Help with plumbing (downpipe); novice, advice much appreciated

plumbdog

Greetings

I'm a very new, very unhandy member (well as far as plumbing goes except for the basics) so I'd be grateful for some advice on getting a job done.

I noticed that the concrete collar around the base of the downpipe from my upstairs wc was cracked, on closer inspection I see that unfortunately a crack extends into the glazed (top hat?) joint that is sunk at soil level so that will need replacing. I may as well have the actual downpipe replaced as well as it is a fair age.

My main questions:

Is this a standard plumber's job, can I call in the same everyday jobbing plumber I'd call to do simple indoor work, not something I have to call in the water board or whatever for-

Is it a fairly foolproof job, ie could a cheap & cheerful, basic-skills plumber be trusted with it-

Is there anything I should know about when contacting a plumber so I don't sound an idiot & therefore beg to be ripped off, how do I phrase the job correctly for example is it just 'please quote for replacing soil pipe/downpipe'-

and lastly what would be a very very very approx budget for this sort of job.

If you can help, many thanks, obviously I need to get on with this pronto

keystone

You want someone who does know what he is doing and preferebly has a shovel in his toolbag. He'll have to dig. The old stuff will have to be taken out below ground level and joined up to the drain underground. Strictly speaking that requires someone from building control to stare down the hole after its all joined up and before its filled in. If you use someone who does know what he is doing then you should have no worries on that front. If you emply a muscle bound muppet then you'd better plan for a BC visit so you'll be happy there won't be a leak.

Get 2/3 people round to quote. Explain the problem. Allow them to offer the solution (which is replace the whole lot and £500 - £ 600 as a wet finger number but I haven't seen it mind - could be more) in their priced submissions. You don't have to appear an idiot to ask them to quote.

Cheers

plumbdog

Many thanks for your reply. I will try & rummage up a decent word-of-mouth chap but had no luck so far, my concern with sounding an idiot is just that if I don't know what I'm on about I could be overquoted or told I need something unnecessary doing.

That's not far off the amount I feared but I'll see what I can can get quote-wise.

Thanks again, input much appreciated.