building a shed over sewer pipes

Hi all,
As every man needs I am looking at having a 7 x 7m shed built in the back yard. Problem is Ive looked at a site diagram of the property and there is a main sewer pipe running about one metre underground pretty much under the location I am intending on building. Ive looked into the prospect of council approval, and pretty much know I will be knocked back, so am therefore not heading in that direction. I understand building over a main pipe like this would probably be a no no, however it is the only location I can build. What are the odds of ever having to dig under here to get to the pipes. Would I be taking a big risk by going ahead? If Ive okayed the building with all the neighbours what are the chances of council finding out? Im looking at an overall price of $10K, slab and all, and would hate the thought of ever having to demolish it. Any thoughts on this dilemma?
Regards,
Mickem
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If (when) you get sprung you will be made to demolish it.

You might have to settle for a little shed.

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Originally Posted by mickem

Any thoughts on this dilemma?
Regards,
Mickem

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If there is a problem with the sewerage pipe and you have built over it without their permission the sewerage authority, without notice to you, can and will demolish it for you and then sent you the bill.

This could happen whilst you are not there and the thought of a big machine going through your precious tools doesn't bear thinking about so get the necessary permits.


Peter.

At the least I would check on what is allowed. The main sewer is probably a water board responsability and if they send round a team to clear it and find a shed in the way you will have them and council on you'r case. I think most councils will allow a shed of up to 10m2 without approval.

I was able to build over main sewer line at back of my property. Spoke to Council and they had no problem, but did advise that local water board may have. :D

Spoke to them, they issued a permit after I submitted plans but the only proviso was that if they needed to access pipe then they would come thru shed if needed. :D

However, I also spoke to one of the water board maintenance blokes and he told me they had never had to dig up a shed yet, they have all sorts of tools that allow them to work from the access points. My shed is about 2 metres from one of these manholes so should never have a problem.:D

I would suggest that you speak to council/water board because when they find your shed it will have to come down, but if you get the necessary permits (cost me about $180) you are totally covered.:2tsup:

Thanks Geoff,
I didnt really think that council would ever allow it. I suppose it may be best to go through the right avenues.
Regards,
Mick

Mate,
hope my reply isnt too late, I have just been down the same road with my application to council this week. The draftsman/serveyour (sp) that did my plans up advised that if there was a sewer pipe running through the property where I wanted to place the shed the rules were as follows:
a. as stated before they can pull your shed down if it is not approved by council
b. if there is a pipe running through the rules are for every meter the pipe is underground then the edge of the structure needs to be double the distance. So in your case 1 meter under ground the nearest you can build to the pipe is 2 meters
c. you can have the pipe incased in concrete/protected by whatever material the council wants to be used, however this could cost upto 8k more than the shed would have been worth.

Hope this is helpful, by the way these are the rules for Blacktown council what your council rules are maybe different.

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Originally Posted by bulldog

c. you can have the pipe incased in concrete/protected by whatever material the council wants to be used, however this could cost upto 8k more than the shed would have been worth.

Hope this is helpful, by the way these are the rules for Blacktown council what your council rules are maybe different.

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This is correct, I had an investmetn property built in Rouse Hill and part of the structure of the home was over the sewer pipe and it had to be encased in concrete and believe me it was no cheap project.
You don't even have to be building directly over the sewer pipe for it to be encased. The sewer pipe has an "area of influence" that has to be kept away from unless you want to encase the pipe. I can't remember the formula for working out the "area of influence" but you local water authority or council will tell you.
A 7meter X 7meter shed will need council approval anyway.

i have seen this happen in other sheds that have been built over easements .

It is common is to use pavers instead of concrete floor for the section that the pipes go under.
so if anything happens, the pavers can be lifted up easily

Dont worry about the council just yet. Talk to Sydney Water first. You might be pleasantly surprised, or not.

There is usually a way around things if you talk to them. One thing is for sure, it will cost more to build but if you really want it, well, you want it.

thanks for the post mickem

this has been good reading - not sure if i can help but i'm going back to check with Council as we've just had our DA approved and it includes a slab for a car port and guess what ... it's over the sewer pipes down the back of the yard (it'll be for rear access) - there main concern wasn't the sewer but that we access the yard at 90degrees from the road (apparently an RTA reg)

will be interested to know what water board / councils says

you can also ring anonymously but in saying that i agree with the other posts in that you should check first - if you have to get creative after that cause of restrictions it'd be a better option

Buried piping is usually designed for an acceptable surface load, such as when placed under an unpaved driveway. From a structural standpoint, a reinforced concrete slab (vs pavers) will better span across the pipe's zone of influence, provided the edges of the slab are beyond the zone. Consult your water authority, with an accurately-drawn plan and details. Council should generally follow their guidance, unless other conditions govern. As stated, equipment is available to maintain piping from the inside. You may, however, be assessed any extra cost in excess of ordinary excavation. The water authority should also be consulted on this aspect.

Joe

I build a shed over a sewer line.. went to the water board with the plans they OKed them.
les

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Originally Posted by les88

I build a shed over a sewer line.. went to the water board with the plans they OKed them.
les

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Thats great if you get away with it but in Sydney things work a little differently. A company building duplex for me in Quakers Hill a few years ago had to demolish a garage attached to the main house and rebuild it because it was half a meter short of councils requirements. I guess it all depends on the local council and how lax they are with their rules. Its like building approvals, some councils take a couple of months to get approval and others push the plans through in less than 3 weeks. In this instance I would certainly not be building anything over or within the zone of influence of the pipe without prior approval of the council and the water authority. It can be a very costly exercise if you go ahead and build without council approval.
A shed that size also requires council approval anyway and if you don't have approval, when and if you try to sell your property, there can be problems with having a building on the property that is not approved by council and hold up settlement to say the least.

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Originally Posted by bugsy

i have seen this happen in other sheds that have been built over easements .It is common is to use pavers instead of concrete floor for the section that the pipes go under. so if anything happens, the pavers can be lifted up easily

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Pavers are okay on a small area but on a larger area for a successful job, they are usually laid on sand over a concrete base otherwise they will not stay level .