Extension Next Door

[jrt]

Could you help please.
I live in a link detached house joined by a flat roof with a garage door front and rear.
In the area behind the rear garage door next door are building a kitchen extention.
This will come all the way up to my wall leaving a gap up to a 6".
My concerns are

a. my soil pipe runs down my cavity and into a manhole on next doors land which the extension is going over.
b. my drain pipe runs down my wall into a gully pot which then goes into another man hole that the extension is going over.
c. They have exposed all my footings is the party wall at risk?

They have dug the footings and poured the foundations leaving my soil pipe in the air which i presume they will build around.
The gully pot and pipe has been broken out and removed i am not sure what is happening yet maybe they will cut it off and run it onto the new flat roof.

I am concerned about future rodding issues if i have a blockage.
The unaccessible gap i will have between the properties for pointing and debris collecting and bridging the dpc.

I have tried the council and they do not want to discuss it.

Any help would be great

 

[^woody^]

Your neighbour is entitled to build right up to the boundary if he wants to

Your drains end at the boundary, where they become your neighbours' drains (but you may share costs of repairs).

Building control should sort out the new layout to meet required standards, with appropriate provision for access. If you get a blockage in the future, then you can either rod down the stack, or access the drains from the new access point - which the neighbours should install.

You should have been served a party wall notice. If not, and you are not happy with the technical aspects of the work, or provisions to protect your property, then engage a solicitor and apply for an injunction to stop the work (which you will get) and this will then force the neighbour to serve a notice under the Party Wall Act.

Otherwise, you will just have to rely on building control to ensure the work is done correctly

 

[jrt]

Woody

Thanks for the reply.

Your neighbour is entitled to build right up to the boundary if he wants to

I am not really concerned about that its just that you cannot point the wall if needed and i am concerned about debris off the roof falling down it and causing damp.Do you think this is an issue.

You should have been served a party wall notice

I have not but again i am no expert and presume they are causing no damage to my footings

building control should sort out the new layout to meet required standards, with appropriate provision for access. If you get a blockage in the future, then you can either rod down the stack, or access the drains from the new access point - which the neighbours should install.

I presume i will have to remove my toilet to rod then?
Building control will have to come and inspect? I have not seen them do they know about all work started planning was granted 3 years ago.
The new access point will be under the kitchen floor how will they manage this do you think?

Thanks

 

[^woody^]

Many people worry about drain blockages, but I would estimate that 99% of people never have one.

IMO, it really is not something to worry about, as if you do ever get a blockage then it can be dealt with simply, as and when

Building control will either have the neighbour install a sealed access cover in their kitchen or one nearby outside.

You could always ask them or the neighbour what provisions are being made for drain access - the BCO must discuss it with you as it affects your property

 

[dextrous]

One of BCO visits is to check any new drainage work, and another is to check the hole for the footings prior to concrete being poured. You can ask the contractor and/or BCO at the council when the next site visit is due and question him/her then. If they have n ot been informed of the ongoing building work, then the contractors (I believe) are in breach of the requirements and you have a right to request that work be stopped until it has been checked, especially since you have concerns regarding the effects on your own building.

If planning permission has been granted three years ago, then this may be outside a valid timeframe, and the specifications being used may need updating anyway, in which case the council need to be advised.

 

[jrt]

Thanks for the help

Update is i have managed to speak to building control officer.

If planning permission has been granted three years ago, then this may be outside a valid timeframe, and the specifications being used may need updating anyway, in which case the council need to be advised.

He says they have 5 years

One of BCO visits is to check any new drainage work, and another is to check the hole for the footings prior to concrete being poured. You can ask the contractor and/or BCO at the council when the next site visit is due and question him/her then. If they have n ot been informed of the ongoing building work, then the contractors (I believe) are in breach of the requirements and you have a right to request that work be stopped until it has been checked, especially since you have concerns regarding the effects on your own building.

He has checked the footings and allowed them to pour and did not affect my foundations.He did say that i should of been notified regarding party wall act................. to late now
He has stopped the work because he is not happy with the drains. Not the fact that they are going over the manholes and i cant rod but the fact that they are tapping into the wrong drains

He said the builders are persian and cannot communicate with them properly here is hoping for a good outcome