Replacing water feed from mains

[wanabechippie]

Hey.

I've got a 1930's semi. The outdoor stop-tap is approx 1m from the back wall with approx 3m run of pipe to get to the indoor stop tap. The first meter of pipe inside, after the indoor stop tap, is lead. The indoor tap is seized and the outdoor tap only closes the water to a dead slow trickle.

I was looking at having the feed from the mains to the indoor tap replaced with plastic piping (as well as both taps) so that I could re-plumb with pushfit.

Anyone got any idea of what this job would entail? Would it be a case of threading the pipe through the old pipe's channel or more a case of digging a fecking great hole around the pipe and routing under the foundations? Would I be best asking a plumber to do the work or going after a builder?

Not going to ask how much it would be here, as I know it's rather pointless!

Cheers much.

 

[BoxBasher]

Well you have the options:
1) F**king big hole (actually it only has to be 750mm/2'6" deep)
2) 2 Little holes and mole it between (hardly worth it for 3m)

Couple this with:
1) Plumber or builder.
2) Specialist contractor (by specialist I mean someone that only does this kind of work, not always expensive either) (anything from £300 to £3000 depending on where you are and who you get)
3) DIY it. Might as well face it, it's a piece of p*ss.

Because your stop-tap is in the back, you may be off a lead major (not a main but feeds a few houses). Contact your local water co and ask for advice. It may be that the new pipe would have to go to the front of your house (depending on where their main is).

 

[corgiman]

Well you have the options:
1) F**king big hole (.

Whoa box

easy on the techy lingo

 

[BoxBasher]

easy on the techy lingo

Have been trained that when talking with (or writing to) a customer we have to use laymens terms unless their level of technical knowledge is apparent. We have to follow cues from the way they speak (or write) and the terminology they use. For example, we cannot say "we will carry out investigative excavation work" we have to say "we're going to dig a hole, then see what's in it...".

I find it amazing that we (meaning the Water Co) don't actually have any excavations, only holes (unless we're talking with someone who refers to them as excavations).

Something to do with "plain english". Nothing plainer than "f**king big hole" now is there?

 

[corgiman]

Have been trained that when talking with (or writing to) a customer we have to use laymens terms unless their level of technical knowledge is apparent. We have to follow cues from the way they speak (or write) and the terminology they use. For example, we cannot say "we will carry out investigative excavation work" we have to say "we're going to dig a hole, then see what's in it...".

I find it amazing that we (meaning the Water Co) don't actually have any excavations, only holes (unless we're talking with someone who refers to them as excavations).

Something to do with "plain english". Nothing plainer than "f**king big hole" now is there?

damn right brother!

Just made me laff out loud it did

 

[BoxBasher]

"we're going to dig a hole, then see what's in it...".

I'll save anyone the trouble of saying "there's nothing in it, thats why it's a hole..."

 

[corgiman]

"we're going to dig a hole, then see what's in it...".

I'll save anyone the trouble of saying "there's nothing in it, thats why it's a hole..."

dangnabbit I missed that

I must be tired

 

[BoxBasher]

We're also banned from using technical terminology as has been discussed on here previously.

ie "Flugal Valves", "clacker boxes", "thrimble pins" or "anti gurgle admittance pistons" (especially not the right-handed ones with a topwise rotator conversion)

 

[BoxBasher]

Back to the OP - speak to your Water Co (Dwr Cymru?) and see where they want the pipe bringing.

All you will need for the job is:
25mm blue MDPE pipe
100mm duct (soil pipe is ideal) on a slow 90 degree bend (or 2x45 degree) and one straight piece.
BS1010 stop tap.
Drain cock.
32mm "Armaflex insulation"

Duct goes through the footings at 750mm deep, slow bend up to the inside of your house. Pipe goes through duct with Armaflex round it. Stop tap and drain cock on the inside, pipe goes all the way to your wall (and under) at 750mm depth. Duct under the wall as well. Bob's yer uncle.

