www.davidlochhead.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

The black uPVC pipe entering the AC is the proposed new soil pipe.

Is this acceptable or am I going to have problems later, like surveyors etc?

Excellent site!!!

Thanks - Nick

Any suggestions?

Vinny

I thought the soakaway had to be 10 meters away from the house? From reading your site, I thought the best way was to connect to a drain?

I have now found a clay pipe about 3 meters away but it is combined house and drain.

I have seen another reply re close to the conservatory which is similair to mine. There has been times where the water rises up from the ground/garden after heavy rain. The water runs down the alleyway. The garden is wet but does dry quickly. No puddles.

I thought that the best way would be to connect to a drain/gulley but the patio surface area is about 18 sq meters, L shaped with only 4 meters near the house wall which needs lowering.

regards - Vinny

I was going to use your system of a pcc flag on edge. Construct the base out of concrete with a permeable pipe and pebbles on top. Again though I thought how do I connect/drain to a sewer re smell/trap.

I then thought about taking the hard option of digging out the patio to a level below the dpc. Dropping to a gulley?

Vinny

Thanks for the help!!

Vince

We have been informed that this used to flow across the road towards us in some way, but was redirected to drain away down the into a public drain some way down the road instead of ours. The local authority have been out and dug holes in the garden and have said they found a large concrete slab which could indicate a septic tank was used for foul water in the past and that our clear water could be draining to that now.

Sewerage is now connected to main drainage system. I don't know what insight into the world of drains you can give me! Is this their (LA) responsibility or the residents of this block?

You may detect a slight hint of desparation, this is because three weeks ago we sold our house and on Wednesday after Easter the valuation is being carried out!!!!!!!!

What do you think. I am not sure I have explained this with any real clarity!!!

Antony

He also said that there are granst available for this type of problem because of the age of the house. Have you ever heard of this?

The patio is to run right up next to the house, however the dpc is only 4 inches from the proposed slab surface. Is it possible to put some sort of drain/soakaway between the house and the slabs in order to prevent damp?

Or one run of slabs next to the wall then a channel??

I was told that a gravel filled trench round the outside of the house would be suitable as long as this was kept 150mm below dpc. However this sounds dodgy.

Any help greatly appreciated

Scott

One further question.

Ensuring that the gravel filled trench is 200mm wide and 150mm below dampcourse. Does the channel need to be lined with concrete at the base? Could water not be allowed to pass through the gravel and drain into the ground below. The soil is very well drained. Or would this cause problems with foundations?

Regards - Scott

However, this drain doesn't lead anywhere - it's plastic, about 1m deep and the only exit/entrance is the pipe from the patio drain.

Is this a wierd sort of soakaway, (or evaporate away), or did the builder's forget to join it to the road drain (it was built 7 yrs ago).

Thanks! - Owen

Owen

So, drive and patio taken care of. Thank you. My main problem now therefore relates to the waterlogged back garden. The house is built right next to what was an old brick and tile works. So, below the top couple of inches of topsoil in the garden is an indefinite depth of extremely heavy clay. The whole garden remains waterlogged after rain (often for many weeks after the last fall of rain). I have planned the layout for the garden and will replace the top 500mm or so of clay with soil (so I can actually grow something in it). This would be an ideal opportunity to install some land drainage. I plan to use perforated plastic pipe layed in trenches. From your site I have easily been able to work out how to do this and work out a drainage layout. My problem is where to connect the new land drains to. There is a concrete inspection chamber ideally located in the garden. The main channel is about 500mm below ground level. I've checked and can advise that only toilet and kitchen sink waste flow into this system - definitely no surface water. Am I allowed to connect into this with my land drainage and is it an easy task? Other than that, there is a gulley in the corner of the garden/at the corner of the house which takes the surface water from the roof? Again, am I allowed to connect into this and is this an easy task? The trap water in this gulley only appears to be about 250mm below ground level, so I'm not sure it is low enough to connect into to still allow for the gradient of the drainage. I could probably just about manage it, but by only having the plastic pipes a few inches below the top level of the garden - probably not recommended.

I'm almost there (thanks to your website) but just need the last little push in the right direction.

Many thanks in anticipation.

Once I've connected an access chamber into the existing pipe running away from the gulley, how do I connect into the access chamber with the new drainage? Is it best done with a short rigid section of pipe (bearing in mind that the land drains will be flexible perforated plastic pipe)? Do I need any end cap over the last piece of drain pipe before it enters the access chamber, to stop any small bits of grit etc. entering the main drainage system? Is it necessary to install a trap? Hopefully nearly there now.

