Replacing a drain cover

gettingtheresometime

We discovered last summer a manhole in our front garden which had been buried by the former owners. The cover is  rusty & obviously needs replacing.

Finally got the water company to come out & see if was a shared drain & it turns out it's not, so it's my responsibility to replace it. But who should I get to do the job a builder or a plumber as I was told that the frame needs replacing as well.

Also how much should it cost - the cover is approx 600mm x 450mm.

tia

stuart45

Most handyman could do it, although on site it's the bricklayers job.
Frame and cover is around £30, and an hour to cut off the old one and bed on the new.
It's a simple job if you want to have a go yourself.

JGB1955

We bought ours from Toolstation (other suppliers are available) - less than £30 (although we DID have to use far more quick set cement than we had anticipated)!  Galvanised Cover & Frame 24" x 18" | Toolstation

Section62

gettingtheresometime said:

The cover is  rusty & obviously needs replacing.

If the cover is cast iron they can look rusty, but not necessarily need replacing.

How/why did the previous owners bury it?

gettingtheresometime

Section62 said:

gettingtheresometime said:

The cover is  rusty & obviously needs replacing.

If the cover is cast iron they can look rusty, but not necessarily need replacing.

How/why did the previous owners bury it?

When I say they buried it, they simply covered it with earth. We were never gardeners and it took 26 years and a global pandemic to sort out the rewilding site that was the front garden. I'm guessing they buried it as it stuck out like a sore thumb and I can imagine the keen gardeners that they were it must have creased them every time they saw it.

No this is rusty and does need replacing lol!

gettingtheresometime

stuart45 said:

Most handyman could do it, although on site it's the bricklayers job.
Frame and cover is around £30, and an hour to cut off the old one and bed on the new.
It's a simple job if you want to have a go yourself.

JGB1955 said:

We bought ours from Toolstation (other suppliers are available) - less than £30 (although we DID have to use far more quick set cement than we had anticipated)!  Galvanised Cover & Frame 24" x 18" | Toolstation

Thanks both - yes it looks easy enough but I'm not sure I'm confident enough to try it myself - I have visions of dropping a pile of cement into the manhole!

stuart45

You cut out a piece of board the right size to sit on top of the benching. This stops any rubble and mortar falling into the channel.

Bendy_House

GTS, is it actually below the surrounding ground level at the moment? Might it be worth raising it up a bit whilst you are replacing it?

The builder/brickie/competent handypeep who'll do the job could add a row of bricks if needed, or just build up a thicker layer of concrete if only a small rise needed. It might then be disguiseable using gravel or similar, if that suits your design. Or a plant pot...

twopenny

I found I had 7 on my lplot when I moved in.
The one in the corner of my path I painted with metallic enamel and painted an old compass on it.
Could have been flowers, bee etc.
Another I put a large plant pot and shrub on.
Turn it into a feature 
The two concrete slab ones I made part of the path.