Replacing storm drains

G'day, I hope this one hasn't been done to death already.

I just had my house restumped and now have to look at replacing the storm drains as they are old terrocotta and the house was raised so much that the vertical pipes down the house anymore. It is pretty soggy on one side of the house, even before the stumping so this suggests they are probably blocked.

I need to find out if this is something I could do myself or if I should leave the job to a plumber? Do you need a council permit to replace storm drains? I also need my gutters replaced. Would it be cheaper to get a plumber to do both the gutters and storm drains or should I look at getting a gutter company to do just the gutters.

Can someone recommend a plumber/gas fitter so I can get a quote. I'm in the SE suburbs of Melbourne.

Any advice would be most helpful as I know nothing about storm drains.

Thanks

Kerry

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Kerryv

I need to find out if this is something I could do myself or if I should leave the job to a plumber? Do you need a council permit to replace storm drains? I also need my gutters replaced. Would it be cheaper to get a plumber to do both the gutters and storm drains or should I look at getting a gutter company to do just the gutters.

Thanks

Kerry

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Hi Kerry, 1. Yes you can do it if your fit & handy enough. it involved some digging and then some more digging & some cutting & glueing of stormwater pipe. not too hard except the digging (I hate digging). depending on where it feeds to ... curb or storm water pipe could require some thinking but fairly easy.
2. Leave it to a plumber? how much money do you have?
3. Council permit? No
4. Will it be cheaper? plumbers do gutters too so get a few quotes.
5. Recommend anyone? sorry wrong town?
Hope its a help

Ive got to do mine as well. Mine had half the old concrete exposed system and some pvc. Im doing an extension and the recent rain in Melbourne has turned it into a lake especially near the stumps.

Will need to put in agg pipes as well to connect to the storm water drain. Can anyone recommend any good digging tools to hire out to make it easier rtaher than the pick and shovel approach.

Also how deep are they supposed to be anyway.

Hey Cobber ... great to hear someone elses extension resembles a lake!

Depends on how much room you have but a Dingo with a trench attachment would make life easier ... and they are a bit of fun too! I think around $300 for a weekend from Monash hire Coburg.

Not sure if there are any smaller power tools you can get to help?

When I had my stumps done I had to pull out the floor because the house sits pretty low ... anyway the stump guys managed to spay mud right up onto the 12 foot ceilings, so I would be interested to know what they were using to do their digging.

How deep - not sure - but it isn't as deep as sewerage, which is probably around 3m in Northern melbourne! I guess it's the fall that will be important.

Two suggestions:
* Don't waste the rain water - install a tank; but if this is not possible,
* Use PVC pipes (as mentioned) but drain to a garden pit to spread into the garden, not to the street.

I am planning on putting a rain bladder under the house. You cant really use the drainage water in a rain tank as its full of dirt. You make a point about running some off to a garden but I dont think I can do it in my place.

If you are under a building permit wouldn't you be required to connect to the legal point of discharge? Not just run into the garden?

Yes but will the inspector look beyond the base of the downpipe. I bet not. They may ask for plumbing certificates though, although its not mandatory for additions.

Who knows! You hear horror stories about building inspections but the ones I have had so far have been fine.

Greetings Kerry & on behalf of my most learned collegues please accept our most profound apologies for hyjacking your topic (Bleeding thumb not included)
They REALLY are well intentioned !
Lets put this one to bed Guys - what's your thoughts to help Kerryv?

Thanks Peter and everyone else. I still learnt a bit so that's cool.

Kerry

Kerry I don't know of any regulation that says that if you are 'replacing' existing lines that a permit is required.
I would say that many DIY'ers including myself have replaced terracotta pipes with 90 or 100mm PVC.
As far as the gutter replacement - if it is a case of only replacing the guttering (using the existing brackets) then i'd go for it.