Can anyone give me a bit of advice on conservatory soakaways

[Georganne]

I'm not sure this is quite appropriate for this site but I'm beginning to have a nervous breakdown with the builders and need some advice please? I've had my ancient conservatory knocked down and am having a new one built that is about 2ft wider and longer than the old one. The builders have covered the original soakaway with concrete as this was right at the edge of the old conservatory and have said I need a new one dug. I thought they would have dug up the old concrete foundation as we don't know what's under it but all they've done is dug down and filled in the 2ft round the old foundations with the new concrete. So I've got a couple of questions.... Is this what they would normally do as where is the damp course membrane going to go? (the floor of the old conservatory was 2 bricks lower than normal floor level and the air brick is one brick above this at the moment but what they have said they will be doing is raising the level of the floor to just over the airbrick). How deep will the soakaway have to be below ground level? and roughly how much will digging a new soakaway cost as this was not included in the price quoted for the work.

 

[noseall]

it is not normal practice to leave an existing slab in place, unless it is low enough so that the new floor slab can be laid over existing, complete with insulation (where applicable) and dpm.

existing foundations may stay put and the new one may either wrap around, underpin or even completely engulf the existing, provided adequate subsoil is reached when digging out.

a soakaway should be 5m away from any building and 5m from any highway.

it should be 1.5m3 in volume though we dig ours with a mini digger usually to full reach depth.

 

[Georganne]

Thank you for the advice.....I think I will be having my nervous breakdown tomorrow. So far all they've managed to do is break the glass in my kitchen door and put the glass back in held with screws because they didn't have any putty; rip out my favourite honeysuckle (even though it wasn't in the way); dump all the bags of cement, etc. on my flower border on top of my plants, leave glass and nails on my lawn which I went round and collected incase my dog trod on them and they've actually only done a total of four hours work in two days.....and to top it all they didn't turn up at all today because their lorry had broken down!!....I wonder why I'm not surprised!
.......and this Company came highly recommended so heaven knows what some others are like. lol. At least when they eventually turn up I'll know what they are supposed to be doing, even if they don't. Thank you again noseall.

 

[Fluffster]

If you are having doubts as to their competence and care for this project make sure you take pics and log details as they progress.
Ask whoever is in charge on site what exactly is the schedule of work and if there is a paper copy for you.

I do hope it all pans out for you as it is going to be a wet one and the last thing you need is a dodgy soakaway.

Good luck
Pete

 

[Georganne]

Thank you Pete. I hadn't thought to take any photos but I'm going to take some right now. After getting up at 6am this morning to make sure I had moved my car out of their way etc. etc. so they could start work at 7.30am (that's when they said they would be arriving). They have just phoned to say their lorry is still off the road and now they won't be coming till Thursday!! I won't be holding my breath.. and the glazier still hasn't returned with the putty so my window glass is still held in with a couple of screws!!
Thanks again. Georganne