CONSERVATORY NEXT TO SOAKAWAY

[Darklordhere]

Hi All
What a great website!
Please be kind this is my first post.

We have signed up for a conservatory to be built in 8-10 weeks.

On the survey we showed our concern about the fact that the rainwater from this conservatory would be fed into the original bungalow which goes into a soakaway. We were told this wouldn't be a problem and if this conservatory went over the top of the pipes then they would protect them.

We have now investigated where our soakaways are on each side and found the end of the pipes to be 2.60m from the bungalow which means they will be only about 80cms away from what will be the conservatory dwarf walls.
Is this going to be OK?

We are rather concerned about this and need advice please!

 

[Darklordhere]

Very dissapointed to have no replies to my question.

 

[Static]

Very dissapointed to have no replies to my question.

Not exactly a simple question to answer.. the simple answer is yes it will probably be a problem which may result in the foundations for your conservatory failing over time.. but all depends on depth of soakaway, soil conditions, new foundation depths etc etc..
Therefore move the soakaways so they are 5m away from the house which i think you already know..

 

[Richard C]

As stated, current Building Regs now require a soak away to be at least 5m from the foundations of a building. Because conservatories are Building Regulations exempt, builders/conservatory companies often ignore regulations they would otherwise have to comply with. I would advise you decommission the existing soak aways & have some new ones installed or it could undermine your cons foundations. I would also replace the pipe work as well, if it’s old, you’ve no idea what sort of condition it’s in & the last thing you want is failed drainage pipe work under your cons!

My own conservatory came far too close to the original soak away for my liking & as the cast iron feeder pipes were 40 years old, I installed new plastic pipes & 2 new soak aways further away from the cons, also helps cope with the extra water volume.