water pipe under extension

andrewf75

Hi,
We're at the planning stage of building an extension, plans have been drawn up and building regs approval has been submitted. Having just spoken to neighbour, apparently the mains water pipe to their property runs under our existing extension (which is being replaced). My question is shouldn't this be on the architects plans? Or will building control pick it up? Or is it just a case of us informing the builder roughly where it is so he will be careful when digging? Not familiar with how these things work!
Can anyone advise?
Also I have hard you need to pay a fee to build over a public sewer. Is this correct and again, will this be picked up or is it up to us?
Thanks!

southcoastrgi

it's not just a fee you have to get permission from your local water co to build over a public sewer, no permission = no extension

mandm65

If your property happened to be the first inline then you dont need permission as your sewer would be classed as private not public.
Good luck with extension and keep us posted as you progress!

Captain_Flack.

mandm65 wrote: »

If your property happened to be the first inline then you dont need permission as your sewer would be classed as private not public.
Good luck with extension and keep us posted as you progress!

The regs have changed on that, how up to date are you?

andrewf75

I'm aware of the build over agreement from the water provider. But I guess my main question is this: Is it our responsibility to apply for the permission and inform our builders of where the supply pipes/sewers are, or is this something that buildng control picks up when they process our application and informs us what we need to do?

Captain_Flack.

andrewf75 wrote: »

I'm aware of the build over agreement from the water provider. But I guess my main question is this: Is it our responsibility to apply for the permission and inform our builders of where the supply pipes/sewers are, or is this something that buildng control picks up when they process our application and informs us what we need to do?

It's your responsibility and building control may pick up on it if you don't. They could stop the job or refuse to sign off your footings if you ain't got build over permission.

Captain_Flack.

Oh and it's about £180, providing no camera surveys or anything out of the norm is found.

andrewf75

Captain_Flack. wrote: »

It's your responsibility and building control may pick up on it if you don't. They could stop the job or refuse to sign off your footings if you ain't got build over permission.

Thanks. Thats what I needed to know, will get onto it.

But having just looked at the Thames Water website the application form asks for drawings of where the sewers are - how do I find out? Surely they should be the ones telling us where they are?!

Or should our architect have advised? His drawings do not show the shared pipes only the nearest manhole and direction of flow from/to it.

Having just looked at the CON29DW drainage and water enquiry that our solicitor did when we bought the house last year it only shows the main sewers not the ones running through our property. This is really doing my head in. You pay a solicitor to do these searches and you pay an architect to draw up plans and we're still none the wiser about where these pipes are other than a vague idea from the neighbour!

andrewf75

Does a shared water supply pipe require this build over agreement? or is it just sewers. I can't see any mention of supply pipes. Ours runs under our existing extension to the neighbours property. Is that something which would be an issue?

andrewf75

hmmm, having just spoken to the architect he doesn't see an issue so think I'll just plead ignorance and wait and see what building control says...

This is unbelievably complex. No wonder people often don't bother to do things properly when going through the official procedures is so difficult.

Doozergirl

andrewf75 wrote: »

Does a shared water supply pipe require this build over agreement? or is it just sewers. I can't see any mention of supply pipes. Ours runs under our existing extension to the neighbours property. Is that something which would be an issue?

A shared water supply does not need a build over agreement because it is your pipe to damage as you wish The join to the mains will not be under your extension but clearly, you need to tell the builder to look for them if they are there.

A public sewer is not just a mains sewer, it is also any pipe where waste from more than one house flows before it reaches the main sewer. So if your neighbours waste (either rainwater or the brown stuff) joins to your manhole and then it all flows off somehow to the big one, that is a sewer that needs a buildover agreement.

You are not allowed to build over the sewer without permission. Building Control will see it and they will want to see your build over agreement before they issue your certificate. Unlikely, but Water can force you to stop work until you have one.

The CON29DW should also show what is running through your back garden. If it doesn't then you need to check all the manholes near to you and figure out what goes where by the direction the pipes run in and how deep they are. Then you need your architects plan and draw the lines of the pipes onto it in the right place.

Organise the buildover yourself and you won't have to pay anyone else to do it for you. As a builder, I would do it for a customer before we start work, as long as it's my job, but I can't tell you what others would do. Some don't even know you need a build over agreement - as demonstrated on this board a few times over the last couple of months!