Potential Drainage Problem?

[Alfie25]

My neighbour is having his driveway block paved. We've open plan gardens and the builder has placed 5 of those big bags of sand (the 1000kg type you need a crane to get off the lorry) on my garden. He's stacked 2 on top of 3. Obviously I'm annoyed he didn't ask my permission but that's a separate issue. The fact is that the bags are there now.

My garden is just soil with stone chippings on top. I'm concerned that the weight of all this sand may have fractured the drains - am I worrying unnecessarily or is this possible? I don't know the exact routes the drains take under the front garden, but I know there are some somewhere, and from seeing my neighbours drive all dug up, it's obvious the drains have not been sunk very deeply into the ground as one of his pipes is visibly just 3 inches under ground level - he lifted a paving slab, dusted some soil away and you could see the drainpipe! The houses are around 25 years old.

So...what to do next? I'm considering a drain survey (camera down the drains) to inspect for damage.

 

[Space cat]

I don't know the exact routes the drains take under the front garden --

Drains generally run in straight lines. First, lift the cover off the inspection chamber (or covers if you've got split drainage) closest to the boundary and identify all the inlets. I would expect it/them to be preformed plastic one(s) in such a new house, in which case there may be unused inlets. Next, find all the rainwater gulleys and soil stacks. Pour a bucket of water into each gulley while watching which way the water enters the inspection chambers then flush a toilet on each stack and do the same.

If two lots of water enter by way of the same inlet, look upstream for another chamber. By now you'll have a pretty good idea of where your underground pipes are. Either commit it to memory or make a drawing for future use. If you have to clear a blockage, it helps if you know what goes where.

 

[danhawkins88]

take photos of the offending items, then once the bags have been removed inspect the ground if the is any 'sinking' marks on the ground have the drains survayed and then if needs be get them to repair or replace show them the evidence.

The drains should be down far enough to acomodate a vehicle driving over it so should be fine.

If the bags are on your property ask them to hurry up and move them and voice your concerns about the drains.

 

[r896neo]

Don't fret there is almost no chance they would have damaged your drains.

It is totally fair to be angry about him putting them there without permission but don't waste time and money getting a camera survey.

I think it is completely superfluous. Just my word of the week.

 

[Alfie25]

Thanks for your replies. Given that each of those bags of sand weigh as much as my car, and there was 2 bags stacked on top of 3, it a lot more than the weight of one vehicle.
I wouldn't have been so worried if it were not for the fact the drains seem to be only a few inches deep.

 

[r896neo]

The bags are only 850KG and the weight is spread over a big area so they exert much less pressure than a car wheel would.