Soakaway

2004typer · 19 May 2021 at 08:35

Delvis said:
Thanks for the link.

You're welcome.

Derek W said:
Personally I wouldn't even bother doing that test as I suspect that your time will be over 6hrs to drain meaning your test has failed since it's clay ground. As soon as the surrounding ground is saturated any water in a soakaway won't have anywhere to escape to so you'd effectively have an underground rock filled pool in your garden.

Do you know where your current house surface water drains to? Is it into the mains whether it's separate or combined or does it go off to something like a SUDS pond located somewhere around your development? It may be possible to connect into this providing there's still capacity or if other measurements could be taken to reduce the flow into these existing drainage solutions

Unfortunately this is the most likely scenario in a clay strata.

Delvis · 19 May 2021 at 08:53

Derek W said:
Personally I wouldn't even bother doing that test as I suspect that your time will be over 6hrs to drain meaning your test has failed since it's clay ground. As soon as the surrounding ground is saturated any water in a soakaway won't have anywhere to escape to so you'd effectively have an underground rock filled pool in your garden.

Do you know where your current house surface water drains to? Is it into the mains whether it's separate or combined or does it go off to something like a SUDS pond located somewhere around your development? It may be possible to connect into this providing there's still capacity or if other measurements could be taken to reduce the flow into these existing drainage solutions

I dug a 60cm deep hole up the top and it was still clay, filled it on Monday, its still full. (obviously, as thats what its doing up the top anyway) The only place it appears to drain more is nearer the house, but even there the grass is saturated.

As for drainage, I haven't the foggyiest, the only thing I'm aware of I posted here - However that isn't in the garden, its on the drive. This does appear to shoot off to a smaller drain cover which in turn goes off to everything out the front.

Other than the above, there are no visible drains or covers in the rear garden, no down pipes on my property boundary etc.

2004typer said:
You're welcome.

Unfortunately this is the most likely scenario in a clay strata.

Yarp, I'm just going through the motions atm, and its all rather depressing as its stopping me from progressing at the moment and the gardens an absolute mess.

j.col · 19 May 2021 at 10:31

Delvis said:
The patio is 22m2, the hole lot is just under 30

It's also a two bed house, water has pooled near the back door already, the grass is sodden, if it rains the top of the garden doesn't drain anywhere ATM

I've contacted site anyway, to but I'm already having to wait a week for a plumber to come look at the shower screen that's been replaced... So I'm not holding my breath

Ahh fair enough, looks like a pipe to an existing drain is your only option if this is even feasible.
Is this a new build?

Delvis · 19 May 2021 at 11:02

j.col said:
Ahh fair enough, looks like a pipe to an existing drain is your only option if this is even feasible.
Is this a new build?

Yeah, new build, so I'm aware its going to be crap, and I'm in Bucks so its clay ground anyway which doesn't help.

Only available drain is in the post linked above, but even thats not in the garden.

Delvis · 19 May 2021 at 15:29

Having briefly spoken the management they don't believe anything can be done 'by them' with regards to drainage as we've changed the original garden layout.

A nice get out clause, so this is going to be a fun few weeks

mickyflinn · 20 May 2021 at 09:55

Delvis said:
Having briefly spoken the management they don't believe anything can be done 'by them' with regards to drainage as we've changed the original garden layout.

A nice get out clause, so this is going to be a fun few weeks

Did you dig that foot deap test hole ?

New builds are notorious for not laying enough top soil

Delvis · 20 May 2021 at 11:29

mickyflinn said:
Did you dig that foot deap test hole ?

New builds are notorious for not laying enough top soil

Yes, posted above.

After a slightly heated discussion they are going to provide us with some pipe to run into the drain on the drive.

Just wanted some advice from them really rather than throw blame around. So we'll see, will update/make a thread about everything anyway

Edit: apparently they only need to do 150mm top soil?

mickyflinn · 20 May 2021 at 12:05

Delvis said:
Yes, posted above.

After a slightly heated discussion they are going to provide us with some pipe to run into the drain on the drive.

Just wanted some advice from them really rather than throw blame around. So we'll see, will update/make a thread about everything anyway

Edit: apparently they only need to do 150mm top soil?

Some sort of result quote me in if you start a new thread or keep me updated.

