Manhole cover under shed?

Sapindus

There is a manhole cover right in the middle of where I want to put a shed.  Is it feasible/legal to cut a hole in the shed floor and have a lift-out section in case the manhole needs to be accessed?  

MikeJXE

Yes as long as you can get at it if you ever need to

Be a good idea to lift the lid and  make sure its clean in the channels before you cover it 

Section62

Sapindus said:

There is a manhole cover right in the middle of where I want to put a shed.  Is it feasible/legal to cut a hole in the shed floor and have a lift-out section in case the manhole needs to be accessed?  

Is it a public sewer?

Rdwill

Whenever I've had to lift my manholes I usually end up doing some rodding, when making your access be aware that you may need to create an angle to get a rod down and give it some welly

FreeBear

There is a manhole cover under one of my sheds. No hole in the floor, so I can't access it unless the shed is emptied and moved out of the way first. However, the pipes only go from a downpipe to a disused septic tank, so not really a problem.

If your underground drains are still "live", then ensuring the cover can be accessed when need is prudent. A shed often ends up being a dumping ground for tat'n'crap or gardening equipment (mine serves as a wood store). So you might want to locate the shed to one side rather than on top.

Sapindus

The part of the shed where the drain cover is would be right where I walk in and stand to use the workbench, so I'm not too worried that it will be covered in clutter if access is ever needed.  Yes it's a foul sewer.  The drainage search shows it as being at the top of the run.

Albermarle

Normally sheds sit on bearer timbers, so you would have to cut out part of at least one of these, as well as the shed floor to have access to the manhole. 
Maybe make the shed a bit less stable ?

stuart45

You'd use trimmers if you needed to cut any, the same principle with a chimney or staircase.
If you do have it inside the shed I'd consider a double sealed cover, or at least plenty of grease around it.

Doonhamer

I would measure and prep the floor for cutting but not actually cut it, just mark out where to cut if you ever need to and make sure the bearers underneath are positioned or re-engineered to allow the floorboards to be cut for access and supported again to put back down

Section62

Sapindus said:

The part of the shed where the drain cover is would be right where I walk in and stand to use the workbench, so I'm not too worried that it will be covered in clutter if access is ever needed.  Yes it's a foul sewer.  The drainage search shows it as being at the top of the run.

The sewer records aren't complete, so may only be showing the sewer as far as it has been surveyed, rather than the chamber necessarily being at the end of the run.

But being shown on the public records means it is more likely than not to be a public sewer.

Strictly speaking you may need a buildover agreement to build over a public sewer - even if it is only a wooden shed and you maintain access to the chamber (although if the shed is locked the degree of access is debatable).

From the water company's perspective the important thing is them being able to access the chamber if the need arises.  For example if brown stuff is bubbling up in a neighbour's property.  The water company is responsible for sewage flooding from their sewerage system so typically want to deal with it asap to limit the consequential losses they may become liable for.  So as a result would normally resist anything being done which limits access to the sewerage system.

The problem with building sheds (and patios) over sewer chambers is that although you know the manhole is under the shed (or patio) someone responding to an emegency call out for foul sewage flooding won't.  And if you aren't at home to unlock the shed then they won't be able to get access, even if they work out where the chamber is.  In theory the sewerage undertaker could take action against you for obstructing access, and in principle could make a claim for their costs (including what they have paid out in compensation), though they probably won't in the case of an individual householder unless it was a very clear-cut case.

Bottom line, providing access through the floor won't necessarily help much if emergency access is needed, so you'll carry a risk if something goes wrong with the sewer you might have the water company looking at options for taking action against you.  You'll need to judge how likely that might be, as well as being aware that if the neighbours get brown stuff in their homes you may not be the most popular person, even if you escape financial liability.

Sapindus

I think the shed will need to go somewhere else.  Thanks.