New water main, how much?

Author
Discussion

megaphone

Original Poster:

10,717 posts

251 months

Sunday 7th October 2012
quotequote all
I'm thinking of getting a new water main into my house, replacing the old lead with a new 25mm (?) pipe. Distance from the water meter in the pavement is about 15m, then under the floor to connect to the existing system.

Anyone got any ideas of cost?

It's not a difficult job, they could use one of those mole things or even dig a trench across the garden.


ss64ii

304 posts

218 months

Sunday 7th October 2012
quotequote all
Hi

The guys I use at work normally charge about £1500, moled and connected to the property.You wouldn't even know they had been there

Ganglandboss

8,305 posts

203 months

Sunday 7th October 2012
quotequote all
Where are you? Many water authorities have self-lay schemes. You lay the pipe to the boundary and they come and connect up. They may do this bit for free if it is a lead pipe.

eliot

11,418 posts

254 months

Sunday 7th October 2012
quotequote all
Just did 15meters this weekend. Bit of a nightmare TBH. Started yesterday with a mates mini digger, went through a land drain, then the existing 15mm line, then dropped my phone in the puddle and finally ended up going through the gas main!!

Got a an experienced ground worker in today who dug the remaining few meters by hand - and good job too, came accros the gas main again and also the main sewer pipe, which no doubt we would of gone through as well.
Not sure about the wizdom of using a mole, judging by the gas pipe which was clearly done by mole - it ends up going all over the place, and worse still you have no idea how deep your pipe is (gas was only 300mm down)

Will post some pictures of the carnage tommorow.

megaphone

Original Poster:

10,717 posts

251 months

Monday 8th October 2012
quotequote all
Ganglandboss said:
Where are you? Many water authorities have self-lay schemes. You lay the pipe to the boundary and they come and connect up. They may do this bit for free if it is a lead pipe.
I'll check with the local water people.

RC1

4,097 posts

219 months

Monday 8th October 2012
quotequote all
eliot said:
Just did 15meters this weekend. Bit of a nightmare TBH. Started yesterday with a mates mini digger, went through a land drain, then the existing 15mm line, then dropped my phone in the puddle and finally ended up going through the gas main!!

Got a an experienced ground worker in today who dug the remaining few meters by hand - and good job too, came accros the gas main again and also the main sewer pipe, which no doubt we would of gone through as well.
Not sure about the wizdom of using a mole, judging by the gas pipe which was clearly done by mole - it ends up going all over the place, and worse still you have no idea how deep your pipe is (gas was only 300mm down)

Will post some pictures of the carnage tommorow.
you couldnt have made that up.

kinabalu

240 posts

199 months

Monday 8th October 2012
quotequote all
As per ganglandboss above.

Had exactly same scenario here to replace lead main supply, all I had to do was dig trench across front garden to the boundary, I think a specified 24/30 inch depth, Yorkshire Water came along & connected 25mm plastic blue pipe FOC.

Rosscow

8,755 posts

163 months

Monday 8th October 2012
quotequote all
eliot said:
Just did 15meters this weekend. Bit of a nightmare TBH. Started yesterday with a mates mini digger, went through a land drain, then the existing 15mm line, then dropped my phone in the puddle and finally ended up going through the gas main!!

Got a an experienced ground worker in today who dug the remaining few meters by hand - and good job too, came accros the gas main again and also the main sewer pipe, which no doubt we would of gone through as well.
Not sure about the wizdom of using a mole, judging by the gas pipe which was clearly done by mole - it ends up going all over the place, and worse still you have no idea how deep your pipe is (gas was only 300mm down)

Will post some pictures of the carnage tommorow.
laughlaugh

That is what you call bad luck!

megaphone

Original Poster:

10,717 posts

251 months

Monday 8th October 2012
quotequote all
kinabalu said:
As per ganglandboss above.

