Hi there!
Right - have had a single storey extension built out the back of the house (yet to have its final inspection by building control -which will probably be in a few weeks)
Its a 1970s semi detached house.
The neighbour already had a single storey extension on his side (built about 15 years ago)- mine is basically a copy of his.
Before our extension was was built water coming from the gutter from the main roof of BOTH houses ran down a long down pipe into the ground. Neighbours single story extension guttering then connected into this.
This ran into a soakaway dug between both houses.
During excavations for our extension it was found the "soakaway" basically only went about 2 feet into the ground and was inadequate. A new one was dug much further out into the garden, but this time, on our side of the boundary. (which is what building control recommended)
Now our extension is finished (note there is a two foot gap between both extensions) this guttering runs as follows.
Water from the main roofs (of BOTH houses), now goes into a downpipe which pours out onto OUR single storey extension roof.
It runs down the roof tiles, into OUR single storey extension guttering, and flows down a downpipe into the new soakaway out in OUR garden. The neighbours single storey extension guttering connects across the two foot gap into this in the downpipe, so his water also ending up in the soakaway in OUR garden.
On our 1st day in the new extension it absolutely chucked it down with rain, the downpipe from the single storey extension was totally overloaded. The fact it was getting then a river of water coming off the main roofs of both houses meant that water running down the tiles was just flying over the sides and not going down the soakaway at all.
What do you think? I contacted building control and explained it. The chap said that it was an exceptionally heavey rainfall, and to keep an eye on it in normal rain. Drainage should be "adequate".
But ... should I tell my neighbour that I think he should take responsibility for draining away the water from his own roofs? What does the law say?
e.g. should he dig his own soakaway? should the guttering on the main roof have a "divide" put in it, so that he has to look after his own water?
Right - have had a single storey extension built out the back of the house (yet to have its final inspection by building control -which will probably be in a few weeks)
Its a 1970s semi detached house.
The neighbour already had a single storey extension on his side (built about 15 years ago)- mine is basically a copy of his.
Before our extension was was built water coming from the gutter from the main roof of BOTH houses ran down a long down pipe into the ground. Neighbours single story extension guttering then connected into this.
This ran into a soakaway dug between both houses.
During excavations for our extension it was found the "soakaway" basically only went about 2 feet into the ground and was inadequate. A new one was dug much further out into the garden, but this time, on our side of the boundary. (which is what building control recommended)
Now our extension is finished (note there is a two foot gap between both extensions) this guttering runs as follows.
Water from the main roofs (of BOTH houses), now goes into a downpipe which pours out onto OUR single storey extension roof.
It runs down the roof tiles, into OUR single storey extension guttering, and flows down a downpipe into the new soakaway out in OUR garden. The neighbours single storey extension guttering connects across the two foot gap into this in the downpipe, so his water also ending up in the soakaway in OUR garden.
On our 1st day in the new extension it absolutely chucked it down with rain, the downpipe from the single storey extension was totally overloaded. The fact it was getting then a river of water coming off the main roofs of both houses meant that water running down the tiles was just flying over the sides and not going down the soakaway at all.
What do you think? I contacted building control and explained it. The chap said that it was an exceptionally heavey rainfall, and to keep an eye on it in normal rain. Drainage should be "adequate".
But ... should I tell my neighbour that I think he should take responsibility for draining away the water from his own roofs? What does the law say?
e.g. should he dig his own soakaway? should the guttering on the main roof have a "divide" put in it, so that he has to look after his own water?
