Running replacement water main

[fatmcgav]

Evening all,

First time poster, medium term lurker...
I'm after some advice on replacing our water main, best way to route it, etc...

We live in a 1900 build end-terrace property, which has got a shared lead water main with another 2 properties. I can see the lead pipe connected to a stop-tap in the kitchen, which then goes back upstairs to the bathroom for the boiler and bathroom, before dropping back down to the other side of the kitchen.

I'm thinking the easiest way to get the main into the property is up the front garden path and under the entrance hallway.
The next challenge is where to run the main to get it to the rear of the property, where the kitchen, boiler and bathroom is.
The hallway and living room is suspended floor, but kitchen and living room is concrete.

So the thought is to take the pipe upstairs and through the 1st floor. Currently, the gas main is mounted at head height just inside the door, with the pipe boxed in. So the plan was to run the pipe up through the same boxing upto the 1st floor, then under the upstairs floorboards to the bathroom at the rear, where I can link it into the exiting pipe work. I'd put a stop tap ata ground floor level when it enters the boxing.

Does that sound like a viable plan?
Anything I need to be aware of?

I've already dropped out water board (Bristol Water) an email to enquire about their lead replacement scheme, so hopefully they should provide me some info aswell.

Cheers in advance for replies.

Regards
Gavin

 

[simond]

If yours is an end of terrace the is it not possible to run it down the side of the house?

You are probably best waiting for the water co's suggestions and see if you can get it done for nothing. It's always best to let someone potentially doing the job for free to have the first say.

If you have to pay, then that is probably the time to start suggesting ways they might like to do it.

 

[fatmcgav]

If yours is an end of terrace the is it not possible to run it down the side of the house?

You are probably best waiting for the water co's suggestions and see if you can get it done for nothing. It's always best to let someone potentially doing the job for free to have the first say.

If you have to pay, then that is probably the time to start suggesting ways they might like to do it.

Yeh, I guess we could go down the driveway.
However I have got visions in the future of building a rear extension with garage on the driveway, so not sure if running the water main under there would impact that...

Will see what the water board come back with... Though it's not clear what the scope of their lead replacement scheme is, and whether it's just free connection or if they'll run the pipe work in aswell...

Cheers
Gav

 

[fatmcgav]

Got an Inspector from Bristol Water visiting on Friday, so hopefully should have plenty of info after...

Have come up with another question with regards to the internal pipe work. Do I need to use MDPE on the run from the internal stop-tap to where it feeds everything at the rear of the property?
As MDPE doesn't look particularly flexible, and I can already foresee having to make a couple of 90* turns in order to route the pipe upstairs and through the floor...

Cheers

 

[Madrab]

You can run what you want from the internal stop tap.

 

[St0rmer66]

You can also get 90 degree push-fit connectors for MDPE so don't worry about that. It is more flexible than you'd think but only long radius bends.

 

[Agile]

Evening all,

We love in a 1900 build end-terrace property, which has got a shared lead water main with another 2 properties. IIan see the lead pipe connected to a stop-gap in the kitchen, which then goes back upstairs to the bathroom for the boiler and bathroom, before dropping back down to the other side of the kitchen.

Regards
Gavin

???


To get the best flow rate you really need your own supply pipe from the street mains.

But you have not said if flow reduction when neighbours use water is a problem.

 

[fatmcgav]

You can run what you want from the internal stop tap.

You can also get 90 degree push-fit connectors for MDPE so don't worry about that. It is more flexible than you'd think but only long radius bends.

Cheers for the responses both.

Guess if I've got to get a 25m spool, I might aswell use it...
Good to know about the 90* connectors. I reckon I'd probably need about 4 turns.. Is that likely to have a major impact on pressure/flow rate?

Gav

 

[fatmcgav]

Evening all,

We love in a 1900 build end-terrace property, which has got a shared lead water main with another 2 properties. IIan see the lead pipe connected to a stop-gap in the kitchen, which then goes back upstairs to the bathroom for the boiler and bathroom, before dropping back down to the other side of the kitchen.

Regards
Gavin

???


To get the best flow rate you really need your own supply pipe from the street mains.

But you have not said if flow reduction when neighbours use water is a problem.

Sorry, missed that bit I guess.
Yeh, we do have issues with pressure/flow rate, for example when having a shower and someone flushing a toilet or using the downstairs tap..

We're also looking at replacing the electric shower with a combi fed one in the near future, which is one of the main reasons for doing this...

Cheers
Gav

 

[Madrab]

Is that likely to have a major impact on pressure/flow rate?

Depends on the starting pressure/flow at the mains whether you would notice any difference, but no, you shouldn't see much in the way of reduction from 4 elbows and the length of the run.

 

[fatmcgav]

Is that likely to have a major impact on pressure/flow rate?

Depends on the starting pressure/flow at the mains whether you would notice any difference, but no, you shouldn't see much in the way of reduction from 4 elbows and the length of the run.

Cheers for the response.

I think I'm going to have to lift some floorboards soon to work out which way my joists run etc, as my gut feel is that I'm going to be running front to back perpendicular to all the main joists.
Which means the 32mm MDPE is probably going to be too big to drill through the joists, assuming a 35mm hole means I need a 140mm joist...

If that's the case, I'll probably fall back to 22mm or 28mm PEX/PB pipe...

Will see what insight the water board person has tomorrow...

Cheers
Gav

 

[fatmcgav]

Well that didn't quite go according to plan

It appears that I am unable to use the 'Lead Replacement scheme' as the part of the pipe that Bristol Water are responsible for was replaced when next door had their own main ran in. Therefore as I still share the original lead main I have 2 options:

1. Run my replacement main to within 1 meter of the existing connection stop tap, which would involve digging across the neighbour's front garden. Bristol Water will connect me for free, but I'm still liable for 1m's digging costs.
2. Run my replacement main to my boundary line and get a new connection. However I'll then be liable for a new connection fee and 2m's digging costs...

So that's put a bit of a spanner in the works...

I should be getting a quote through based on option 2, which is likely to be worst case scenario... I'll then have to make a call on viability I guess

Cheers
Gav

 

[JohnD]

Long term, I am sure it would be preferable to have your own connection. Then you will not be dependent on anyone else, and your flow will not be reduced by the neighbour. You could have a water meter if you wanted.

Unless the extra cost is huge, you will soon forget about it.

IME you will be delighted by the extra flow.

 

[Agile]

I am surprised if they will not give you a free connection if you are removing all the lead in the supply.

Would you like a water meter?

Tony

 

[fatmcgav]

Long term, I am sure it would be preferable to have your own connection. Then you will not be dependent on anyone else, and your flow will not be reduced by the neighbour. You could have a water meter if you wanted.

Unless the extra cost is huge, you will soon forget about it.

IME you will be delighted by the extra flow.

Yeh, I suspect it will make a big difference, and chances are we'll go ahead with it...

I am surprised if they will not give you a free connection if you are removing all the lead in the supply.

Would you like a water meter?

Tony

Yeh, I was surprised aswell. But they were adamant that unless we can get to the existing stop box there would be a new connection fee plus excavation costs, and even if we got to box, would still have a smaller excavation cost to pay...
This was due to the fact that their supply pipe has already been replaced with plastic...

I have inquired about a water meter previously, but never progressed it past the initial inspection due to challenges in locating internally on shared main...

But my understanding is that a new connection would come with one as standard...

Cheers
Gav