How to find a pipe

[robm77]

Have recently bought a renovated 1st floor flat and found out that our stopcock is actually located in the cellar of the ground floor flat (it is a terrace converted into two flats) - this is obviously a problem if i want to turn off the water.

Can anyone recommend a way of finding the main pipe into my flat (which maybe under a glued down wooden floor or behind plaster board walls) so I can fit a new stopcock - preferably without having to rip the flat apart...? Can i buy a detector that works well in finding copper piping, or is there another way?

Any advice would be much appreciated!

 

[Tom JE]

Can you see where the mains comes into the kitchen - usually supplies the cold kitchen tap? I'd put a stop cock in there, but thats presuming that it oes straight to the sink. Somebody else may be able to give you a better idea.

 

[giblets]

Suggest you contact your solicitor/surveyor who handled the purchase for you.

Has the flat been occupied before or are you the first occupier since the conversion?

 

[robm77]

The kitchen is on the top floor - the flat is split level, so i guess the the first point of entry into the flat is not in the kitchen. The layout of the flat is lounge, bathroom/WC and two bedrooms on first floor and then kitchen on mezzanine above.

We were the first people on post renovation - would the plumber/conversion team still be liable for rectification of this - we have been in the flat for 13months and originally were told the stopcock was in the bathroom (which isn't true, and we stupidly didn't check in all the hurry to get in the place).

Thanks for all the advice so far!

 

[giblets]

Based on what you say I would jump on someone very hard and get them to install another stop-cock at their expence. Or, tell 'em that if anything goes wrong and you can't turn the water off due to their ineptitude they will be held liable for all damage caused.

 

[Agile]

There is no property law that says its illegal to sell a property without an internal stopcock !

You could always take up all the floors to look for the cold feed pipe!

Otherwise you could buy a two part pipe tracer!

Its normal for renovators to do the abosulute minimum when renovating propertes and as no normal purchasor ever asks about a stopcock its not a requirement to sell a flat.

The usual questions are how far away is the bus or tube station and shops. No one ever asks about the boiler or heating system and certainly not about the plumbing.

Tony

 

[giblets]

I think Byelaw No 3 of the Water Regs might cover this, Tony.

 

[Agile]

Yes of course its covered by the Water Regulations but there is not even a question in the standard pre-contract enquiries about water regs or gas regs compliance !

I was only referring to the property transfer law aspects. Solicitors dont want to get involved in plumbing.

Tony

 

[giblets]

My apologies, Tony . Of course, you are right about the actual selling of the property. I was merely trying to assist the OP in getting his problem of no accessible stopcock solved.

 

[robm77]

What is a two part pipe tracer? Can anyone recommend one?

Thanks again all