Tree Roots / Plastic Pipes / Soakaway

[hwood]

Hi,

 

Had a drainage survey last year which found tree roots in the (mainly) plastic pipes at the front of the house. The downpipe on the right takes a little bit of rainwater off the original front bay window roof.

 

The other 2 downpipes take rainwater off the front single story extension roof approx 15m2 area at 40 degree pitch (built 20 years ago). Original plans show a soakaway at the bottom of the steps. There is a Cherry tree near bay and larger mature trees near the boundary with road - Sycamore, Ash, Horse Chestnut etc.

 

I can't connect to next doors surface water drains because our drains are lower. I can't connect to my own combined drains at the back as the ground level goes down round the extension and back up again at the side to the same sort of level.

 

The survey guys gave a quote for a new soakaway with crates wrapped in membrane - £5K. They said soakaway will have failed and doing anything further would be a waste of money.

 

Had another quote of £1.1K to dig the 3 areas sprayed in red - root balls - this was after putting a camera down. They say some roots will have grown up the pipes from other end. If soakaway is OK when camera'd then make good the ground. But just because a soakaway is shown on the plans - there may not be one at all. New soakaway further £2.8K which would be chippings in the ground with membrane on the top only.

 

I've done a couple of percolation tests on the grassed area and it drains well.

 

How would you proceed?

 

- If the roots were removed, without digging the pipes, would they just grow back again? As there must be gaps in the pipes?

- Would it be cheaper to just dig the pipe nearest the lawn to see where it goes?

- Presumably crate soakaway better than chippings?

 

Thanks in advance..!

 

 

 

 

[ToughButterCup]

In a similar situation , this is what we did. Not exactly the same.... but bits of it might help