that runs from my toilet out to the road is in the line of where I am looking at putting another driveway in. Is it safe to put a car only drive over it (probably pavers), and if so is there a minimum depth the pipe should be ?
nzjay,
Dec 3, 8:30am
Risky. Poured thick concrete would be ok (100mm min, with reinforcing mesh at least over the pipe area). Personally, I'd get that section of pipe at least replaced with PVC pipe. Keep any joins required out near the edges, and the PVC to earthenware pipe joints well clear of the concrete. Earthenware pipes are quite susceptible to cracking and tree roots.
comadi,
Dec 3, 8:48am
Thanks, yeah might have to get a plumber to give me a quote.
pico42,
Dec 3, 11:39am
How deep is it? I would aim for 1m deep, but perhaps 0.5m might be OK. Concrete encasing it would help tremendously.
Definitely look at pulling the vitreous clay pipe out for PVC.
newtec1,
Dec 4, 7:13am
It depends entirely on the base eg: soft soil or compact metal,and at least 500m deep.Anything less than that would need a reinforced concrete cover to protect it.
skin1235,
Dec 4, 8:28am
are you legally allowed to cover it with anything at all, check with a plumber, you may have to re-route the pipe or the driveway
tintop,
Dec 4, 10:06am
To replace or no?
There are thousands of miles of earthenware pipes in the country, with rubber ring joints, sleeve joints, and mortared joints. If bedded and backfilled properly they will provide excellent service for well over 100 years.
If you were placing a poured concrete drive I would not anticipate any problems at all. However if you are using pavers, perhaps a depth of cover over the top of the pipe of 700/800 mm would be preferable.
If the pipe is deeper than that, just get on with the paving work'
If you choose to relay the pipe, you will need to ensure that any backfilling you place is well compacted in layers of say 150mm thickness to avoid any future settlement of the backfilling which will almost certainly show up as a line of settlement in the pavers.
You will also need to ensure that the bedding/first layer of backfill is well compacted between the pipe and the trench sides.
rojill,
Dec 4, 10:32am
The concern any engineer will have is to ensure that the pipe does not crack and leak where it is under the concrete. The likely solution will be for you to expose the glazed pipe along its length as deep as the pipe is. You will then be required to place reinforcing steel around the pipe as per specs and concrete the whole, thus encasing the pipes in reinforced concrete. The whole idea is to strengthen the pipe so that if an earthquake or ground shift should occur, then the pipe would break outside the envelope of the concrete pad and not under it.
atlantis3,
Dec 4, 4:01pm
Get a firm to run a camera down the pipe to make sure it is in good condition before you make any decisions.
tintop,
Dec 4, 6:11pm
This
Easy enough nowdays.
comadi,
Dec 5, 7:47am
Thanks all. I'll probably replace the glazed pipe and look at concrete over pavers now.
meoldchina,
Dec 5, 7:15pm
Remove the glazed pipe with care and try not to break it. Antique shops sell them for a small fortune and trendy gardeners use them as flower pots.
lovelurking,
Dec 5, 7:31pm
Our architect gave us the best advice during our build.
Use pavers whenever you can over anywhere there are pipes so if repairs are needed later if is easier to get to and cheaper to restore than concrete or asphalt.
newtec1,
Dec 5, 10:24pm
You can cover with a driveway but not anything structural without and eng design to bridge the pipe.We have built over many pipes using a bridge design.
survivalkiwi,
Dec 6, 6:32pm
If you have the pipe exposed get a drain layer ( not all plumbers are drain layers) to replace with PVC drainage pipe. On a new build it is about $40 per meter for digging ,laying and chip. It will save you a lot of hassle in the long run.
newtec1,
Dec 6, 9:24pm
Why bother.If it is down deep enough and has no breaks or leaks leave it where it is.It has obviously been there for a long time without problems.
mm12345,
Dec 6, 11:34pm
For replacement of our clay sewers with PVC (earthquake damage), cost was roughly $150/m. No access for a small digger, so dug by hand in hard clay on sloping ground, buried up to about 1.5m depth in a few places, some tree roots in the way, plants to move, concrete cutting etc. That might sound kind of expensive, but was a fair price given the labour hours that went into the job. Many people in Chch didn't get sewers surveyed, as EQC and insurers were reluctant to pay for the survey unless there was an obvious issue, blockage etc. Big mistake as according to the drainlayer I used, just about every clay pipe sewer they'd surveyed was stuffed and that was not limited to areas which were hit hard with liquefaction etc. Over the next few years those sewers will cause problems, roots etc will work their way in through displaced o-rings or small cracks, cause blockages, but EQC and insurers will walk away from the problem, as it it'll be difficult or impossible to argue that the damage was from quakes and not just age.
fhpottery,
Dec 7, 4:47am
I didn't realise how shallow pipes for sewerage can be. I guess I am used to electrical cables being an electrician. Had my clay ones replaced recently. They ran under neighbours new lounge (new house), so I ended up footing the cost of new PVC diversion. (6000$) What a mug I should have got them to pay but the council had them mapped correctly, when in fact they were in the wrong spot from the legal plan.
fhpottery,
Dec 7, 4:48am
Who buys a house and actually digs up to see that the pipes are as shown on plans? I wonder if I have any legal right to claim that money back or is it stiff cheese?
comadi,
Dec 7, 7:49am
Turns out the exit depth from the house is about 150mm! then in the proposed driveway area 300 ish. This is roughly 20 - 25 metrres from the main. I'm actually hoping to re route the line by bringing it in closer to the house under a small back entrance ramp and hence getting it completely out from under the drive. It will be easier to remove and rebuild the ramp over the new pipe work than to have it under the drive. Got a drainlayer coming to look tomorrow.
newtec1,
Dec 7, 8:26am
Yes at that depth you are asking for trouble.500mm would be min to drive over,and that's if the base was solid.
mm12345,
Jul 11, 4:49pm
I think that re-routing triggers the need for council consent - so an additional cost and hassle, but your drainlayer will know specific rules. IIRC they can re-lay it a specified distance either side of the original position without consent. I wouldn't sweat too much over routing new PVC under a driveway, presumably in compacted AP20. Damage to the PVC - unless it was accidentally dug up - would take a pretty serious earthquake or other ground movement, so in that case the driveway itself will probably be stuffed and need to be redone anyway.
Since the public registrations are closed, you must have an invite from a current member to be able to register and post in this thread.
Have an account? Login here.