Weird Roof Drainage Set Up

halfabee

I just had a Building Survey done on a property I am purchasing. It came back with something a bit weird.

The rain water pipe at the front of the house, that comes from the roof guttering, does not go down into a drain as you would normally expect. Instead the pipe goes along the side of the house at the bottom, then over the (small) front 'garden' (it's concrete) then under the (big) hedge and pokes out.... onto the pavement! There is no drain underneath to collect whatever water comes out of it.

The house is terraced, and it's noted that the same thing has been done in two other places along the terracr row of about 6 houses. Ours is on the end, it's set up this way again at the other end of the terrace, and then again in the middle - basically everywhere with a down pipe from the gutter. It appears to be unique to this little block of 6 circa 1900 cottages. The other terraces on the street are bigger houses and are not set up this way from what I can see, looking at streetview.

What the flip is going on here? Surveyor highlights it as a major risk of potential surface water flooding, and indicates an underlying problem with the sewer/drain capacity, that at some point in the past the drains would overflow from rain water, so they fixed this by diverting the flow elsewhere. Fine, I guess, so long as it's fixed the issue - but on tot he street!? Surely that creates a hazard, did they notify the LA?

Feels like a potential nightmare, on the other hand, there is no sign of damp, the other houses have the same setup, maybe it's just something that's always been that way, perhaps there aren't any sewers at the front of the property, or something.

I wonder if anyone has seen this before or has any advice to offer? Should I be worried about it, or just take it as a calculated risk, given the seller says they have never experienced flooding, and have lived there for 13 years? I imagine if the garden floods the first time it rains after I'm in I will be able to claim something from them due to the obvious lie?

bouicca21

I have seen it before. also on an old house. I assumed it was because the house predated mains drainage - when it was built it was a very rural area.

Algar

halfabee wrote: »

I

I wonder if anyone has seen this before or has any advice to offer? Should I be worried about it, or just take it as a calculated risk, given the seller says they have never experienced flooding, and have lived there for 13 years? I imagine if the garden floods the first time it rains after I'm in I will be able to claim something from them due to the obvious lie?

Is your garden one that does not need/have natural drainage (concrete)?

Chanes

If the water froze over and someone slipped what would happen then? Could it become a legal issue?

G_M

Fairly common. Older house? Sounds like the water is directed off the roof and well away from the property so you won't get damp problems.

Is the house on the same level as the street or raised up at all?

My rain water drain goes underground (shallow) and exits into the front garden about halfway between the house and the road. As it's on a slope, the water just runs down the garden (soaking in). When it rains heavily, there's some water exiting the garden onto the road and into the drains in the road.

No big deal.

Giddypip

My mum's house and others along her row are similar to this. Built in late 1800's, never had any problems. Couldn't comment on legal issues though as people will sue for absolutely anything nowadays.

halfabee

Another thing he pointed out was that the floor of the house is lower than the ground outside. The original timber flooring has been taken out long ago, and replaced with concrete circa 1950. The house now has parquet flooring. The surveyor is suggesting the lack of carpets may suggest surface water flooding.

Personally I think this just means parquet flooring was trendy once, and people are obsessed about retaining it as a 'feature'. I hate it. :-)

usefulmale

The houses have been there for 115 years. Is there any evidence of any problems? Research the local paper, knock on doors and ask. I think the surveyor is just covering their backside.

G_M

halfabee wrote: »

Another thing he pointed out was that the floor of the house is lower than the ground outside. The original timber flooring has been taken out long ago, and replaced with concrete circa 1950. The house now has parquet flooring. The surveyor is suggesting the lack of carpets may suggest surface water flooding.

Personally I think this just means parquet flooring was trendy once, and people are obsessed about retaining it as a 'feature'. I hate it. :-)

This is potentially more significant. This could indeed cause a damp problem. If the damp proof course is higher than the floor level, you could get damp. If the outside ground level is higher than the dpc, the the dpc cannot do its job.

The solution is to lower the external ground level. A hard wekkend's work digging down all round the external wall. Half fill the trench with gravel.

Sorted.

SplanK

Could be worth knocking on a few doors to see if anybody can 'slip up' about potential flooding/damp problems?


What does it say on the PIF that the sellers have filled in? How long have they lived there?

stator

If you had damp problems you wouldn't put down a parquet floor. Wood isn't damp friendly!