Building over a sewer

[hayleystripling]

I have just brought a mid terrace house, and plan to have a single story extension for my kitchen. Having visited the property yesterday i have noticed that we have the main sewer in our rear garden and this is where we wanted to build our kitchen. I believe that it is connected to the properties either side of ours. Is there anyway you can move this? We would be looking at moving it a further 10ft away from the property. Or does anyone have any suggestions ?

Any advice would be extremely helpful.

Thanks.

 

[noseall]

Or does anyone have any suggestions ?

why not build over it?

is it particularly deep? any inspection chambers (i.c.'s)

 

[archconsult]

OUCH!

Moving a public sewer rather than a private drain is both difficult and costly. Firstly if it is a public sewer you cannot move it without consulting the Local Authority and/or Water Authority who own/run teh sewer system. The amount of fall in the pipe if it runs in a straight line may stop any changes anyway as it may run too flat.

Try and span over the sewer if the local authority will allow as this is much easier. all the foundations must be taken down to below the bottom of the sewer each side and leave a gap each side of the pipe. A lintel over clear of the pipe barrel will stop teh pipe being cracked.

I would ask for public sewer records to ascertain if the pipe is a sewer rather than a private drain as the latter is less of a problem.

 

[Shytalkz]

If it's a public sewer, it belongs to your local water company and you have to obtain permission from them to build over the pipe. Normally a detail of the proposals will be enough for them to give the ok.