Downpipe drainage

[mikegc]

I am currently re-landscaping our small terrace garden and have a question about drainage from a guttering downpipe. Previously the downpipe went under some concrete from the edge of the extension and just into a rubble filled hole right by the foundations. We have now removed the concrete and im wondering what to do with this pipe, as we are planning to put a brickwork patio here and don’t think the pipe should just empty on top of that.
 
I am thinking maybe run the pipe under the new patio and use a perforated pipe a bit further away from the house, probably under a grassy area.

Are there any better options?

Thanks!

 

[BigRobCanUFixIt]

you could dig a soakaway... save your grass turning into a swamp when it rains.

google paving expert for a how too.

Rob

 

[mikegc]

I did see this, but thought it might be a little overkill. I guess the simplist option would be to have it flow over the new patio (brick on a sand base).

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I did see this, but thought it might be a little overkill. I guess the simplist option would be to have it flow over the new patio (brick on a sand base).

Yea soakaways are overkill, let it spill all over the patio! Proper job!

 

[mikegc]

The problem is I only have a small garden. I could look at redirecting the pipe to the main sewage pipe, but I guess a soakaway may be the best option. I don't want a wet patio!

 

[wrathkeg]

Water butt? I got a decent slimline one in Wickes for a sensible price (unlike those in garden centres). Use the water on your plants, and when (if) it gets full, use a hose to empty it into the nearest drain.

 

[mikegc]

This is all the soak away that was previously under the concrete. It was only about half a foot!

I will build a small soak away in the middle if the garden which must be able to do the job better that before!

 

[JohnD]

that's not a soakaway, it's just a trick put in by a cowboy builder to make the customer think the downpipe went to some kind of drain.

As well as making the wall and slab wet, and perhaps washing the mortar out from between the bricks, that sort of thing washes away the soil in a constantly growing void, until the path above collapses into it, or the house suffers subsidence (or both).

I dread to think what other bodges the builder used. It won't have been drawn like that on the plans. I hope the foundation trench was dug deep.

 

[mikegc]

I have the plans from the 80's, will have a look if it shows anything!

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

If a soakaway is impractical and there are no other alternatives then Building Control have no choice but to permit you draining into the mains.

 

[mikegc]

The original plans had a dashed line to the garden saying to s/a.

There would be some ugly pipework to get it to the mains drain, so I'm just going to build the best soakaway I can in the middle of the garden.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Bear in mind that your soakaway should be 5m from any building.

http://www.pavingexpert.com/drain08.html