Good luck

Delvis · 20 May 2021 at 12:09

mickyflinn said:
Some sort of result quote me in if you start a new thread or keep me updated.

Good luck

Thank you for all of the assistance, I appreciate it.

jellybeard999 · 15 Jun 2021 at 21:47

I'm doing some garden works and have had a new retaining wall built. As I have made changes to the rain water drains, I am planning a land drain behind the wall.

Can anyone advise on whether below would be suitable materials?

Gravel backfill - https://www.travisperkins.co.uk/bagged-aggregates/limestone-clean-bulk-bag-20mm/p/938262

Membrane - https://www.toolstation.com/heavy-duty-landscape-fabric/p62380

As it's wider than necessary, I intend to cut a strip off and wrap the pipe as well as the trench - belt and braces approach - will that cause any issues?

Delvis · 19 Jan 2022 at 10:15

Thread revival.

Put a drain in along the edge of the patio, dug a trench from the patio down to the drain and connected up there using the piping supplied by site. Did this last year but forgot to update.

Only recently grouted the patio, so we'll see how things develop really.

ci_newman · 19 Jan 2022 at 12:22

I'm going to have to look into something like this myself this year. My elevated neighbour has paved their entire garden and it's turned my garden into a bog

BF-Bert · 19 Jan 2022 at 12:54

ci_newman said:
I'm going to have to look into something like this myself this year. My elevated neighbour has paved their entire garden and it's turned my garden into a bog

I'd get the neighbour to drain their property as it's their responsibility to deal with surface water runoff.

Foghorn Leghorn · 19 Jan 2022 at 13:40

Delvis said:
I dug a 60cm deep hole up the top and it was still clay, filled it on Monday, its still full. (obviously, as thats what its doing up the top anyway) The only place it appears to drain more is nearer the house, but even there the grass is saturated.

As for drainage, I haven't the foggyiest, the only thing I'm aware of I posted here - However that isn't in the garden, its on the drive. This does appear to shoot off to a smaller drain cover which in turn goes off to everything out the front.

Other than the above, there are no visible drains or covers in the rear garden, no down pipes on my property boundary etc.

Yarp, I'm just going through the motions atm, and its all rather depressing as its stopping me from progressing at the moment and the gardens an absolute mess.

As you've found you'll be wasting your time trying to dig through the clay layer, it'll be deep (I tried the same trick, I'm in Cheshire and a lot of the area is clay, I gave up at just over 2m depth, solid clay from 30cm depth down) land drain (french drain) with perforated pipe and stone linked in to the main surface water drainage system is the only way, well, or a sodden garden for 3-4 months of the year.

Edit: just read your update

, it's the only way to sort it properly.

ci_newman · 19 Jan 2022 at 13:47

BF-Bert said:
I'd get the neighbour to drain their property as it's their responsibility to deal with surface water runoff.

How do you prove that though?

Delvis · 19 Jan 2022 at 14:17

ci_newman said:
How do you prove that though?

Said about that, the site manager says the concrete gravel boards will stop the water

Delvis · 19 Jan 2022 at 14:41

Foghorn Leghorn said:
As you've found you'll be wasting your time trying to dig through the clay layer, it'll be deep (I tried the same trick, I'm in Cheshire and a lot of the area is clay, I gave up at just over 2m depth, solid clay from 30cm depth down) land drain (french drain) with perforated pipe and stone linked in to the main surface water drainage system is the only way, well, or a sodden garden for 3-4 months of the year.

Edit: just read your update , it's the only way to sort it properly.

Tbh that's sounds like what we did

Buffman · 20 Jan 2022 at 10:04

Delvis said:
Thread revival.

Put a drain in along the edge of the patio, dug a trench from the patio down to the drain and connected up there using the piping supplied by site. Did this last year but forgot to update.

Only recently grouted the patio, so we'll see how things develop really.

Needs pics mate (without crocs :cry:

)

Delvis · 20 Jan 2022 at 13:27

Buffman said:
Needs pics mate (without crocs
)

Just figuring the best way to share without using my Google account as it shows your name for some reason.

Buffman · 20 Jan 2022 at 15:58

Delvis said:
Just figuring the best way to share without using my Google account as it shows your name for some reason.

I tend to find imgur is best, can use a phone app and keep it "private" other than for hyperlinks. I know a lot of people on reddit use it also.