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Hello.
I recently had some new paths installed around the front of my mid terrace property. The contractor who I hired for the job removed the existing concrete around the bay window. Underneath this was a gully from a downpipe which led under the front garden and into the sewer in the street.
The existing concrete was installed too high above the DPC and so I instructed the contractor to install the new paths 1 brick course lower, below the DPC so it doesn't cause potential damp issues.
I was told half way through that the height of the existing gully was too high, and that it would need to be removed, and a soakaway installed. I agreed with this and the work was completed.
Shortly after this, I started to have problems. First of all, I found out by a building inspector at my local council that the work carried out did not comply with building regs, specifically Approve document Part H2. This is because the supposed 'soakaway' had been installed within 2.5 meters of the house which is not allowed. In fact, the soakaway has been installed right next to the house wall where the downpipe meets the drain. I have observed the drain during heavy rain and the water doesn't sufficiently drain away, instead, sitting/pooling at ground level.
I contacted the tradesperson to raise my concerns and they said I shouldn't have any problems as the soakaway was installed sloping away from the house and into the front garden, but I am suspicious this has not been done as I didn't observe them completing this work. The contractor re-assured me that what they'd done was OK, and as long as the damp proof course was OK and air bricks installed, I wouldn't have problems.
I just wondered in this situation who was correct, and as a homeowner, who would be liable for putting the work right and re-instating the drain? The tradesperson told me that re-instating the drain wasn't possible due to a change in height of the gully due to dropping path down one course of bricks, and that the gully/path outside the property would have to be changed, and this could be potentially expensive. They also said that the soakaway installation 2.5 meters from the house wasn't possible either.
Is the work carried out likely to cause me problems, or can it just be left the way it is? If it is an issue, who would be liable for it and who would have to cover the costs to rectify it? The contractor carried out a survey of the front garden before the work was carried out, and I would ave thought that this type of issue would have been picked up at that point before the work commenced.
Please see videos and photos for further context. Any help and advice would be much appreciated.
Many thanks
I recently had some new paths installed around the front of my mid terrace property. The contractor who I hired for the job removed the existing concrete around the bay window. Underneath this was a gully from a downpipe which led under the front garden and into the sewer in the street.
The existing concrete was installed too high above the DPC and so I instructed the contractor to install the new paths 1 brick course lower, below the DPC so it doesn't cause potential damp issues.
I was told half way through that the height of the existing gully was too high, and that it would need to be removed, and a soakaway installed. I agreed with this and the work was completed.
Shortly after this, I started to have problems. First of all, I found out by a building inspector at my local council that the work carried out did not comply with building regs, specifically Approve document Part H2. This is because the supposed 'soakaway' had been installed within 2.5 meters of the house which is not allowed. In fact, the soakaway has been installed right next to the house wall where the downpipe meets the drain. I have observed the drain during heavy rain and the water doesn't sufficiently drain away, instead, sitting/pooling at ground level.
I contacted the tradesperson to raise my concerns and they said I shouldn't have any problems as the soakaway was installed sloping away from the house and into the front garden, but I am suspicious this has not been done as I didn't observe them completing this work. The contractor re-assured me that what they'd done was OK, and as long as the damp proof course was OK and air bricks installed, I wouldn't have problems.
I just wondered in this situation who was correct, and as a homeowner, who would be liable for putting the work right and re-instating the drain? The tradesperson told me that re-instating the drain wasn't possible due to a change in height of the gully due to dropping path down one course of bricks, and that the gully/path outside the property would have to be changed, and this could be potentially expensive. They also said that the soakaway installation 2.5 meters from the house wasn't possible either.
Is the work carried out likely to cause me problems, or can it just be left the way it is? If it is an issue, who would be liable for it and who would have to cover the costs to rectify it? The contractor carried out a survey of the front garden before the work was carried out, and I would ave thought that this type of issue would have been picked up at that point before the work commenced.
Please see videos and photos for further context. Any help and advice would be much appreciated.
Many thanks
