New k1tchens

[JanieB]

There seems to be a theme going on here so I thought I'd give it it's own thread. Hello Nicos.

Work going on well until today when the builders found a leak (I know this is a gardening site so it is leak not leek). I knew it was there, my neighbours who share the same supply knew it was there, it has been reported several times but Thames Water insisted there was no leak. The bloke who came out checked their meter on the pavement and still insisted there is no leak but could see that there was.

So he did something different than the others that had turned up and turned some taps on. The meter didn't move. Faulty meter. Changed the meter and it shows a loss of 2 litres an hour. This has been going on since before my OH died 10 years ago.

So work has stopped. They have given it priority status so they will be out on Monday. I feel really sorry for the builders as they will be laid off for a couple of days. But I'm really glad that that at last this will be sorted.

Outside my back door looks like an archeological dig.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Don't know how it works with Thames water but round here you would be facing a large bill.

Severn Trent are only responsible up to the boundary box (the stopcock in the road) after that it is the responsibility of the house owner private/council etc.

Did one two weeks ago £780 to excavate/repair and make good to tarmac drive.

[JanieB]

This was changed a few years ago. However, I'm on my IPad and I will find it easier to post the new rules through my lap top. They are trying to convince me that it's not their responsibility, but having looked up their records have agreed to fix the problem for free as the meter they installed was faulty. I will try and upload their responsibilities tomorrow.

[Lisasbolt]

Hi, i am very lucky, my dad is builder/everything man. So with my help and a few good meals out. I had my kitchen bought, picked up, fitted, electrics fitted, granite guy out and fitted all with 10 days. I love my new kitchen (4 days off in-between). All that is left is the kick boards and tiles. We are off to look at tiles tomorrow.
To be fair though, my old kitchen was the most disgusting kitchen ever and i made do for 2 and a half years! the woman who lived here before must have been the world heaviest smoker, the tile and cabinets were thick with tar and oil was soaked into everything and it smelled, it smelled bad, no amount of bleach really helped.


Hope everything gets sorted with your water

[Potstubsdustbins]

Janie, you have got out of that one nicely, if their meter was faulty and they had repeatedly said there was no leak then they must take some responsibility.

Other wise it can get tricky especially on a shared service. Round here all the property owners share responsibility up to the first 'T' junction. From that 'T' into the property it serves is the sole responsibility of that property owner. The remaining owners then take responsibility for the pipe up to the next 'T' and so on.

Persuading people they have to cover a share of the cost for a leak not on their land can be difficult to say the least.

[Jay22]

We had ours done a couple of months ago...only problem we had was a missing door for a small cabinet above the microwave and a missing door handle. Everything else went well. Wasn't expecting that to be honest so we are very happy indeed! We also have a lovely black radiator all thanks to Scarlet's detective work!

[Alison]

Janie, you have got out of that one nicely, if their meter was faulty and they had repeatedly said there was no leak then they must take some responsibility.

Other wise it can get tricky especially on a shared service. Round here all the property owners share responsibility up to the first 'T' junction. From that 'T' into the property it serves is the sole responsibility of that property owner. The remaining owners then take responsibility for the pipe up to the next 'T' and so on.

Persuading people they have to cover a share of the cost for a leak not on their land can be difficult to say the least.

Not sure if it's true in all areas but water companies do now pay for repairs up to the point the supply enters the house ie not just up to the main connection. Seem to remember it was all challenged a bit back and this is the result.

[Nicos]

First fix of electricity and plumbing sorted today.Had to get professionals in for those.

Chimney capping and lining tomorrow hopefully- thank goodness we have a dry spell at the moment!
Sanding down of beams is going to take a couple of days although we've postponed collecting the kitchen until Friday now!

Then my fun bit of hemp and liming one of the walls ( bit like trying to stick tinned tuna to granite stones...soooo messy! )

A neighbour is having a small work room built attached to their house and was wondering why the ground was so wet.
On further investigation and lots of digging they descovered that the sink and washing machine has been plumbed into a soak away pipe ( has drainage holes all along it) which follows the wall of the house for about 30 feet draining into the foundations!
Needless to say their work has come to a standstill too!

Glad your leak has finally been sorted Janie "I told you so" comes to mind .

[Guest]

Not sure if it's true in all areas but water companies do now pay for repairs up to the point the supply enters the house ie not just up to the main connection. Seem to remember it was all challenged a bit back and this is the result.

We have recently had an issue and we were told drains are, water supply isn't. Our issue was a leak in a neighbours garden that served four houses but not the house(garden) the leak was in. Thankfully all our neighbours were really good and it was fixed and sorted between us.

Edit: the only reason our drains are, is because it relies on 3 other households. It is apparently not common practice.

[bearded bloke]

Not sure if it's true in all areas but water companies do now pay for repairs up to the point the supply enters the house ie not just up to the main connection. Seem to remember it was all challenged a bit back and this is the result.

I think that only applies where the water company has fitted a water meter to the outside/inside of the building,

[Potstubsdustbins]

What the layman calls the stop cock on the service pipe in the street/road is actually called the 'boundary box'. This is designates the boundary of the water authorities responsibilities. The pipe upstream from that to the main connection and the mains themselves are all the boards responsibility.

As to drains that has changed a little in the last few years. If you live in a house where the drain solely takes waste from your property then the whole of the drain to the main sewer connection is your responsibility.

The change has come in where as posted above the drain serves more than one property i.e. most terraced housing. Here the board now except responsibility for the drain pipe from the sewer to the first junction, after that it works like a shared water service.

[bearded bloke]

I just edited the thread title a little (substituted 1 for i) to try & preclude "scanning bot's" picking up on the word that caused us such huge spamming problems not so long ago.

[JanieB]

I just edited the thread title a little (substituted 1 for i) to try & preclude "scanning bot's" picking up on the word that caused us such huge spamming problems not so long ago.

Ah, thanks BB, I wondered what had happened as I was sure I hadn't had finger trouble.

[bearded bloke]

Ah, thanks BB, I wondered what had happened as I was sure I hadn't had finger trouble.

Sorry for any concern Janie, I should have messaged you but my heads a bit "all over the place" today

[Potstubsdustbins]

^^^^^^^^^^^I hope its still on your shoulders mate, would be more than a little troubled if it really was all over the place, just imagine the mess on the floor.