Thanks again.

Cheers in advance

Rik

Connecting to the down pipe would involve lifting of the street paving, which although reluctant to do, if deemed necessary would accept.

Any advise will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Again.

Our land is a hill farm on heavy clay and I've started by using cut-and-fill to create a large enough area with 2% slope. I was then planning to install Terram 700 followed by 100mm perimeter drains in 450x600mm trenches of 14/20 gravel, fed by 80mm drains in 300x300mm of 14/20 at 5m intervals. On top of this I was hoping to put 150mm of compacted DTp1 or 0/32, followed by 150mm of equestrian sand.

Would the compacted DTp1 be sufficiently permeable to allow the sand to drain properly, or would I be better off using 40mm drainage gravel? If I use the gravel, how can I get the strength of DTp1? Or can anyone (Tony?) offer a better idea? Thanks!

I'm told that the riding surface is usually 150mm - either all so-called 'equestrian sand' (single size, fine, washed, sub-rounded and virtually free from clay, silt or grit - presumably also in several flavours..) or 100mm sand plus 50mm special topping of sand mixed with PVC or rubber granules. Ideally, the sand should be firm, like a foreshore, given the correct water content.

Re. geotextile between the sand and the sub-base, it seems this is controversial. Apparently there have been problems with horses putting their feet through it (despite the 150mm cover) - at best defeating the object and at worst causing trips and broken limbs (horses and riders).

The DTp1 (or 0/32 - 0/40) would be granite.

Do you think I've gone overboard with the drainage?

(Excellent site - I'd be lost without it!)

Incidentally, did you manage to sort those b......s that stole your intellectual property?

He dug a small found about 300mm but that is full of water too. I think the best way to sort out the water is to dig a large trench the width of the garden at the bottom and about 1 mtr deep, fill with large stone, then long trench's with perforated pipe and gravel leading to trench to disperse water.

Q1. Will this drain the top soil as I don't want to take it out?
Q2. The ground is soft - my wall is about 800mm high with four pillars with single brick between, how deep should my founds be?

There are no manholes to run pipes to.

About 1mtr down I hit clay. Will I have to dig down to clay level for perforated pipes and if so what level will the pea gravel be from the top soil level and dose the pipe needs to sit on the clay?

I'm also putting a 6ft fence with posts @ 8ft (2ft in ground using post mix down to clay with broken concrete to bring post up to height.) the ground is so soft I don't think it will hold posts, as the old 4x3 posts pushed over with medium force. HELP it's like working on a swamp.

I was thinking of fastening a couple of feet to btm of post's then hardcore around, then post mix? What u think as i need to keep cost down.

THANX

Back to the garden in question, at the bottom there is a patch of grass about 3mtr's wide and the ground is a lot firmer, I read on this site that grass grows greener were the drainage-line runs and seen this in the past, (with out much thought,) anyway this is why I think the spring runs under this patch of grass, the rest is baron wet soil.

I've seen the spring at the neighbours' garden and I think it would take the water away. (Fingers crossed)

I think your right on the posts so I'll give it a try.

I'll let you know how I get on, Thanks.

I don't use the net much but must say that your site has been the most helpful and informative that I've personally have had the pleasure to have viewed
Also thanks for the very quick response to my problems.

So what I'd like to do is: there are three gardens backing on to our garden which have manholes in them. 1 is council, then ether side is private. I have asked 2 of the tenants but they said I will have to get the relevant council permission??????  Could you fill me in with the law on this one?

Also I've installed my perforated pipes to a large sump trench, I wish to take an overflow pipe from this trench to one of the M.H. Would this method be all right as the lady in the private house was worried about silt from my pipes. Also if this method is ok is perforated pipe all right to run to the M.H.

Would it have to be a company or can any competent person do the work.

Thanx Dave

I think the manholes are under the council authority so would I need permission to use there M.H.

The best located M.H. would be the council property as the gentleman said if I got council permission he wouldn't mind (as he said he "would have no choice as to let me use the M.H.").

So do you think the person who has the problem water should get the permission then I can get on with the major work.

thanx

We are about to lay a new patio adjacent to the house. However, the garden slopes uphill away from the building. Immediately the other side of the patio is a ground level pond which will have stepping stones to cross it, so I can't drain it that way. The drainage has to run towards the house.

