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

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

"Rob graham"  wrote in message
news:dcd8gf$453$1@nwrdmz03.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...

>
> 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
>


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

> 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?


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

"Rob graham"  wrote in message
news:dcdesg$ju5$1@nwrdmz03.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...

>
> > 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?
>
> 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
>


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

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

"Pete"  wrote in message 
news:DgoGe.16457$Fx3.525@newsfe7-gui.ntli.net...

>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
>
>

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

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


>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?


There is a formula for calculating soakaways (or rather a few
formulas).  See Approved Document H on the ODPM website.
-- 
Hugo Nebula
  "If no-one on the internet wants a piece of this,
   just how far from the pack have you strayed?"