Shall I do my own drainage ...?

JP_

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Had a drainage guy look at my bathroom & drains today. A neighbour builder sent him round, but he said today that he is now retired (he's over 70) but was happy to give advice.

He was very much of the opinion that I could do it myself, if instead of installing a new manhole (which involves breaking into the existing clay pipe without breaking it and connecting ..) I just core straight into the existing manhole, which is about 3 feet deep so has a good enough drop from the toilet.

I will just need to core through my 9 inch brick wall, then dig trench and core through the wall of the manhole.

I just read here that you shouldn't use an SDS drill for coring, so guess I'd need to hire something like this?
https://www.hirestation.co.uk/tool-hire/Drilling/Core-Drill-Hire/100005/

Might still see if I can get somebody else to do it!
 
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I will just need to core through my 9 inch brick wall, then dig trench and core through the wall of the manhole.
Sounds easy. Not.

Using a core drill is a nightmare at best. Using one down in an awkward restrictive location with much masonry to get through...? Horrendous idea. Plus you would need to be accurate as you will have zero wriggle room and no movement to allow for slotting etc. You will likely to have to re-hash the benching and you'll mess up the though channel too.

I'd forget that idea if I were you.

We break out larger holes through walls then repair. We'd look to connect near to the existing manhole (standard 45 deg junction) or create a new plastic chamber fore or aft of the existing chamber. Or just smash out the existing chamber and replace with plastic.
 
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Have a look at your existing drains - it's not difficult to cut out a section of clay and insert a "Y" junction to make a new connection.
 
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How are you going to core drill through the base of a manhole?

Or is the old boy an old bodger and telling you to connect half way up the manhole or suchlike?
 
How are you going to core drill through the base of a manhole?

Or is the old boy an old bodger and telling you to connect half way up the manhole or suchlike?

I think the latter!

Waiting for some MyBuilder people to get in touch. Drainage people seem harder to find at the moment than plumbers.
 
How are you going to core drill through the base of a manhole?

Or is the old boy an old bodger and telling you to connect half way up the manhole or suchlike?

Why is that a bodge? There are already 2 pipes going in halfwayish up the manhole, one toilet/bathroom waste, and the other rainwater.
We have a pretty good fall to the road, if that helps. It is about 3 feet deep.
 
Because it's wrong. And just because there are other things there which are wrong is not really a valid reason to doing something else wrong.

Presumably it's you that owns the manhole, and not your water company, and you wont be getting this work certified by building control, in which case you could effectively do what you like and hope things go unnoticed.
 
Whatever you do don't do it yourself and pay a professional to do the work! Get the water company involved as they will more than likely own the manhole and need oversight as will building control.
 
The soil etc, that is flushed down a toilet, needs to be 'helped' on its way through the drainage system, to prevent it building up and causing problems. This is why foul drainage has to be done properly, with connections made in the direction of flow, and using suitable methods. Sticking a pipe through the wall of a chamber is not an acceptable method, and will more than likely result in an unholy mess building up in the chamber, and an eventual blockage.

I'd also think, someone of that age who claims to be a Drainage expert, would know better than to even suggest that method, 50 years ago things were done properly.
 
The house is 80 years old, and I've been here over 4 years, and the drains look totally clean and clear, so it seems to all be working OK.
I'll take a photo tomorrow. But might have 2 people coming to quote on it tomorrow too, if they turn up.
 
Drainage guy came today and suggested a Y fitting direct to the pipe, as cdbe suggested.
Just hoping he actually quotes for the job now.
Another might look later today too.
 

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