Insurance claim problem with insurance repairs

donglefan

I'd value some advice about this situation. 
My home insurer installed a root barrier to protect house foundations from a large tree.  During the installation of the barrier, the lead man on site advised me that even if not necessary he might cut the water main to save time.  I thought about this over the weekend and sent an email to his direct supervisor  clearly stating I did not want the incoming water pipe to be severed it if was not necessary and to please dig carefully around the pipe.  [I had previously been told all requests should go to the supervisor who travels around the firm's sites]
At the site meeting on the Monday morning I confirmed with the supervisor that I did not want the water main to be cut and he said it would not be.
So on Tuesday, I put the washing machine on and discovered the water had been cut.  It was reconnected using compression fittings and works fine.
The place where it has been cut is around the barrier itself, on the side where there is ground movement exacerbated by roots.

I am concerned that in the longer term it is likely the pressure fittings will deteriorate in the presence of ground movement, particularly because of the location at the junction between the more desiccated soil on the tree side and the protected soil on the other side.
This being so I would like to ask the company to install a new water main, and would like to ask whether that is a reasonable request in the circumstances.

DullGreyGuy

You'll need to explain the relevance of a water meter to concern of how joints were made.

donglefan

DullGreyGuy said:

You'll need to explain the relevance of a water meter to concern of how joints were made.

DGG, thank you for responding.  I don't understand the significance of a water meter here.  My concern is that the cutting of the pipe will shorten its life given the ground instability.

Annemos

Apologies for the late reply: I was on holiday. This may be too late to be of use for you.


My water pipe was relaid in a Subsidence claim. (No root barrier involved, but it is laid on heavy clay.)


They used a grooved flexible ducting pipe and fed the new water pipe through it. 

The chap also told me, that one can put quite a weight on this ducting pipe and it will not malfunction! 


Here is a picture of the type of ducting.

(This photo makes it look really large. You would need a pipe with a large enough diameter to take the new compression fittings, with some room to spare, I suppose.  One could also use an adequate length of this ducting pipe, as deemed necessary, given the conditons.)




I am wondering if this method might give you sufficient confidence, as the new joint/fittings would then be adequately/additionally protected from movement, by being placed inside this flexible ducting pipe?  



(Just to add that I am not an expert myself.)