Separating an old shared mains water supply

[dglewis13]

Hi,
I live on the top floor of a block of 4 flats. We have seeking ownership of the loft above our flat but it contains water tanks that feed the hot water systems of the flats below.
All the flats cold water supplies, and the tanks in the loft are fed by one mains supply.
In order to remove the tanks from the loft (so that we can own it) we need to have separate mains supplies installed into each flat. I have spoken to Thames Water and process for getting new mains supplies at the boundary is simple, as is routing them to the building. The problem I have is that i need to get the new supplies going into each individual flat and doing it "internally" is going to be very difficult. My question is, can the mains supplies run up the outside wall of the building and be routed into each flat through a hole that would be created in the wall. I am being given conflicting advice by plumbers.
Can anyone help?
Thanks,
David

 

[Softus]

The problem I have is that i need to get the new supplies going into each individual flat and doing it "internally" is going to be very difficult.

That isn't the only problem - what you're proposing to do might have the effect of increasing the pressure of the cold water supply into each flat. You could limit the pressure of course, but have you considered this factor?

My question is, can the mains supplies run up the outside wall of the building and be routed into each flat through a hole that would be created in the wall.

I don't see how you'd provide suitable frost protection. You could run a power trace, but I suspect that both that and the water pipe(s) would need permission from many parties.

I am being given conflicting advice by plumbers.

How many plumbers are you consulting?

Why not just one?

 

[simond]

As Softus suggests, this could end up being very difficult.

Do they have combi boilers or unvented systems in the downstairs flats? If not, you may need to pay for boiler upgrades and consequential works.

Running cold water pipes outside will cause problems in the winter unless they are significantly well insulated, in practice running internally is the only viable option unless you box them in.

This, together with the legal costs in setting up the agreement, make moving house sound easier.

It can be done, but will be complicated because there are at least six parties involved, you, the other flats, Thames Water, and the Freeholder. Then you can bring in those parties' respective legal advisors, and you have about 10 points of view.

And that is after you have chosen the plumbing contractor.

 

[dglewis13]

Thanks for the replys.
With regards to the legal/freehold side of things - they are taken care of (we have effectively swapped our access rights to the shared garden for ownership of the loft).

All but 1 of the flats have already had combination boilers installed on the from the shared supply, but the result of this is that often, since we are on the top floor, we get very very poor water pressure.

The comment about the increase in water pressure - is that because it may have an effect old joints in pipes?

David

 

[Agile]

I think that he was assuming that you were going to convert tank fed supplies to mains supplied. Toilet float valves have to be changed for example.

To get full use of the loft you will probably have to get consent to change the boiler/water system in the one flat which does not have a combi boiler.

What you are doing can have considerable costs involved. For a start the water supplies have to be internal and that alone can involve considerable work.

Tony

 

[dglewis13]

We have agreement on changing the boilers from all parties so all we need to do is get the seperate supplies in to each flat.

Once we have the "new" supplies going into each flat then if will be the responsibility of each flat owner to connect thier own water systems to it.

There are several internal ducts that exist within the building, but the problem (if the pipes cannot run externally) will be getting them into the pipes up into them from the outside.

David

 

[Agile]

There are several internal ducts that exist within the building, but the problem (if the pipes cannot run externally) will be getting them into the pipes up into them from the outside.

David

Usually you can drop a weighted line from the top and haul up the pipes!

Tony

 

[tryitandsee]

I am being completely nosey here and apologize for being so, but you must be going through this extra expense for, I assume, some sort of gain. I imagine you will obtain planning permission to convert the roof space.

Just a thought, have you got planning already approved (will all the others flats agree) and wouldn't there be a mine field of legal complications to be able to build/load bear on what is, shared external walls and foundations.

Other problems may be with fire regulations, as you are pretty high up (top floor) for means of escape and all the other red tape that must be involved.

Please ignore me if this was not your intention, I was just being the devil's advocate.