[Closed] Sewer under house?!

It's been okay for the last 140 years or so.

I'd not worry about it.

Or you could spend £200 to indemnify yourself against any worries you may be unable to shake off 🙂

There you go. All options covered in 2 posts.

That's got to be an STW record.

That's disappointing. No slanging match, trolling or any concern for baby robins. No pudding for anyone.

Or walk away, all bases covered.

You should go in and inspect for yourself - preferably taking just a small gas lighter with very limited fuel

... oh, and a go-pro

Are you sure you are responsible for it? I own a similar age house and SWW adopted the sewer a few years back. Which is good as they come and clear it when it blocks every year or so.

http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/publications/transfer-of-private-sewers/

Old sewer servicing outdoor netties = 12" ceramic pipe that could easily be filled with concrete I suspect.

Thanks for the advice. Great link jam bo.

I'd go with plugging it where it leaves your property and filling the rest. You'll at least find out if any neighbouring properties share it that way.

Sewer adoption sounds so final, could they not just foster it for a bit and see how it goes?

Its not going to be some massive tunnel or full of ninja turtles, just a clay pipe. If it serves other properties then it has automatically been adopted by the water authority. No problem there but it might impact on any extensions or out buildings you want to build as you'll need approval from the water authority and possibly more complicated footings. If its defunct then you can pretty much ignore it.

Its not going to be some massive tunnel or full of ninja turtles, just a clay pipe.

Depends. Is it on Neibolt Street?

Seal it off with concrete, before whatever's in there gets out. 🙂

As above if it only serves some old wc's on your property it won't have been vested over to the water authority. This only happened to drains that serves 2 or more properties.

You could get it filled with concrete but your foundations probably span the pipe, which is only likely to be 150mm diameter, and therefore even if it cracks or deforms it will have no affect on you property.
If it still has water running through it, it could be worth getting it cctv'd to check it's condition.

Get the outdoor bogs recomissioned.

Pooing without having to take your muddy self and riding gear through the house isnot to be overlooked

Get the outdoor bogs recomissioned.

^ This!

Our outdoor bog is invaluable.

And how big is this sewer? Just 6" clay pipe? If so I'd not worry too much about it.

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It's been okay for the last 140 years or so.

I'd not worry about it.

Or you could spend £200 to indemnify yourself against any worries you may be unable to shake off [b]- although this will not stop any potential future subsidence, cracking, etc.[/b]

And how big is this sewer? Just 6" clay pipe? If so I'd not worry too much about it.

Get the outdoor bogs recomissioned.

Definitely. Massive potential for secure bike storage, big wet room style showers, all that jazz. Just think 'what would footflaps do?'.

all that jazz.

Anyone else skim read that and assume George Michael was coming round for a party in the outdoor WC?

It's been okay for the last 140 years or so.
I'd not worry about it.

Contrary to popular belief, just because something's been built for a long time does not mean it's not deteriorating!

Yep, couldn't agree more!

We discovered we had a hither to unknown Victorian water main under our house, which decided to spring a leak a few weeks back....

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/leaking-water-pipe-who-pays

Update on sewer situation.
Turns out the sewer under my proposed house services my bathroom, and is connected to my neighbours but not much else known about it.
And my manhole cover - now under the kitchen extension - has had a slate floor with underfloor heating laid right over it. No idea if this had permission,or if it was done properly.
So, bottomless sewery money pit - or no need to worry??

I'd be wary. Maybe nothing major to worry about but I'd want to be pretty sure on it if it wasn't just serving my property.

Customer of mine was telling me the other day about his house. Regular run of the mill old semi - but turned out there was a culvert under his garden that was supposed to be nothing to do with him. Until it needed major work and the EA sent him a very large bill. Solicitors hadn't done the searches properly, it had been missed and he now has a charge on the property, as the bill was several times the value of it.

You could have another inspection chamber built onto it outside the extension so you can access it if you ever have a blockage.
But I'd be surprised if any body ever got official approval for building over it without installing an upstream inspection chamber.

No idea if this had permission,or if it was done properly.

A friend had this recently, had an inspection camera put down to take a look at the condition before accepting the risk.

If it helps, my new extension will be getting built over the sewer that serves my neighbours house and mine. Scottish Water permit this if it's done to certain specs (which the architect had to add to the drawings) once I've got round to getting someone to video the pipes and send that in. There will be access at either side of the building. I'm not sure building over the manhole cover is in the specifications.

Solicitors hadn't done the searches properly, it had been missed and he now has a charge on the property, as the bill was several times the value of it.

Are the solicitors not liable here?

Apparently not - I didn't push it but asked that question. Whether they went under in the interim or weren't liable for whatever reason I don't know. Sounded a pretty sorry and very stressful state of affairs.