

[Rachieble]

All moot now. The auction when higher than I was prepared to bid so it's someone elses problem now. 

[kandgmitchell]

That's the trouble with auctions ... you get all het up, do as much homework as you can and then on the day the lot just runs off like mad going way over what you thought was sensible.

 

Still you never know - I bought one that had been put back into an auction after the buyer at the previous sale simply disappeared after the lot was sold and was never seen again. Rather than pursue them to complete, the owners put it back in. Mind you it went for another £10K over the last hammer price so it was probably the best thing for them. 

[Rachieble]

36 minutes ago, kandgmitchell said:

That's the trouble with auctions ... you get all het up, do as much homework as you can and then on the day the lot just runs off like mad going way over what you thought was sensible.

 

Still you never know - I bought one that had been put back into an auction after the buyer at the previous sale simply disappeared after the lot was sold and was never seen again. Rather than pursue them to complete, the owners put it back in. Mind you it went for another £10K over the last hammer price so it was probably the best thing for them. 

Yes, you takes your chance that's for sure. I think I was probably bang on with my top price - it was between me and someone else in the end, but I'd set my ceiling and stepped out when it went £5k over. Someone has got a great property there though, it was really good and assuming the pipes prove build-overable it'll be a fat profit.

[saveasteading]

46 minutes ago, Rachieble said:

set my ceiling and stepped out when it went £5k over.

Well done.