Drains: they’re not the most glamorous part of a household, but when it comes to extending you might be surprised by how big their role is.
Every year we provide thousands of free consultation calls to homeowners, and one of the biggest surprises many face is the work and cost sewers add to a project. Due to legislation implemented in October 2011, any home improvement must make proper provisions to make sure the work has the approval of your local water board.
How do you go about this? Well, here’s our complete guide to your home, drains, sewers, and build over agreements…
Why sewers are important
You might not spend too much time thinking about them, but sewers provide a valuable service to homes across the UK. And as they’re often located near private property, it’s up to everyone to help make sure they stay functional.
For this reason, when extending your home you must first establish if whether or not your future development will be built over or close to (within 3 metres) of a public sewer. If so, you’ll need to get consent from the relevant sewerage company in order for your project to go ahead.
The applies to all building projects, regardless of whether or not it falls within permitted development, or if building control needs to be notified.
You’ll not only to need to show consideration for pipe damage in your plans, but ensure continued access to the sewers for future maintenance - eg. manholes. Only once approval has been given can you commence construction.