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Ok, so I know this isn't the most exciting of topics...!
I have been trying to sell my house for AGES and it finally seems that there is light at the end of the tunnel. After much tooing and froing the final piece of the jigsaw relates to a cracked drain cover in my front garden (on the walkway, rather than where you park).
The drain company that quoted for some other work (that's a whole different story) and actually spotted the cracked cover said that I could not just replace the cover - that the whole frame had to be dug out and a new frame and cover put back and cemented in.
Is this true? Do I need to replace the whole frame? If so, surely it's only a few hours work for a builder? Or am I missing something?
I would appreciate any thoughts - I suspect that they were trying it on a bit with other stuff and I don't want to be taken for a ride here :-/
Thanks!
Why don't you take a photo of the cover and post it on here or take it along to a builder's or plumber's merchant?
Depends on age. It may now be obsolete and if so yes the frame will have to come out too. Half a days labour but most would want a full one to cover for any problems. Size?
What's it sat in, concrete Tarmac etc?
Thanks for the replies.
It's an old cast iron drain cover - sat in concrete.
What they quoted you?
£400+VAT....
Surely you could do that yourself, as long as the new cover and frame are to the correct spec?
I'm not sure removing and replacing the frame are within my skill set, no 🙁
Is there not a similar style cover a bit further along the street ? 🙂
or you could try the local scrappy
Pants firmly down!
600x600 cast 1.5t rated 45+vat
600x600 galv light duty £30+vat.
Bit of sand/cement, still saw.
Labour.
The labour is a nice earner as you can see....
Hmmm... Thanks!
You have the shaft (usually brick or preformed) and the frame is just a cap mounted on mortar on top of the shaft. Its pretty simple really and hard to stuff up.
Its pretty simple really and hard to stuff up.
Sorry - I don't play the girl card very often - but I genuinely would have no idea where to start. I can barely lift the drain cover up in the first place!
As I said before, outside my skills set.
Looking for anywhere to put a new rockery? 😀
I had one cracked when I moved into my old house on the driveway.
I got a local engineering place to cut me a piece of steel tread plate the right size and dropped it into the existing frame.
It's had cars and vans drive over it every day for the last 15 years and it's still ok.
Oh, and it cost £17+Vat.
It's a simple one for a local builder. I'd be very happy with £250 cash.
Have a ring round with that figure in your head then at least you've some idea. It's not really one you can just do yourself as you'll probably not have a still saw lying around to start with.
Thanks - much appreciated 🙂
As Neal says above. I was going to suggest that but as your house sale may be relying on it, its a bit of a bodge. Is if its a foul drain you may get smell coming back.
If the frame is decent then tread plate steel certainly looks the part. And stands the test of time/use too.
Mine was the mains drainage inspection pit/ridding point etc. and never had any smells coming from it at all.
Providing you get the measurements right, I can't see any reason there would be any problems.
I had them put an indent on one edge to make getting a bar in to lift it easier.