If you don't fancy getting the duct through your wall at 750mm depth then opt for an "insuduct" which allows you to bring the pipe up the outside of the wall and then through at about 200mm above ground level (much easier, but not as invisible as the traditional way - give me a shout if you want further explanation)

 

[corgiman]

We're also banned from using technical terminology as has been discussed on here previously.

ie "Flugal Valves", "clacker boxes", "thrimble pins" or "anti gurgle admittance pistons" (especially not the right-handed ones with a topwise rotator conversion)

true they are a git when they galump from alighnment, you need a gazump wrench (3/8ths obviously) to conflag it back to a serviciable state

nightmare

 

[wanabechippie]

Cheers for all that Meestur box basher (+ other assorted well-wishers!! )

I am indeed a layman (look in dictionary for 'layman' and you'll see a pic of me.. making a mess of something.... using inappropriate toolage... like a hammer for tiling walls.... !)

Fecking big hole it is!

All that sounds fairly straight forward in principal, but i have been well known in these parts for screwing up even the most simple of tasks.

I'm guessing that if I dig the aforementioned FBH, then I'd save a few bob in labour for the plumbski wot comes to stick pipes in urf?

Yeah, think I could manage that!

I'll get on to Dwr Cymru/Water Welsh and see what they have to say.

Cheers significantly.

 

[BoxBasher]

I'm guessing that if I dig the aforementioned FBH, then I'd save a few bob in labour for the plumbski wot comes to stick pipes in urf?

Unless you really don't want to touch any of the plumbing in your house then I'd DIY it...

Dig aforementioned FBH (750mm/2'6" deep), line base of hole with sand (so it's nice and soft).

Lay pipe in hole from boundary (assuming back wall unless DC tell you different but check first!) up to house and then take pie into house using either:
1) 100mm duct/insulation through footings or;
2) Insuduct.

The internal plumbing will depend on what you already have but will probably be a case of either swapping like for like or tee-ing into existing plumbing and capping off where old supply came in.

 

[wanabechippie]

Ah-ha!

Think I read your first post without actually reading it, if you know what i mean. Got all confuzzled looking at numbers and Armaflex etc..

Think I've got the hang of what your saying now (thanks to the power of weekend-beer!) and the insuduct route looks much less scary (digging under house = bricks on bonce!!).

So, do I need to remove old stop tap from main feed outside and replace with new stop and mpde pipe or just close off old feed and tee in new mpde and tap next to old tap? Then run new pipe at 750mm U/G to footings before popping up and routing through outer wall at 200mm A/G using insuduct. Inside; reduce to 15mm after inner stop tap and Speedfit away?

All sounds stunningly (deceptively?) simple!

Thanks again. I'll do some research into all of this and see if I fancy giving it a bash.

 

[BoxBasher]

So, do I need to remove old stop tap from main feed outside and replace with new stop and mpde pipe or just close off old feed and tee in new mpde and tap next to old tap? Then run new pipe at 750mm U/G to footings before popping up and routing through outer wall at 200mm A/G using insuduct. Inside; reduce to 15mm after inner stop tap and Speedfit away?

Usually you lay the pipe out to the boundary and tee it in to your existing plumbing.

Then when the Water Co connect your new pipe to their main outside, they will remove the old one.
All you have to do then is cut out your old inside stop tap and piece it through (or remove the tee and piece through).

can you post a pic of your existing inside tap?

 

[sheffield_ad]

I'm doing a similar job, I have my trench basically dug but need to know what to do at the front wall of the house. The house(1930s semi in sheffield) is on a slope with the back higher than the front and the foundations don't seem to be very deep at the front (first inspections look like about three course of bricks below ground level, then about a foot of concrete, then some hardcore although it's hard to tell exactly what's going on. As I have to be 2'6 below ground level where I go through the wall, am I okay to essentially undermine a spade's width of my foundations to get the pipe and ducting through or do I have another option available to me?