Building over a private sewer

[ja]

We're considering building an extension at the rear of the house but there is a private sewer serving more than one property (including ours) that runs along the whole width of the back garden, and about two metres out from the back wall of the house. Therefore, we would need to build over the private sewer (but fortunately not over the inspection chamber which is in the adjacent driveway). Is this something commonly done for situations like this? From what I understand any footings would need to be dug lower than the depth of the sewer but is there also a minimum horizontal distance that needs to be kept between sewer and the footings? Anything else I should be taking into consideration?

[Donwill]

Try the Hepworth site for info, contact them, they will give you professional advice.

I have no connection with Hepworth, we merely used their products approx

16yrs ago for drainage in and around a new laboratory building. Don

[sm_jamieson]

building regs part H (section H4 - building over sewers !)

[The Wanderer]

Talk to your local planning/building control people. They are the ones you will need to satisfy, not the posters here, no matter how knowledgeable they may be.

[Donwill]

Ja, You will undoubtably have to satisfy planning and building control when you apply for PP, in the meantime I suggest you collect information so you are well informed on the subject. Good Luck Don

[JohnW]

I did something similar to this some years ago. The building inspector at that time required brick piers either side of the sewer pipe, to well below the level of the pipe, to support the footings. The intent was that there would be no load from the building, down through the footings, into the soil and directly compressing the pipe. The load above the pipe was being carried by the piers to the ground below the pipe level.

Best suggestion is to check with your local BCO.