Party Wall, channel chased out for drain pipe

[frank999]

Hi,
My fathers house is a semi, builders are working next door to convert it to a series of flats, surveyors have met to agree a Party Wall Award - which has not yet been agreed.

The party wall is a standard two bricks width - on his 1930\\\'s semi.

The builders have already bedded in the steels and have removed most of the chimney breast.

They have now set about chasing channels in their side of the party wall - so they can embed 40mm grey plastic drain pipe - I assume from sinks yet to be installed).;
They have used percussive tools and have knocked a brick through onto my mums wooden china cabinet, where they have been making this channel.

The channel is cut both vertically and horizonatlly, where it runs horizontally (about 0.5-1.0 metre) one whole bricks depth has been removed, backfilling with a 40mm plastic pipe and cement surely must compromise the strength of the wall.

Also when the pipe is in use myn parents will have to endure the noise of water through pipes in all their rooms (as they are cutting channels on in all rooms their side near to the spine wall).
This type of noise will be like chinese water torture.

Can my parents stop them embedding plastic pipes in the wall, I have never seen anything like this before in conversions, surely the pipes should be in pipe clips on the surface of the wall.

Thanks

 

[simonjay]

Hi,
My fathers house is a semi, builders are working next door to convert it to a series of flats, surveyors have met to agree a Party Wall Award - which has not yet been agreed.

The party wall is a standard two bricks width - on his 1930\\\'s semi.

The builders have already bedded in the steels and have removed most of the chimney breast.

They have now set about chasing channels in their side of the party wall - so they can embed 40mm grey plastic drain pipe - I assume from sinks yet to be installed).;
They have used percussive tools and have knocked a brick through onto my mums wooden china cabinet, where they have been making this channel.

The channel is cut both vertically and horizonatlly, where it runs horizontally (about 0.5-1.0 metre) one whole bricks depth has been removed, backfilling with a 40mm plastic pipe and cement surely must compromise the strength of the wall.

Also when the pipe is in use myn parents will have to endure the noise of water through pipes in all their rooms (as they are cutting channels on in all rooms their side near to the spine wall).
This type of noise will be like chinese water torture.

Can my parents stop them embedding plastic pipes in the wall, I have never seen anything like this before in conversions, surely the pipes should be in pipe clips on the surface of the wall.

Thanks

Rules are:
no more than 1/3 depth of wall vertically
no more than 1/6 depth of wall horizontally
Must not compromise structural stability.

With a cavity wall it is for a single leaf.

For a 9" brick party wall, I've never been sure if it means the whole wall or your half of the party wall.
It it means the whole wall, they can go quite deep vertically, certainly enough to embed 40mm. You might take that much out for a socket or cooker switch.

But they horizontal one is pushing it a bit.

I agree, the aggregated affect of all those pipes running water could be extreme.

Maybe someone else can advise on use of the party wall agreement. It sounds like they have started work before it has been signed.

Simon.

 

[frank999]

Hi,

Thank you for your reply, is this info available online to view anywhere ? it is very pertinent in case the builders simply proceed further.

The builders have done all this with out the party wall award being in place, although a hasty meeting was arranged between two party wall surveyors, developer and builder, work has ceased - for now (although they've already done most of it I am concerned if it delays them they will simply proceed - and before an injunction is in place works will have been completed.

They have promised to remove the pipes and back fill the channels created.

Our surveyor was unsure how the act covered this issue of pipe in wall - so its important I know where we stand if they dont comply.

Thanks