Soakaway installed but garden still waterlogged?

iwilldoitthistime

Hi

I live in a house which is 1.5 years old. In our first spring season, we noticed the garden was very waterlogged and pestered the builder who eventually installed a soakaway in the garden approx 1 metre from the back of the house. the back garden is on a slight slope towards the house, so they said this would remedy the problem.

I know we have a lot of rain lately, but the garden is extremely boggy - i virtually need my wellies on to hang the washing out. i now have a patio over the soakway that the builder installed, but I dont know exactly how much difference it should make?

I am very aware that I only have a 2 year 'warranty' on the house, so if I need to get something more done to the garden by the builder, I need to do it soon. I am worried that I either have some type of spring under the garden, or a leaking pipe??

can anyone suggest what I should do next? If I ring the builder at the moment, I know they will put me off because of the recent rain, but time is limited!

thanks

Wherryman

Apart from being much too close to your house (bulding regs state a minimum of 5 metres from any buliding) it's all down to the the height of the water table and the type of soil where you live.

Nearly all you ever wanted to know about soakaways:-

http://www.pavingexpert.com/drain08.html

jboy1972

hi
wherryman is right, too close to the house for building regs, can effect the foundations depending on soil conditions.
Also if new you might have a NHBC warranty which covers waterlogging within 3m of the house.
I work for a house builder, its a common complaint.

j

Kiran

The soakaway in itself will not solve the problem as I think you'll probably have clay soil under your garden. The clay is not free draining so the water will not make it into the soakaway. Do you have access to the soakaway so you can inspect/maintain it? If so check how much water there is inside.

As mentioned above the distance from the house is way too close and has the potential to cause instability in the house foundations.

Even though the garden slopes towards the house it is still possible to have the soakaway at the bottom of your garden, it involves digging some stone filled trenches falling toward the other end of the garden. You can also use slotted pipe to the same effect.

This is a relatively simple problem to rectify, but you should definitely have your builder back to do the work or foot the bill.

Good luck

iwilldoitthistime

Hi

thanks for the comments. I cant inspect the soakaway because there is now a patio over it. I didnt see whatever the builder laid in the garden, but definately saw the trench 1 metre from the house. Im worried now that it could cause problems to the house!

I will get on to the builder tomorrow and ask someone to come out and inspect the garden. Of course, doesnt help its been raining again

thanks again

macka0

Hi...... not to sure but i presume the builder has installed more of a french drain to help the surface water flow thru the soil...building regs for a soakaway are for a drain taking surface water from a downspout not water from the garden...hope this helps

datostar

I dug myself a lovely soakaway - got down about 5 feet and hit solid blue clay. Aaargh, I could have started a brickworks! Gave up at that point.

SplanK

yeah i have this problem however with a different senario...
my garden appears the be the lowest out of the lot in the area, high amounts of clay and neighbours cardens are more or less just patio's

I got home to find this the other day - my patio under about an inch or 2 of water:

Next door have laid perferated drainage pipes around their garden into a sump... then once the sump is nearly full - there is a pump which will drain it into the drain - might do the same!