Storm water drainage

I had my drive and part of my back garden block paved by a company recently - big mistake!

After the recent rains, I had a deep pool of water, three quarters the length of the house, rendering it impossible to use the back door without getting wet feet. It took about 20 hours for this water to clear. The company have offered to drain the water into a soakaway that takes water from my extension roof. As far as I'm aware, this soakaway doesn't go into the storm drain. I think it goes into a pipe that goes deep into the soil. The extension was already there when we bought the house, but I've seen the diagrams for it, and the soakaway does appear to come to an abrupt end in the soil.

Is it likely that this soakaway will cope with large amounts of winter rainwater coming off the drive?

Before the drive was block paved, it gently sloped towards the front storm drain. Now, it slopes away from it, towards the back. Taking the driveway up and re-laying it so that it slopes the 'right' way is a massive task, because it means the back will have to be re-done too.

Using the soakaway is an option, but only if it will cope

Pete

Reply to
Pete
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I think soakaways are a waste of time unless the soil is very sandy. Normally they fill up with water from the area around and then where does the water go? I cannot understand why some architects advise using them. Imagine, you dig a great hole in the ground and leave it during wet weather. What happens? It fills with water. If you had filled the hole with rubble first (as per a soakaway), would that mean that the water would miraculously disappear?

Rob Graham

Reply to
Rob graham

miraculously

It's never been a problem up to now. It takes all the rainwater from my roof without filling up. We live near the top of a hill, so perhaps that helps?

Pete

Reply to
Pete

Yes, I'm sure the location will help. However, I doubt if there's a formula for calculating how much water a soakaway will handle - there are too many variables. So if your people duct the water there, who's to say it'll work?

They really ought to relay the blocks. I can't believe they didn't check the falls before they did the work. Was it the first one they'd done?

Rob

Reply to
Rob graham

They're a limited company (very limited, it seems!)

I assumed from their sales literature and the fact that they are a Ltd., they would know what they are doing, but I have to say I'm disappointed in them. I suspect this is going to turn from a DIY matter to a legal matter

Pete

Reply to
Pete

I suspect this is going to turn from a DIY matter to a legal matter

Yes, it sounds like it, and best of luck.

Rob

Reply to
Rob graham

I should think the easiest thing to do would be to link the existing soakaway to another one as an overflow. Its not an ideal situation obviously, but you should give the company an opportunity to make things work, and you should also get a buildings surveyor involved (at their cost) to supervise any remedial work to make sure its a permanent solution, and not just till the cheque clears. Good luck, Stuart

Reply to
stuart

On Fri, 29 Jul 2005 14:36:00 +0000 (UTC), a particular chimpanzee named "Rob graham" randomly hit the keyboard and produced:

There is a formula for calculating soakaways (or rather a few formulas). See Approved Document H on the ODPM website.

Reply to
Hugo Nebula

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