extending over drains

[calvert]

I have planning to extend the back of my house. At the moment the drain to septic tank runs paralell with the back wall and there is a steel manhole cover outside the door. When the extension is done this will be inside the kitchen. Can I fit a sealed manhole cover of some kind and leave the drains as they are are should I dig new ones so the inspection chamber is outside the new walls?

 

[noseall]

Can I fit a sealed manhole cover of some kind and leave the drains as they are are should I dig new ones so the inspection chamber is outside the new walls?

You can do either, dependant upon feasibility and cost.

 

[calvert]

Thanks. Never thought it would be that simple!

 

[Jackthebiscuit]

I asked a similar question a little while ago, except that my drain was going to the main sewer rather than a tank, and was told that internal manholes were no longer allowed,,, and that I would have to move the manhole if I wanted to extend over it.

 

[Richard C]

I asked a similar question a little while ago, except that my drain was going to the main sewer rather than a tank, and was told that internal manholes were no longer allowed,,, and that I would have to move the manhole if I wanted to extend over it.

Don’t think that's correct, who told you that?
BR’s actually refer to an air tight inspection chamber being required internally & also gives requirements for building over foul drains, after all many are laid within the slab & pass through the foundations of houses when they are built; the only restriction I know of is building over a public sewer.

 

[noseall]

I was told that internal manholes were no longer allowed,,, and that I would have to move the manhole if I wanted to extend over it.

Load of blarney.

As Ricky C has said, as long as the i.c. is finished off with a screw down air tight cover, then all is rosy.

 

[Jackthebiscuit]

Hello Richard C and Noseall,

I hope you are both right.

I can't recall who told me but will try to find the thread. The other difference between mine and calvert's situatioin was that my proposed extension was going to be a bedroom, so don't know if this makes any difference?

 

[Richard C]

Hello Richard C and Noseall,
I hope you are both right.

Think you’ll find we are.

I can't recall who told me but will try to find the thread.

Unusual for both me & “noseall” (& one or two others for that matter) to have missed the original thread.

The other difference between mine and calvert's situatioin was that my proposed extension was going to be a bedroom, so don't know if this makes any difference?

Won’t make any difference as far as I’m aware.

 

[Jackthebiscuit]

Richard C,

This was the thread and comments by plumskull and onetap.

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=177556

 

[noseall]

Aah that explains things, you put it in the plumbing section where they are clueless about drains and relevant reg's.

Plumbers do not build drains, they merely install things that discharge into them.

 

[Richard C]

Plumskull obviously doesn’t think the idea of a manhole inside an extension is a particularly good idea & although I have some sympathy with this view, it is permitted. I considered such a manhole myself around 3 years ago but eventually decided I didn’t really like it & although my foul drain runs under my conservatory (at right angles) I did a work around which meant the inspection cover stayed on the outside.

D_Hailsham’s link refers to public sewers owned by United Utilities (the bit that your private sewer connects to); if it’s within your boundary the chances are it’s a private sewer either single or jointly owned but you need to check & confirm (your deeds should be marked & tell you). With a private sewer, you are free to do as you chose as long as any co-owner agrees & the work conforms to Building Regs.

Onetap is just plain wrong.