Inside soil stack broken in kitchen :-(

[38911]

Hi all, Hoping to get some advice.

The internal soil stack has broken - the clay pipe that comes up out of the floor has cracked and a big chunk has come away where the plastic fits into it, leaking waste into the kitchen floor. Nice :-(

At it's lowest point The break is just level with the floor :

A plumber has been round and said they will need to dig down into the concrete floor and repair the pipe. The problem is the pipe is in the corner of the kitchen, underneath the kitchen worktops.

I've removed the units and appliances so you can get to the stack fine but they have said they need to get a carpenter in to remove the worktops in order to do the repair (which because of where it is, will mean removing the sink, gas hob, several units, probably taking wall tiles out etc).

I guess my question is............. does all that sound like correct advice? They have done a temporary repair (siliconed a half pipe around the break) and taken photos to pass onto a carpenter.

TIA.

 

[Keefy]

If you want that scribe and butt join on the worktop going back correctly I'd let them bring in the carpenter they mentioned. I'd just let them get on with it if I were you.

 

[38911]

Thanks - my thoughts exactly.

Am I being correctly informed that (a) it needs to be dug out to repair (the breakage doesn't go below floor level so I'm surprised it can't just be cut flush with the floor and a new plastic joint inserted into that - but what do I know!) and (b) in order to dig it out, the worktops need to be removed (again I know nothing about the tools involved but given the pretty good access I'm surprised they can't be used with the existing access)?

Thanks again in advance.

 

[lame plumber]

House insurance are you covered?

 

[dancinplumba]

can you put up better pics please

 

[Keefy]

I don't see a problem with what your plumber has already told you. Let us know how the job goes with a few more pics of during and after if you can.

 

[Whl4852]

Why not cut it flush with the floor, cut away 200mm of pipe and join it with a flexi coupler, then plastic pipe, then a straight pan connector, it's not like you'll see it?

 

[38911]

Unfortunately you can't see the actual breakage as it's covered by the 'temporary repair' that is siliconed onto the pipe to cover the hole.

The broken piece of pipe is on the floor.

The vertical side of the box section (to the right of the pipe) can easily be removed.

 

[GasmanxxxR1]

Your gonna need as much access as you can get for digging out the concrete, wouldn't want to damage the nice kitchen you have. It sounds like you've had good advice so far to be honest mate

 

[38911]

Why not cut it flush with the floor, cut away 200mm of pipe and join it with a flexi coupler, then plastic pipe, then a straight pan connector, it's not like you'll see it?

With my very limited understanding, that's kind of what I was thinking.....

 

[Whl4852]

With my very limited understanding, that's kind of what I was thinking.....

The advice you were originally given by your plumber is probably the best way forward. But the advice given by me is what I would do, and have done before.

There must be a reason he wants to dig up. Id stick with what he says, just going to be expensive. My way could be done in a couple of hours.

 

[38911]

Thanks all for the advice - much appreciated.

I should probably declare that the plumber is actually Dynorod - and that I have got British Gas Plumbing & Drains cover so the first £1,000 (inc VAT) is covered by their insurance. It wasn't so much a cost issue - I do trust the chaps diagnosis - but like many things in life, there's often more than one way to do things and I didn't want unnecessary work doing if there was an easier way.

 

[Whl4852]

British gas - there's your reason, salesman in vans!

 

[Keefy]

Oh right, how much have they quoted all together?

 

[38911]

Oh right, how much have they quoted all together?

They haven't.... the chap said he thought it would probably be within the £1,000 (inc VAT) limit

 

[Keefy]

They haven't.... the chap said he thought it would probably be within the £1,000 (inc VAT) limit

Get an independant local plumber instead.

 

[Howsie]

They haven't.... the chap said he thought it would probably be within the £1,000 (inc VAT) limit

It should be, so you win!

 

[Mike Jackson]

I reckon I could sort that in a few hours. That's nowhere near a grands worth of work unless the clay has cracked below the floor.

 

[38911]

Sorry - just to clear up any misunderstanding - the first £1,000 (inc vat) is covered by the plumbing and drains cover - i.e. I don't have to pay. I only pay if it goes over £1,000

 

[Keefy]

Sorry - just to clear up any misunderstanding - the first £1,000 (inc vat) is covered by the plumbing and drains cover - i.e. I don't have to pay. I only pay if it goes over £1,000

Back to where we were then lol, let them get on with it.

 

[Whl4852]

I reckon I could sort that in a few hours. That's nowhere near a grands worth of work unless the clay has cracked below the floor.

Couple of hours works at the max, intact a nice Saturday job :coolgleamA:

 

[snowhead]

It's interesting to note that a B.G subsiuary doesn't mind screwing over it's parent company.

As per others, nice but back breaking 2 hr job, materials are already to hand.

 

[lame plumber]

followed behind dynarod a couple of times when the £1000 limit has been reached. On one occasions I took 4 hours to resolve problems that they didnt manage in 2 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! eg leaking watermain, they replaced all the pipework in the roof space to cws tank, but no leaks showing on ceilings!!, actual leak behind kitchen sink, 2 cuts and insert 2 comp unions and done and dusted. just took a while to isolate which part off the incoming main was leaking.

 

[AWheating]

Sounds to me they want to repair the problem correctly and its within your cover policy. They have the advantage of seeing the job first hand while we are looking at a photo over the net. Time to trust a tradesman me thinks.

 

[tom609]

b an q do a great drain connector similar to the supersleeve to plastic you just need 2 1/2" of drain to be able to connect onto and a 4" slip socket job done i would do it for a grand your not near blackburn by any chance