Garden draining issue with new build - Walker Group

*Kat*

Hi all

We moved into our new build in October. We couldn't afford to get turf laid at the time of buying the house, so nothing was done to the garden.

When we moved in, there was a lot of rubble in the garden, bits of fence, white tubes, etc, which we cleared up and rotovated the ground so that we could lay turf ourselves. After we rotovated it, the storm happened and we couldn't lay the turf. (This was end of October'ish).

This is what my garden looks like now. I'm really worried that this could be affecting our foundations. It's been like this a while now and it's not draining away.

I emailed Walker Group. Their response was disappointing.

Garden drainage beyond 3m from the building is not considered by the NHBC, nor ourselves, to be a 'defect' under the warranty given by your new home.

Thoughts please?

DaftyDuck

Main thought is: Does that white downpipe have a soakaway, is it connected to the main drain, or does it just run straight into the ground and cause this puddle.

martinthebandit

http://www.pavingexpert.com/drain16.htm

princeofpounds

It's very hard for us to offer any kind of real diagnosis because important clues - the slope of the land, the type of soil, how the puddle has appeared and moved - are not evident.


But I'd say that it's certainly within 3m of your foundations.


Is this a natural depression in the ground at all?

Grenage

How is that not within 3 metres?

One of the few benefits of a new build is the guarantee; kick up a fuss and don't be fobbed off.

*Kat*

I just replied to her email saying that this is within 3m of the house and I don't understand why she's not addressing it properly.

RAGE.

marksoton

*Kat* wrote: »

RAGE.

Don't rage, just get the resolution you want.

If i were buying a new build i wouldn't be happy clearing builders material from my back garden for a start. Did you take photos at the time to evidence it?

What do the drainage plans show?

Ikamva

When you say you removed rubble, I hope you didn't mean from the ground as this is required for drainage

moneyistooshorttomention

Ikamva wrote: »

When you say you removed rubble, I hope you didn't mean from the ground as this is required for drainage

Am recalling both the gardens my parents had and - nope no rubble anywhere - and not a trace of a drainage problem either.

So - I'm definitely wondering why anyone would think "rubble" might be necessary to deal with this? - as I've never heard of it being so in a normal garden.

Ikamva

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

I'm definitely wondering why anyone would think "rubble" might be necessary to deal with this? - as I've never heard of it being so in a normal garden

I have a degree in horticulture LOL

marksoton

Ikamva wrote: »

I have a degree in horticulture LOL

Then you should know that "Rubble" would only be used at a sub level to facilitate a soak away. And is an outdated drainage solution designed to cut developer costs and allow them to dump excess building materials.

OP, i now see at the bottom left of your photo there is 20mm up shingle. That suggests a "French" drain. And yet it doesn't continue round. Is that correct?