9th March

We were expecting to lay the foundations this week, but nothing happened due to the cold and some unexpected bureaucracy.
 

The builder tells me that the forecast for the weather this week was that it's be dropping below freezing for at least 3 consecutive nights. Such a temperature is likely to cause problems with the concrete curing and would bring a high chance of it cracking - so we can't lay it.


(this is actually the temp in Moscow - doesn't get *that* cold in March in London!)
 

The other problem was the council and Thames Water don't seem to trust each other. Even though the building control inspector is qualified to agree a commonly used, safe construction method over the common sewer/drain, they're not allowed to so Thames Water has to be involved. This requires forms, a fee, documents, waiting 2 weeks, a decision, documents... and then to permission to proceed.

This work concerns placing a lintel over the pipe and side wall of the drain (pictures here). Certainly nothing complicated.

My builder has spoken to a person in the appropriate department, explained the situation and they have agreed it sounds simple. Once he receives the documents, he will give an immediate verbal ok and put the paperwork in the post. This should be Monday.

If they ask I think it could be removed anyway. I think the builders won't be needing a skip for the next 3 weeks as they've done the majority of the excavation and are moving into a construction phase. 

11th March - It's just like "Beadle's about"...

Very funny!
 

Anyway I called their 24 hour number, a duty supervisor called me back and he says it shouldn't have happened and he'll move the skip back over to the other side in the morning.

Great, but once you've established Jeremy is not round the corner sporting a dodgy moustache, dodgier raincoat and with a camera crew in tow, you've got to think..

Unexpectedly the contractors for Thames Water gave some flowers to the lady of the house, which went down extremely well. In one instant the wolf whistling insults from the contractors were completely forgotten!

Impressive effect! :)

Normally the council provide sign off, but recently in Greenwich there was a change so they now rely on Thames Water to grant permission over all common drainage works.
 

This week he could not get in to work on Monday due to the storms, nor could he on Tuesday due to illness. On Wednesday he was in, but as the request hadn't been processed through the system by the Admin department as an official request he couldn't start to assess it. On Thursday they then had to wait for the Finance department to ensure that the cheque accompanying the request had cleared.
 

The latest is that the building control officer will phone the Thames Water man on Monday and if he confirms that he has granted permission and has put the paperwork in the post, then the building control man will allow work to go ahead on the basis he does actually receive the paperwork.

So.... we're looking good to continue on Monday!

Today we had an appointment with Howdens and went in to design what we wanted.

We kind of knew what it should be due to the item on the architects plans, but running it through in practice it was apparent that this wasn't possible.

With the designer's help we played with a lot of options, but in the end had to compromise and get rid of our current centrepiece, an American-style fridge freezer. This will now be "hidden" in the spare cupboard along the left side of the extension.
 

I think she still has a range idea as we walked out of there with three ovens on the design!

I did try putting my foot down, honestly I did, but she just beat me into submission with persistency and I held out long enough until I ended up writhing on the floor in pain, with my hands over my ears screaming "okay, okay, you can have your bloody third oven"!

Later, of course, she did concede it was a little excessive!

A very disappointing week.

The Thames Water man initially said he would review as soon as the paperwork landed on his desk, but once we'd worked around the admin / finance departments to get it to his desk, he then said he didn't have to review for a further 2 weeks and wouldn't be. He told us he didn't need to provide a reason for this change of stance either.
 

• Firstly we applied for Class I application when he claims it should be Class II due to the size of pipe,
   
• Secondly that there was no drawing to show how we're going to bridge the pipe, and
   
• Thirdly that one can't build a wall within 600mm of the common drain.

The second point is also minor as the application was for permission and not technical, which is a job of the Building Control Officer. Either way, not a problem and this can easily be supplied.

The third is a problem.

There is a rule that says the new wall can't be as close to the drain as we want it / need it. Options are a) move the drain or b) move that bit of the wall (ie. have a dog leg round).

It may well be that we can't move the drain ourselves and have to get them to do it... which will surely encounter a considerable delay and cost. If we need a 3 foot dog-leg then will need revised drawings, which will need our very slow architect to be dug out of cold storage... which will surely encounter a considerable delay and cost.

We're waiting to speak to the building control officer to see what he thinks the best way forward is.

Some more phone calls and some more news.

