Mains electricity cables running under footings

[christopher c]

Hi guys, I stumbled across this forum hoping to find s one answers to an issue I have. I am digging the footingd for a porch we are having built (permission given all clear by council ) however whilst digging I've come across some mains electricity cables.

I have since checked the deeds to the house and it mentions these. it seems that a previous owner gave permission for them to be laid in the boundary of the property in the early 70's. Question is , can they me bridged or will they need to be moved? I'm guessing the latter.

I'm happy to post pics if needed. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Chris.

 

[Octopus]

Your next move is to call UK Power Networks and see what they recommend.

 

[christopher c]

Ok cool. Thanks Murdoch.

 

[christopher c]

Hi guys, FYI here is a pic of the footings as they are. The electricity cables are on the left hand side. They run diagonally throught the left hand trench and come through in to the front trench. They are in a terracotta pipe ( I guess for protection) in part of the trench but are in the front trench they are just in a bitumen casing.

Thanks, Chris.

 

[christopher c]

P.S. Sorry for the awful photo.

 

[Octopus]

Is that single pipe at the "back" a surface water drain?

Is it yours or does it fall under the responsibility of Thames Water?

http://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/internet/en/contact-us/

 

[Leesparkykent]

They could more than likely be bridged with a lintel but as Murdoch said probably worth giving UK power networks a bell.

 

[christopher c]

Thanks for the comments guys. Much appreciated.Keep em coming. The pipe at the back is an earthenware pipe and is a waste soil pipe which carries water away from the property from a gutter/ downpipe.

 

[Octopus]

Whats on the other side of the fence?

 

[christopher c]

The other side of the fence is my back garden.I presume the earthenware pipe carries the rainwater to a soakaway in the back garden.

 

[christopher c]

Here is a slightly better pic.

 

[Marvo]

Geez, you certainly hit the jackpot with services in that trench What's the yellow cable out of interest?

 

[christopher c]

Ha ha. I know, tell me about it Marvo! The yellow is Gas. Water service pipe is down there too. Its been a headache to dig.

 

[Octopus]

This is what we found about 12" underground when preparing for our extension:







No on the Local Building control maps
not on the Thames Water maps

Direction of drain precisely where our foundations were supposed to be going!

 

[christopher c]

12" is no depth at all. That seems really close to the surface. What did you do about it in the end out of interest Murdoch?

 

[davesparks]

Geez, you certainly hit the jackpot with services in that trench What's the yellow cable out of interest?

Gas pipe

 

[davesparks]

12" is no depth at all. That seems really close to the surface. What did you do about it in the end out of interest Murdoch?

It's 12" too deep for an inspection cover though

 

[Octopus]

12" is no depth at all. That seems really close to the surface. What did you do about it in the end out of interest Murdoch?

The actual drain is about 6 foot down!

what did we do? Spend a lot of time and money redesigning our extension, getting all the foundations designed by so structural engineer. It's now sept and we may be starting again soon. Very much poorer.

just to cap it off we fell fowl of the party wall act - which came as a huge surprise as we are detached. More delays, more costs, more stress. And the icing on the cake - our neighbours are being complete idiots, really unreasonable.

 

[Octopus]

It's 12" too deep for an inspection cover though

as far as we could tell, it's been concealed since 1980 when the house was built

 

[christopher c]

Oh i see... ha ha. Its an inspection chamber!I thought the long black line on the right Murdoch was a black water service pipe and he was referring to that. That is ridiculous!