New Water Connection - advice please...

[LouieIsTheKing]

We have recently bought a small office building which has never been connected to mains water or the sewer. These facilities are available within a few metres of the building.

I thought that this would be quite a straightforward job but it seems to be a minefield and I don't know where to start.

We need only one WC and sink in a single storey building.

Water is supplied by one company. Another water company is responsible for the sewers. I believe we need to supply drawings with the applications. Do these need to be done by a qualified draughtsman or can they be simpler?

Ideally, i'd like to get someone on board who can do everything but I can't seem to find this person? Any help or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[dextrous]

Since you are installing a WC in the building, this has to be run through building control, who will want specifications regarding method of constructing stud walls, door openings (to allow disabled access etc) ventilation, lighting etc, so specifications will need to be written out. So, you will need to get an architect involved, who will do this, and will provide details of connections to the main sewer and water mains.

Posting this in the new Buiding Reg forum will undoubtedly provide more details if I am in error.

 

[doitall]

A minefield of regs, an archtect is the best man to get the paperwork sorted and approved. After that you need a small build or groundworker to run the services in the building, a small builder to do any building work, and a plumber to connect all the bits up.

Normally a small builder will be able to organise the various trade from start to finish, including the stage inspections.

 

[Shytalkz]

Architect's Tech will be more than adequate for this kind of work. And cheaper.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I second the latter - don't use an Architect unless you need artistic design flair to be applied.

Try and find, (as usual by personal recommendation) a local surveyor/structural engineer/architectural designer. He or she will be able to do the plans and will also be familiar with any quirks of the local Building Control department and water companies.

See if you can find any local self-build groups, they may be able to help with advice, or recommendations for a surveyor.

 

[dextrous]

I second the latter - don't use an Architect unless you need artistic design flair to be applied.

Try and find, (as usual by personal recommendation) a local surveyor/structural engineer/architectural designer. He or she will be able to do the plans and will also be familiar with any quirks of the local Building Control department and water companies.

I agree - I was referring to the generic term for someone who knows what's what in the design/planning requirements

 

[^woody^]

They only really need to know the proposed drain layout. You are doing nothing structural, so just sketch out the layout and building location. Nothing fancy

For the supply, the water company should have the details of how the incoming pipe should be laid, and they will connect it.
So again, normally just some sort of site plan. You do the work up to the boundary, they come and check it, and then do the connection from the boundary to the supply main

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Ah - the problem there is that the term "Architect" is legally protected, so if you look for "architects" you'll find one of those, but that would be desperate overkill.

TBH, a decent local builder may well have all the regs knowledge needed for this, and the skills to draw up the necessary plans.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You are doing nothing structural, so just sketch out the layout and building location. Nothing fancy.

Woody - if only you'd said earlier that you'd made a site visit and you knew that there would be no drains running under footings, and that there would be no excavation within 3m of a neighbouring owner’s building or structure which would go deeper than the neighbour’s foundations or within 6m of a neighbouring owner’s building or structure where it would cut a line drawn downwards at 45° from the bottom of the neighbour’s foundations, think how much time we could all have saved.

 

[dextrous]

They only really need to know the proposed drain layout. You are doing nothing structural, so just sketch out the layout and building location. Nothing fancy

Was referring to the construction of a WC in an office block as a new room, which I would have thought would require parts F, G, H, M and P, approval apart from anything else.[/quote]

 

[ban-all-sheds]

And Part C, and possibly Part E.

 

[dextrous]

In fact, for value for money, may as well throw the whole lot in

 

[Agile]

You need an architectural technician. They draw plans and know the bBuilding Reg requirements.

A new water supply has to be installed/supervised by a plumber who holds the Water Regulations qualifications and is thus able to certify the installation.

Otherwise it will have to be inspected in the open trench by a water co inspector ( costs! ).

Tony

 

[Tipper]

A new water supply has to be installed/supervised by a plumber who holds the Water Regulations qualifications and is thus able to certify the installation.

Is there a Regulatory Body that keeps a list of qualified plumbers?

 

[kevindgas]

A new water supply has to be installed/supervised by a plumber who holds the Water Regulations qualifications and is thus able to certify the installation.

Otherwise it will have to be inspected in the open trench by a water co inspector .

Tony

no it doesn't, I have done loads and I have no formal plumbing qualifications.

they will inspect and do not always charge