Regarding building over the pipes, the Thames Water chap needs an additional £315 (on top of the £300 received) as this is how much a Class I application costs. Two of my neighbours have had the same work (over the same pipe) submitting a Class I application and the council's building control inspector says it's a Class I, but the bloke at Thames Water says "no" and that everyone else is wrong.

He also needs a sketch to show how the builder will bridge the pipe with a lintel (although the building control officer says he's the one who'll approve the method, inspect and sign this off).
 

The only option left to us is to modify the plans for a dog-leg chunk out of the corner.  This is being done now, to see how much we'll lose... and if the doors I've bought will actually fit in this now reduced opening.

Not that it's that simple.

We need permission for an amendment to the plans. An appointment has been made for the building control inspector to visit and approve the proposed modifications.
 

These are now winging their way to him, but we expect a decision on Friday. He's already admitted he can give a thumbs up on receipt but if he's had a bad day he can.. and sometimes will, take 2 weeks.
 

Meanwhile the quote for the Howden's kitchen materials came in at £9k, which we're not satisfied it's worth. We also can't see how a kitchen from a trade discounter is so expensive and even though we were shown a quote that said it was discounted from £22k to £9k, we wonder if perhaps there's another discount we haven't seen but the builder would. Anyway, that option's knocked on the head. We intended to have a Wickes kitchen (have had two before in other houses) and we'll pop in there later to see what they can do.

In the meantime the guys worked on extending my drive.

The foundations should be laid next week.. as long as the weather is suitable, which they're not at the moment..

• 9th March we applied for permission to build over the pipe
• 4 weeks later, after lots of inefficient communication back and forth, on Friday 4th April Thames Water said it was approved and would put the approval in the post
• Did not arrive on Saturday, or Monday, so the builder called and was advised it was and would be there soon
• Did not arrive on Tuesday. Builder called and asked if there was a problem. Was told there was, he needs to see "600mm above" on the drawing he had previously said was ok.
• Right, so how about if we write "600mm" on the drawing and fax it through, to be followed up in the post? Nope, has to be in the post and he then has 2 weeks to approve. He has 2 weeks to reply to any communication
• Ok... and will there be ANYTHING else he hasn't told us? Mmmmm.....  well he might want a CCTV scan.

Riiiiight, and were you going to tell us this? "Yes, I was going to put it in a letter and post it by the end of the week". After he said 'approved' last Friday??

Nice.

Enough was enough, we sought a escalation path. Spoke to his manager and found that this is not the usual procedure and he does not have 2 weeks to reply. He's just an incompetent buffoon.

The manager said that the diagram does need "600mm above", but a fax of the amendment is good enough. However, they do need a CCTV scan due to the Class II classification of the pipe. They also need a drawing to show that the structure will be the regulatory distance away.

The CCTV person has to be their own, and we'll have one on Saturday. But at least they can assess straight away and fax results through for Monday approval.

Calling the manager we're told the approval can't be faxed as it's a tape that has to be posted....! 

ARGH!! Now the manager's misleading us....  what happened to "can be faxed" that we were told only days earlier?

And you know what? The fax arrived.

Halleluiah!! That's 5 weeks. To get approval for the most standard, simplest build over a pipe ever...

Thames Water have to be the most inefficient, frustrating, expensive and useless monopoly of an organisation. I don't know what to think of them - the only thing I can come up with is that I should have bribed the right man at the right time!

If you ever need to do this yourself, it's VERY SIMPLE:

If the pipe only serves your house, it's a Class I, and is £300 and does not require a CCTV
If the pipe serves other houses, it will be a Class II, the application fee is £615 because it includes a mandatory CCTV scan.
If you are building over any pipes, you must have a drawing that shows you being 600mm to the left, right, and above it.
There are no circumstances where you are allowed to build within 600mm of a manhole.

EASY! 

You'd think the department in Thames Water who specialise in this area, could have summarised it in the same 4 lines???

It'll make a useful area for storage for garden items anyway.
 

I also have to provide a document showing structural engineer calculations so the building control officer can ensure it won't fall down if there's a strong wind. 

We were advised that the building control inspector was concerned of the retaining wall to the neighbour's garden as the level was now much higher. He has requested a drawing showing construction.  

I was advised that the building control inspector requested that the foundations be 600mm so today they widened it by an extra 200mm.
 
 

As you can see, it's really 'quite' muddy...

Hardcore moved into the hole, a mud-free walkway made..

www.PikeyNet.com