Page 1 of 1

Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:09 pm
by mandap
Hi,

I have just had a patio laid in my garden where i requested recessed manhole covers to be used to cover the 2 inspection chambers.

Rather than put in recessed manhole covers all that has been done is a bed of sand has been put down on top of the existing manhole cover and a slab laid on top with sand then used around the slab.

Has anyone heard of this being done before?

Surely as soon as it rains the sand will come out and i will be left with just a loose slab which will eventually sink

Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 6:31 pm
by dig dug dan
if you asked for recessed covers, the they should have been installed.

Covering them with sand and slabbing over them is not a good idea, and yes over time, the sand could wash out, and ants can dislodge it.

I would insist they install what you asked for. At about £80 each, they have made themselved a bob or two(asumming they had quoted for them!)

Only today i lifted an old patio to discover a buried manhole cover(the sewer underneath was active)
The customer is not happy as when she moved in she paid for a full survey, and no mention was made about this. The fact that there was no manhole present for the property. It should have had alarm bells ringing!

Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 8:45 pm
by seanandruby
cowboys. you should get what you asked and probably paid for.

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 9:58 pm
by Tony McC
As Sean says, these guys are shameless, unskilled, shit-fer-brains cowboys. I do hope you've not paid them - it would only encourage them to carry on their dishonest roguery. This sort of charlatan is why our trade has such a poor reputation.

If they won't make it right, report them to Trading Standards

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 12:40 pm
by podgermash
slightly off topic but regarding cowboys,
I spent nearly an hour with one guy quoting me £13 odd grand, then he turned round and said
" theres nearly 100mtrs there mate".
I know for a fact there were 74 and a bit. Now I can obviously bend a little and allow say 10% but this fella was saying nearly 30% more.
I really feel for proper tradesmen like yourselves, and you have my sympathies on matters like this.

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 7:58 pm
by Dave_L
Did you have a written spec as to what was to be done?