Had exactly same scenario here to replace lead main supply, all I had to do was dig trench across front garden to the boundary, I think a specified 24/30 inch depth, Yorkshire Water came along & connected 25mm plastic blue pipe FOC.
I'm not getting much luck with Veolia water, keep getting referred to different departments, I'm sure I could dig the trench , its about 10m from the boundary and all garden except for a small section of crazy paving.

In your case did the water people have to do any digging on the pavement? I have a meter fitted and it looks tight for space to get the new pipe connected.

kinabalu

240 posts

199 months

Monday 8th October 2012
quotequote all
They had to do a tiny bit of pavement excavation but this is the deal, you do your bit, they do what they are responsible for FOC, like for like, mainly as they are keen on removing any lead elements. I Guess it's up to them to figure logistics of connection outside your boundary.

Marty63

2,347 posts

174 months

Monday 8th October 2012
quotequote all
we got ours done by a contractor with a polish guy as labourer

he used a mole with pin point accuracy

although it was 2 years ago it was only £600 if i remember crectly....

virgil

1,557 posts

224 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
quotequote all
Just got my quote in to do the same.

Replace mains pipe with 32mm MDPE mains pipe, moled in 15m to the understaris cupboard (I'm replumbing for a mega flow, so all hot/cold feeds will come from there...)

Access pits dug, pipe moled in, temp water connection back to existing plumbing and made good £950 +vay for a days work. Will see whatthe second quote comes in at and see if I can haggle down as it seems a lot for a days work (even including kit etc). But it's still better than me trying it by myself!!

spikeyhead

17,299 posts

197 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
quotequote all
Buy spade, dig trench, further developing your powerfully built trim.

Buy digger from ebay, dig trench, sell on ebay, further developing you PHness

Make some explosives, blast a trench, video it for youtube. ...

hairyben

8,516 posts

183 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
quotequote all
The moles are good, although not foolproof (they can be deflected and go off course no matter how accurately you set them off, get stuck and need digging out etc all in course and that has to be accounted for in pricing)

If you're not worried about surface disruption open trenching by a labrador or two is always worth considering

virgil

1,557 posts

224 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
quotequote all
hairyben said:
The moles are good, although not foolproof (they can be deflected and go off course no matter how accurately you set them off, get stuck and need digging out etc all in course and that has to be accounted for in pricing)

If you're not worried about surface disruption open trenching by a labrador or two is always worth considering
Not being facicious, but how do you 'open trench' when you need to get under the house...my parque flooring is not going to like that....

eliot

11,418 posts

254 months

Tuesday 9th October 2012
quotequote all
Pair of Keyboard monkeys armed with a 3 ton mini digger:


Tom armed with a spade, fags, tea and biccies:


Sewer pipe we would of no doubt gone through

Marty63

2,347 posts

174 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
quotequote all
eliot said:
Pair of Keyboard monkeys armed with a 3 ton mini digger:


Tom armed with a spade, fags, tea and biccies:


Sewer pipe we would of no doubt gone through
And he only meant to change the fuse in the plug...........................

megaphone

Original Poster:

10,717 posts

251 months

Monday 5th November 2012
quotequote all
Just a quick update. Managed to get a new main installed for £400 all in. New 25mm polypipe from the pavement meter to the house, they used a 'mole' to bore a hole, then up into the house and through under the floorboards to my stopcock position. Took them around 3 hours start to finish.

Water pressure is now so good I have had to reduce the flow at the stopcock. I have a combi boiler and used to get problems if someone opened a tap whilst I was in the shower, now this has been fixed.

Oh and my water tastes better! wink

Edited by megaphone on Monday 5th November 10:01

Simpo Two

85,349 posts

265 months

Monday 5th November 2012
quotequote all
eliot said:
Sewer pipe we would of no doubt gone through
How did you figure out that a yellow plastic pipe 30mm in diameter was sewage?

Muncher

12,219 posts

249 months

Monday 5th November 2012
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
How did you figure out that a yellow plastic pipe 30mm in diameter was sewage?
It'll certainly smell if you go through it...