My question is, what type of channel would be most appropriate? We are using a textured concrete buff coloured slab, laid at an angle of 45 degrees to the house. As it is a new house, the builders have sealed the bottom of the downpipes - there is no open gully there, although I assume that this is easy enough to remedy?

Has anyone any idea on what type of gully and channel I can use that won't look too horrendous immediately adjacent to the house? And how do I link it to the sealed downpipe?

Thanks - Deb H

Originally my drive sloped down towards the house, but "kinked" back up about a metre or so away from the brickwork, and all of the water soaked into a central gravelled area. The contractor has, at my request, fitted some lovely kerbed edging to the gravel.

He has sloped the drive down towards the garage (with a narrow strip drain, which is fine) and similarly towards the bay window/door wall (three bricks down on the blue brick). The bit of path in front of the bay window is only 1m wide x 3.5m long

I ran a hose at the weekend, and noticed that water runs from the left hand side of my drive, avoids the grate in front of the garage, and ends up along the front of the bay window wall, and dissapears gradually into the sand joint between the blue brick/block paving. I cant tell where it would eventually end up, because the sand is still very porous

I believe he should have fitted a drain here, or channelled blocks to allow the water to run off into a rainwater pipe (which he has block paved around) which is at the other end of the bay window wall.

Am I being too picky? is a hosepipe sprayed on the ground a fair test?. What real damage could this do to my house from such a small area of path?

What can I reasonably expect him to do about it?????

Thanks for listening...

I have had the chap back in, who has agreed to put channelled edge bricks around the bay window wall, ending up in a rainwater drain (currently sealed with a gutter downpipe)

He was a bit reluctant at first, he said that "there was not much he could do", and then he said that when sand sealed, it would run along the house, and he would open up the drain cap for it. I said that I wanted some form of channel or drain, as I had read that water against the house is not a good idea.

It was only when I actually demonstrated with a hosepipe that he finally relented.

Can I just say that if it wasn't for this site, and your advice, I might just have left it.....

Many thanks - Matthew

1. I have priced up a plastic inspection chamber and with risers and cover they are comming in at about 200 quid each!! Is this the going rate or is the builders merchant ripping me off?

2. Where the drain goes under the floor slab, do I bed it on the same bedding as outside and then put hardcore on top or do I also put the same bedding on top upto the bottom of the floor slab? The top of the pipe will be approx level with the bottom of the hardcore.

3. Do the inspection chambers need to go on a concrete plinth?

4. Can I put bends on the entry to the IC and how big 45deg?

Thanks

Is there any brand that you can recommend over another? I have looked at Osmadrain, Hunter, Marley and Hepworth, Marley seem to be the cheapest and Hepworth the most expensive

First off, I have to thank you for such a well presented and informative site. It's helped us no end with sorting out solutions for our very problematical driveway and front garden.

Our house is on the side of a hill, above the road by about 15ft. Consequently the driveway is very steep - too steep for block paving, so it's going to be concreted. The ground also slopes from left to right. Where the ground becomes less steep, the concrete will stop and we'll block pave the majority of the garden, apart from an area in front of the house measuring around 5 m x 6m. This is the most level part of the garden, with only a slight slope and we plan to gravel it.

So, after that long-winded explanation(!), the question I have is how to drain the gravel section? It will be 'enclosed' on one side by the house and on the other three sides by block paving kerbstones. What I wish to avoid is a big puddle of water gathering under the lower corner of the gravel area, where it meets the block paved area.

Will water just permeate across the whole area and gradually drain away or should we install some drainage system? The ground soil is almost solid chalk.

I hope that's not too rambling and vague!!

Cheers - Nic

Can anyone advise on this problem. I'm in the process of digging a new pond and due the high water table in my garden (only 12 ins of topsoil over heavy clay subsoil) I've had to locate the pond in an area I know will become waterlogged in the winter. I've read that the pond will therefore require drainage below the liner.

OK so I'll excavate another 8 inches or so and sandwich perforated pipes in a layer of gravel. I don't have anywhere to direct this groundwater other than to collect in a sump and then pump into the nearest (12ft away) surface drain. Two questions please - the pond area is only 3.4m x 2.4m what can I use as a sump - I had thought about burying a plastic dustbin, is this a ridiculous idea? Secondly any recommendations on a suitable pump - it would need to have a float switch and be rated for continuous use and need to lift the water around 1.5m?

Many thanks for reading