Drain dramas part 2: moving goalposts and more waiting

 After several email nudges, including one from a senior Building Control officer, the man in charge eventually confirmed on 19 October that the drainage works agreed with the Building Control officer on site the previous week would be carried out between 24-26 October 2020.  These works were necessary to make the revised drainage layout (which had been changed from the approved plans without my knowledge or agreement) Building Regs compliant.  

I still had concerns about one of the items discussed at the site meeting - would the larger diameter pipe proposed to replace a smaller one with an air admittance valve (AAV) currently ventilating the WC actually function as a “rodding eye” given that it would have two right angle bends if it followed the same path as the existing AAV pipe?  I had queried this by email with the Building Control officer, along with a request to clarify what he wanted in relation to the kitchen sink, only to get an out of office reply....he wasn’t due back at work until 26 October, the date by which the drainage works were supposed to be completed.  Oh dear!

On the morning when works were due to start, the senior Building Control (BC) officer phoned to find out a bit more about my query.  As a result of our discussion, she decided to ask another BC officer to come to site and check the work to be carried out.  He arrived before the builder, got up to speed very quickly and shared my concerns which he conveyed to builder when the workmen arrived.

As a result, we ended up with a slightly different set of requirements to remedy the breach of building regs and lift the threat of prosecuting the building firm for non-compliance:

1.  Simplify the drain layout under the deck to get rid of the right angle bend and provide a rodding eye in the planting bed in alignment with the main drain

2.  Provide rodding accesses under the kitchen sink and wash hand basin in the ground floor WC/utility room

3.  Take out the small diameter pipe and AAV, make good the cabinetry which had been modified to accommodate it, and provide a 100mm diameter stub stack with an AAV immediately behind the toilet pan (so no right angle bends) and box in with a removable lid to allow rodding access if required.

4.  When all these works were done and the pipe repaired where necessary, to carry out a water flow rate test to demonstrate that there is a good rate of flow away from the building into the public sewer, and carry out a camera survey to show the drain is clear

These discussions delayed the start of work on site, but the workmen managed to lift the deck and expose the below ground pipework by the end of the day.  This work revealed not one, but two layers of drains below the deck and enabled the brother in law of the man in charge to work out how to simplify the layout and connect it to a rodding access in the nearest planting bed.  

It also revealed the folly of attaching a weed suppressing membrane to the top of the deck subframe, rather than on the ground where it was supposed to be.  As predicted back in June when the deck was relaid and the membrane tacked on top of the frame on the instructions of the man in charge, the timber sub frame has since began to rot due to water being trapped by the membrane.  He ignored my request to put it right then, and will have to deal with the consequences of his action now!  By the end of the day, he had offered to replace the subframe and membrane and relay the deck free of charge if I was prepared to pay the cost of decking materials.  Rather than being bounced into making a decision, I sent a holding reply.  So ended Day 1 of what was supposed to be three days of drainage remedial work...

By the end of Day 2, the drain layout had been simplified and a rodding access installed in the nearest planting bed.  Although the rodding access is not ideal (it should have a looser bend) the Building Control officer confirmed it was Building Regs compliant and acceptable to him if I didn’t mind the access eye sitting proud of the ground at an angle.  To have installed a “long rest bend” would have extended the below ground pipework beyond the planting bed and into the paved area of the garden, taking out my most mature plant in the process.  I decided I could live with the weird sticking up bit - it would soon be screened by vegetation and herb boxes which usually sit on the railway sleeper wall of the raised bed...

I didn’t see what happened after that, but it seems that some of the deck sub-frame was replaced (using some timber I had stacked in the hall for another project, without asking me!).  I have no idea if there is a weed suppressing membrane and, if there is, whether its on the ground where its supposed to be...and the flimsy deck boards had been relaid.  Last night’s offer by the man in charge seems to have been overtaken by events so I haven’t followed it up.  The deck looks as bad, if not worse, than before...even more pock marks from screw holes, uneven gaps between boards plus dips and hollows where water collects, and the manhole cover is still skewed - sticks up on one side and drops down on the other relative to the surrounding deck boards.  I don’t think I would want these guys to relay the deck with new boards even if I was prepared to pay for them!

I have also inherited a large lump of concrete with the remains of a historic drain which they dug from under the deck when exposing the pipework.  Although relatively small, its very, very heavy.  I can’t lift it, let alone move it!  And where am I supposed to move it to, with no car??  Another thing to sort out...

And so ends Day 2 of drainage remedial works which were supposed to be completed in three days.

Day 3 and the dad of the man in charge has arrived to take out the small pipe and AAV in the ground floor loo/utility room and replace it with a 100mm pipe taken directly off the back of the toilet pan which will serve as ventilation (with a big AAV on top) and rodding access.  I send a picture of the finished pipework to building control who is happy with it - thank goodness!  It’s due to be boxed in tomorrow.

The builders may have gone (this work only took a couple of hours) but I spent the rest of Day 3 changing back cabinet fittings and doors to what had been there before the small pipe and AAV had been installed in the corner cabinet and messed up my storage arrangements.  Now the pipe work has been removed, I could move the pull out storage unit into the corner cupboard and once again use the larger cupboard next to it for storage of things like brooms and ironing board...I managed to do this myself, including swapping doors over, so was tired but pleased with myself by the end of Day 3.

The carpenter arrived early on Day 4 of the three day programme of remedial work.   By the end of the day, he had boxed in the large pipe behind the toilet pan with a lift off lid for rodding access if required.  He also replaced the door to the corner cupboard which had been modified to take the small AAV pipe.  I was very pleased with the result!

I had intended to paint the boxed in part to match the wall behind, but think I’ll leave the plywood unpainted, with just a coat of Osmo oil for protection. 

On Day 5 of the three day remedial drainage programme, “dad” builder was back to install rodding eyes under the wash basin in the ground floor toilet/utility room and kitchen sink.  

I sent photos to Building Control to check they were happy and heaved a sigh of relief when the answer came back yes, provided the floor under the wash basin was made good and the pipes clipped back in a “workman-like manner” to comply with Building Regs.  Another job to add to the list!  I passed on this requirement to the man in charge and pointed out that there were similar problems under the first floor bath where floorboards had been cut and lift but not replaced, leaving insulation exposed, and pipes were not fixed.  

On Day 6 of the three day programme of drainage remedial works, the carpenter returned to make good under the wash basin in the ground floor loo/utility room, under the first floor bath and clip all pipework in place.  Another good job which the Building Control officer is happy with!  The carpenter also made a new hatch cover for the maintenance access under the wash basin and jolly nice it looks too!  I have taken the carpenters details and will happily use him again if I need anything similar doing in future.

And so ends Day 6 of what was supposed to take three days...but at least there has been progress.  Next up is the water flow rate test and camera survey.  That was arranged for 4 December.  Can you guess what happened then?  No prizes...you will have to read the next blog post!