Driveway works - need sewer moving - specialist work?

[kryten22uk]

I'm thinking of redoing my driveway / front garden. This will involve some significant excavation which will lower the level by about 1metre, as well as laying of tarmac and gravel grid system.

The problem is that the sewer/soil pipe runs down the area that will be excavated. Does this complication mean that I cant just can a standard driveway tradesman to do the work, and instead need a specialist or a contractor to manage a few different trades?

[GreatGranny]

I wouldn't trust it to a paving company personally.

Ring round a few groundworks/drainage specialists to come and have a look to see if its actually possible to do ie. lowering the levels by a metre.

That's quite a lot and may cause problems with the existing outfall.

[Gingerbread Man]

Depends how low the end point of discharge is to if you can lower the pipework or if you'll have to reconfigure it to keep it's existing fall but via new route. Ground workers should be able to dig it all out and reconfigure the pipework. Then a drive way man to go from there?

[blueg33]

It doesn't take much to cock up a sewer. Get in someone experienced.

[barryrs]

Possibly obvious but if the sewer serves any other properties you will need the approval of the area utility company.

A back drop manhole sounds like the best solution.

[kryten22uk]

blueg33 said:

It doesn't take much to cock up a sewer. Get in someone experienced.

What sort of trade am I looking for then? If I look up Drainage people on CheckaTrade for example, they all talk about unblocking/cleaning/inspecting drains, whereas I'm probably looking at a full new installation. Are "drainage" tradesmen still the right people for the job, or is there another specific name for them?

[Webber3]

kryten22uk said:

What sort of trade am I looking for then?

Groundworks I would have thought. Be careful though, this trade seems to attract a lot of cowboys!

[Spudler]

As above, groundwork contractor, or a reputable builder.

[m3jappa]

Are you certain there isn't a way which wouldn't involve such excavation? I've been doing this my whole working life and it's certainly unusual, post a picture.

Technically you would want a ground works company to do the sewer and excavation, removing that sort of depth may require retaining walls (again trying to picture it in my head). That said it may well not be that difficult at all.

[kryten22uk]

m3jappa said:

Are you certain there isn't a way which wouldn't involve such excavation? I've been doing this my whole working life and it's certainly unusual, post a picture.

Technically you would want a ground works company to do the sewer and excavation, removing that sort of depth may require retaining walls (again trying to picture it in my head). That said it may well not be that difficult at all.

Sorry, I may have confused. I'm excavating the front driveway, to bring it down to road level for increased parking, whereas its currently 1m above road level. As a result of this works, I think I'll have to redo the sewer pipe. The pipes wouldnt need any work if I didnt want to lower the driveway.