Soakaway under conservatory

[bigbria]

In the process of having a conservatory built, the builders digging out the base have identified that the rainwater pipe to the soakaway ends in an area that is going to be concreted over. This will then (apparently, I'm none too familiar with this stuff) result in a new soakaway having to be dug further down the garden, and the pipework rerouted into it around the conservatory.

My question is is this something that the surveyor should have anticipated when the project was specified, or are they likely to want to charge me extra for it (they've said nothing yet but its only been discovered this morning, so I'm trying to get some info for when they do, as I expect, try to charge me extra) . The contract doesn't seem to make any specific mention either way of reserving the right to charge me extra for unforeseen problems in the building element of the job

Thanks for any feedback

Brian

[Owain]

"bigbrian" wrote | My question is is this something that the surveyor should have | anticipated when the project was specified,

He should have anticipated that it is *possible* that there *may* be a soakaway.

| The contract doesn't seem to make any specific mention either way | of reserving the right to charge me extra for unforeseen problems | in the building element of the job

Depends on whether the contract says, and the price was for, "erect a conservatory" or "do all works necessary to erect a conservatory".

Owain

[bigbria]

Naturally, it says neither

Brian

[Colin Wilson]

I`d be tempted to argue that the quote should have included all necessary works, and that their failure to allow for all contingencies is not your problem.

[dg]

This would normally be an unforeseen item. The company would expect to tap into some near by drains, and not have to make a completely new soakaway and drain run.

Unless they are prepared to cover the cost, it would be unreasonable for you not to pay for this extra work.

dg

[Andy Hall]

OK. This is a fairly typical arrangement.

Actually the numbers give a pretty good clue.

The 20-30% is what they will need to pay the builder producing the base, with 70% being the frame, glass and the conservatory company's margin.

What I would do is to keep a note of the total time that the builder takes to make the base, and also for how much time (ask him "as a matter of interest") it will take to do the soakaway stuff.

I took photos at the end of each working day so that I had a record of the stage reached.

Armed with the above information, you can calculate roughly what should be involved.

Let's say that the total project is £10k and that we therefore assume that the builder is getting paid £3k for the base. Let's also say that he would normally take 3 days (he's probably on a fixed price from the conservatory supplier so time is critical). If he takes half a day longer to do the drain, then this is costing the builder £500.

As an opening gambit, I would therefore push the conservatory supplier to take the £500 out of margin.

If not, then I would argue that £500 is a reasonable figure. I wouldn't accept them marking it up in proportion to the project - i.e. to an implied £1000-1500.

This is an example, but you can see the scaling.....

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

[bigbria]

I'm already doing the same :-)

As it happens, I'm not sure that the builders are on any kind of time payment. They don't seem to be in any rush, don't start too early, don't work too late. I've heard them mention that they get paid by the cubic metre dug. This became relevant when the installations manager, who they don't like much, came over to have a look. They seemed to think he was trying to tell them they were deep enough (he wasn't actually saying that, but they took it that way) when the guy doing the digging still wasn't happy that he'd got down to solid ground. He ended up going 1.4 metres before he got to something he was happy to build on. Its taken a day and half to do that, they're concreting later on today.

I'm expecting to hear today from the conservatory company about the cost of the soakaway. Watch this space

Brian

[Sam]

Exactly. Usually an unforseen item is one which a "competent" builder would not be expected to predict. In this case, if the soakaway had a inspection cover over it or at least had a visible inspection pipe then you would expect him to have allowed for moving it. Otherwise, you will have to pay.

[Ian Middleton]

A friend of mine whilst having his conservatory built, found a inspection cover 6 inches under the soil, right in the middle of the base. Buried since the house was built in mid 90's. Had to pay for the builders to relocate the pipework around the conservatory, wasn't much (about £1000) on £14k total cost, but other option was inspection cover in middle of conservatory.

[bigbria]

Further update:

Still no word from the company on who's paying for the new soakaway, but the old one was concreted in this afternoon. If it rains before the new one is dug, the rain water is going to collect at the end of the existing pipe against the concrete. Is this going to cause a problem at all?

Brian

[bigbria]

Next question: anybody got any idea about a likely additional cost for a new soakaway?

Brian

[Janet Baraclough..]

The message from bigbrian contains these words:

If you're remotely handy, you can DIY. It's basically a hole in the ground (at least a cubic metre) filled with hardcore. Run the water-discharge pipe into it. We covered the top of the soakaway with HD plastic mesh (recycled bakery breadbin), topped with ladscape fabric, then gravel, then soil and turf.

Janet.

[bigbria]

Not an option when your leg's in plaster :-)

So, assuming you can't DIY...likely cost?

Brian