What trade(s) do I need for drains, effluent and mains

[dunbarhamlin]

Hi folks
Expect this is a daft question. Am sorting out a 50s semi, and have a couple of jobs I don't think I can tackle myself.

1. Kitchen is a single storey flat concrete roofed structure, looking like a lean to on the side of the house, though double skinned and original. The cast iron effluent pipe pierces the roof from the loo above and comes down its inner wall, disappearing into the cement floor.
I would like to replace this with modern plastic, and reroute so it runs in a dogleg over the roof (looks like theres enough drop available) and down the outside of the front wall into the sewer system.
I believe grey water (sinks, washing machines) is also suppose to be routed into the effluent sewer now?

2. Kitchen has a damp wall, and the area around drain outside this is waterlogged, which may be related to non existant pointing (something I'm having a go at), porous roof (ditto), misdirected guttering and grey water pipes (ditto... unless grey water needs redirecting now) or buggered drain... so need this investigating and rectifying if needed.

3. Inbound copper water pipe is coming up through concrete floor without any visible protective cuff... this may just be through the screeding, but think this too needs investigating and rectifying. Rather it not start leaking once house finished (if it isn't already the cause of the damp mentioned above... it comes up in the hall just the other side of the wall from the kitchen and soggy drain)

Sorry to be so long winded. What sort of tradesman to I need to come and look at this lot, or which specialisms does a builder need? Does it all come under groundwork, or, erm, well. I look forwarded to enlightenment.

TIA

 

[owen]

Plumber.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

A decent plumber.

 

[Benchwayze]

If your soil is waterlogged around a drain, and there's no pointing in the brickwork, the least I'd suspect is a broken gutter, which allows water to run down the wall and flood the ground. That's probably why the pointing is non-existent. It's fallen out.

A worse case would be the drains underground have collapsed, allowing water to soak into the soil, instead of escaping to the sewers.

Either way, if you leave it, this could lead to subsidence. In which case, even if the drains/gutters are repaired, depending on how far damage has progressed, you might need underpinning.
I would get the job surveyed first, to get an expert opinion.

HTH.

 

[beech1948]

It seems to me you have a few problems to resolve.

1) plumbing....why is there damp inside.....maybe see if anything is leaking/broken in plumbing that is visible.
2) Is rainwater from overhead gutters running down the walls if so correct urgently and after fix repoint
3) Why is ground outside waterlogged.....start digging, be careful as if older earthenware pipes they can be fragile...look for leak/break...you may have to move quite a bit of earth....check levels against damp proof course if present
4) if inside still damp then hire plumber/builder to dig out floor and inspect pipes...this could become a biggish job but you can do some digging yourself....it will be a mess for a week or two but persevere.

If the source is hidden then there is no option but to dig up floors/ground and seek out problem.

I know it sounds horrendous but to fix it you need to know what the problem is.

 

[dunbarhamlin]

Excellent. Thanks chaps. I have a plan of action now.
Fix guttering, waterproof roof and point as a matter of urgency
Remove screeding around inbound pipe, hopefully finding pipe is protected below this, else get a plumber to replace pipe between outside and inside stop cocks.
Dig up outside to check around drain, and if really waterlogged get it checked out properly.
Identify effluent drain and trace back to see about replacing/rerouting,... this is the one I'm not sure I've the phsical strength for since it likely means digging through the kitchen floor. Would it just come under work a general builder would do?

 

[Benchwayze]

Last time I had a drains problem (Which I hope IS the last time.) I called in a proper drainage contractor. I was covered on Insurance mind. But that's the best course. They do this every day. It's quicker and cheaper in the long run. I got three quotes, and chose the middle one.
HTH

John

 

[dunbarhamlin]

Thanks John, I shall do, since I want some moving anyway. Will also check for trades down the new local.