Channeling concrete slab in new build house

[Ollie_449]

Hi all,

In a couple of months, I will be moving into a new build house (built by a large national housebuilder).

I intend to run telephone & CAT5 cables from the lounge, across the hall to under the stairs.

When we take possession of the house, there will be no carpets down, so my thought was to make a channel in the concrete slab and put the cables in a conduit, rather than channel walls and ceilings. It is a ground bearing slab.

I would be most appreciative if anyone has some words of wisdom on the following:

• With a new build property, am I likely to encounter pipes/cables (with the exception of foul pipes) buried in the slab?
• If so, will a DIY metal detector be able to detect these through concrete (I assume the rebar will make them hard to detect)?
• Would I be correct to assume that as building regs require the slab to be 100mm thick, I am at no risk of damaging the DPC with a 30mm channel?

Many thanks!

 

[rssteve]

Pay the foreman a small incentive to put the cables in for you. Unless it has already been completed.

There may be plastic pipes in the screed but most likely from above. I'm not sure they put rebar in most floor screeds I've seen.

 

[bobsuerita]

if new prop then will prob be a power floated floor( structual) youll have fun channeling that the only service you may come across is gas all soil be be under slab
your best bet bet would be to speak to site agent or even the sparkys if house still being built
also if power floated you will have beam with insulation not blocks so dont start cutting up for no reason