Leaking pipe causing property damage

dutchcloggie

My partner just bought a house. Sitting outside we noticed some standing water around a drain. We hacked away some of the concrete around the drain. On closer inspection it turns out a water supply pipe is leaking. It looks like being in direct contact with the pipe, the concrete has eroded the ancient pipe. It looks like this has been quietly leaking for years and there appears to be a void underneath the house now where soil has been washed away.

Turning the main stopcock off has sorted the issue for now. Plumber can't come until Wednesday so emergency plumber will come tomorrow.

I am terrified for her that insurance won't cover the potential damage to the foundations and repair costs to the house. I realise it won't cover the repair to the pipe itself tomorrow. What do we do now? Is this something usually covered by insurance?

Turns out the supply pipe is lead so she's now applied for the lead replacement scheme.

subjecttocontract

It looks to my unqualified eye that there is more than just a water leak to cause concern :-

• Surface water (from guttering) and sink waste should not be discharging into the same drain.
• Water from the guttering discharge foot will miss the drain.
• The drain gulley itself does not look in good condition.
• The whole area is a mess and needs work

DId the buyer not have a survey before buying ?

Boohoo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6674118/leaking-pipe-causing-property-damage

There was a thread on here a few months back about the same issue and I think it depends on what water company they were with as not all do replacement free and this user had to pay as the pipe was on their property and had to get someone to dig it up and replace water pipe and then get water company to attach pipe to the stop tap/ meter as water company wanted a few thousand to do it.

Who is you water company?

None of this was picked up in the survey before buying the house if it looks for things like this?

dutchcloggie

Survey was done but the area was covered with pebbles and gravel. We swept it up as we didn't like the look of it. It then revealed this…

Boohoo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82050278#Comment_82050278

Thanks.

The water pipe is very close to the drain .

How many metres is the pipe from the drIn to the stop tap on the path?

Also what water company do you pay for water are you with?

dutchcloggie

The main stop tap is out the front. To make it worse, it is a shared stop tap with the neighbours! This leak is at the back just before the pipe enters the house.

bjorn_toby_wilde

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82050252#Comment_82050252

Surface water does often discharge into the same drain in older properties. Many (most?) Victorian and Edwardian properties had combined systems where both foul and rainwater went into the same drain.

WIAWSNB

Chances are the void will be of no consequence. Once it dries up, it can be examined, and then suitably filled.

But you clearly need a new mains pipe. Cost will vary depending on the WB's possible contribution, how much - if any - you can DIY it, and method - mole or trench.

You may decide to bring the new mains in the closer front of the house, and then continue it 'internally', ie under the floor, very well insulated.

Discuss with the WB, see what they might assist with, but worst case is that they'll only handle their part, which is usually up to the boundary. But they'll sort the shared supply at the same time.

Obviously consider a meter, which in almost every case will save you a small fortune.

The shared waste/rainwater gulley is no longer permitted, but I doubt they can or will retrospectively force a change - we have two downpipes doing this on our 1930s house, but have soakaways on the new garage and extension.

Bottom line - don't 'worry' about this, but start doing your research. Contact your WB. Get a local recommended builder to discuss the best new mains route, and to check the 'void' and gulley. Plan to add water butts to the DP so rainwater to sewer is easily minimalist (just do this 'cos it's the 'right' thing to do). Get quotes for new mains using the two methods. Find a local man-with-minidigger. Get a local drain specialist. Get the info, and come back on here to discuss.

Yes, read your buildings insurance. Most likely it won't help as it's an existing condition - and probably wouldn't cover it anyway.

Annoyingly, tho', there's a very good chance your WB sent out, or was about to, a leak and drains cover policy, with an enticing low start premium of pennies per month. Probably in the bin 😸

Section62

dutchcloggie said: Turns out the supply pipe is lead so she's now applied for the lead replacement scheme.

Are you sure that is the supply pipe? Generally supply pipes are arranged to 'rise' inside the building envelope, not on an outside wall. The lack of insulation to the pipes would put them at risk of freezing, and back when lead was used for supply pipes the options for insulating external pipes were a lot less effective than modern ones, hence the supply pipe normally rising on the inside.

I could be wrong, but my first thought would be that's more likely a pipe feeding an outside building or outside toilet (which may no longer be there)

subjecttocontract said: Surface water (from guttering) and sink waste should not be discharging into the same drain.

Not an issue if the gulley is connected to a combined sewer, or if it is a foul sewer and the connection is 'historic' and/or there is no nearby surface water sewer. No new surface water connection should be made to a foul sewer.

Sink waste going into a surface water sewer or soakaway would be a problem though.

WIAWSNB

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82050349#Comment_82050349

Good call re purpose of pipe, as it's at the back of the house, whereas the water mains s/c is seemingly at the front.

born_again

Get a new stop tap fitted where the issue is.