leaking supply pipe

[larrypearl2000]

Could someone offer some advice on costs associated with repair? I've just been contacted by Three Valleys Water that there's a leak on the supply pipe leading up to my house. Since it's past the meter, it's my responsibility and they'll fix it for free provided they don't have to burrow under the house.

My big, big fear is that the leak on the supply pipe turns out to be underneath the house. If so, the the water company won't pay. Nor will my insurance company. Should I be expecting a cost running into many hundreds, or into the thousands? The maximum length of 'under house burrowing' would be about 20 metres.

[Andy]

Is your floor a suspended timber floor? I presume that it isn't, because of course it is easy enough to intercept the incoming water pipe if it is run through the crawl space.

Andy.

[Chris Bacon]

The supply should not run under your house any appreciable distance, it should go around, under/through a wall, and up.

[Lobster]

If the leak was under the house, would it be possible to install a replacement pipe via a different route, ie around the house?

Or have it enter the house at a different point to where it does now, and then run through the house above the ceiling, for example.

Either of those options would be much cheaper than the catalysmic ripping up of your ground floor!

BTW there are very clever pneumatic 'moles' which can be used to burrow underground without digging trenches; whether these can be used under buildings I don't know (although I doubt it)

David

[Rick]

I did me sisters for under a hundred quid, and four days hard work. She had a timber floor, I simply ran a whole new pipe between the road and the stop c*ck.

Rick

[Mr Fizzion]

And if it doesn't, it can be cut off and re-routed cheaply and easily. Hell you could even do it yourself! :-)

Mr F.

[larrypearl2000]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I live in the middle of quite a long terrace and the internal stop tap is at the back of the house :( Therefore, rerouting around the house is not possible.

in such circustances, would it be possible/practical to run a new supply pipe through my house, rather than under it? I have a concrete floor to my two storey house...

[Lobster]

In principle, sure... eg, take the pipe via a trench to the nearest point of your house; you go through the house wall about 2' underground (lots of water byelaws to contend with here) and then emerge above ground in the corner of the front room or wherever - there's your stopcock. Then you could run it up the wall within boxing, and connect it to your existing mains pressure water system wherever most convenient. All depends on your own layout. But I should try and ascertain where the leak is before chasing that up any further.

David

[The Natural Philosopher]

Insurance should cover this.

Its only a few hundred to chip up a floor, maybe a couple of grand if its parquet :-(

Get the investigation done first outside, then contact insurers if necessary.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Good point.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Should be. depending on whats on te concrete flolor, chipping out a new channel is no huge deal. I'd put the stopcock at the FRONT this time though, and run 20mm copper thereafter...that can go up around and long just about anywhere..