Quoting for first lead supply pipe replacement job on Monday - estimating tips please

[Marco]

Hi,
I'm newly WIAPS registered and got a copy of the United Utiltiies requirments. First time I'm doing this though, so looking for tips/advice....

Info told over phone:

UU have already changed their lead water main - I thought this was done after supply pipe was changed though?

They want me to replace lead supply pipe up a sloping 10-15meter drive, round back of house into kitchen at back. Pipe under a paved drive/path.

1. Planing to excavate old lead, lay new MDPE 25mm to min of 750mm. How do I know route of old pipe. I'f I've reached 750mm deep and not found lead, can is stop and just leave old lead in situ?!

How long does it normally take to dig the trench? I guess it varies a lot with type of ground? Don't know how deep existing pipe is. Most the time will be groundwork

It says to line trench with sand or similar before putting in MDPE pipe - do you cover the pipe with sand? Should the pipe be sleeved under ground not just on entry into the house??

There will be surplus soil left over once most is replaced - I'll need to make sure this can be disposed of - skip or similar. Then lay the paving - done before so ok with this - but I'm worried about later settlement?

Clear trench to boundry, but no further. Leave a few feet pipe capped off (what with though?!)and coiled up ready for UU to connect to external top tap.

2. send cert to UU. Wait for up to 6 weeks for them to connect it to the stop tap!

3. I then need to be on standby, ready on the same day they swop over the old lead to the new MDPE to connect the other end to the stop tap. How does it work - what happens if they turn up late in the day? it could take a while to connect up the other end to the stop tap. I could be hanging around for hours then rush to reconect their supply?


Routing both ends of the MDPE - I will look at what i need to work around on Monday - but guess I need to look out for garden wall foundations and similar? Don't know what the kitchen floor is yet, but It could be v tricky if stop tap is at back/behind a kitchen cupboard - what do people do then?

Obviously change stop tap to new MDPE/copper one. They THINK all the lead in the house has been replaced.

It feels like there are loads of variables/unknowns - how do you quote these jobs?
Will be in 2 parts excavate/lay new pipe - wait for UU - go back and connect
- day rate & mats?
- it will be between £xx and £xx?
- Estimate a price and stick to it?

Probably loads of other stuff I've not thought about as well!

Any and all ideas appreciated please.

 

[obseen16]

Re: Quoting for first lead supply pipe replacement job on Monday - estimating tips pl

not being funny marco but if your wiaps registered surely you know the answers to all these questions?

what are you excavating with? digger or by hand?
sand on bottom of trench then lay pipe, then sand up over the top of the pipe then lay your "water pipe below" marker tape, no sleave / duct required until entry to house (sand protects the pipe the rest of the way)

why would there be surplus soil? your digger driver should be able to grade it back in the hole from whence it came.

cap end of pipe off with tape and leave a decent length sticking up and out the ground but if you dont trust the kids to behave and not shove stones in the end then whack a cap on the ends.

in answer to number 3 - allow a full day just incase
in answer to the paragraph under number 3 - use your head. there is always a way to do it, if you have to chop a cupboard back board out and then screw it back in then so be it, just use your noggin.

we do quite a bit of gas and water main laying so this stuff is second nature.

 

[Marco]

Re: Quoting for first lead supply pipe replacement job on Monday - estimating tips pl

Thanks for the reply obseen - knowing the regs and connecting the pipes yes. But that is only a small part of the job - which is new to me hence asking?! I was planning on digging by hand to avoid going through any other services, following the line of the old pipe. But would it be better to just go shortest route for new pipe and not bother trying to remove the old lead? Be nice to wigh it in though!

 

[tamz]

Re: Quoting for first lead supply pipe replacement job on Monday - estimating tips pl

Forget about the old pipe and just take the shortest route. If you are hand digging it keep away from drives and pathways if you can. Easiest way is get hold of someone with a mole.

 

[Marco]

Re: Quoting for first lead supply pipe replacement job on Monday - estimating tips pl

sounds like it will nearly all be under paving! Would it be worth subbing this out or just giving it a miss? Other than the ground works the job wont involve that much?!

 

[Gray0689]

sounds like it will nearly all be under paving! Would it be worth subbing this out or just giving it a miss? Other than the ground works the job wont involve that much?!

Get a price off someone with a mole might still be worth your wile

 

[tamz]

Re: Quoting for first lead supply pipe replacement job on Monday - estimating tips pl

Get down the pub and find a couple of labourers who fancy digging

 

[BLOD]

Re: Quoting for first lead supply pipe replacement job on Monday - estimating tips pl

"Other than the ground works the job wont involve that much?!"

You've got it - the plumbing part is usually quite easy - it's the digging and groundworks
that can be the hard bit.

Best of luck.

 

[Marco]

Re: Quoting for first lead supply pipe replacement job on Monday - estimating tips pl

Get a price off someone with a mole might still be worth your wile

Gray - do you mean for them to do it or to hire one? Have you had any dealings with these firms? I looked on yell.com but none locally, will try some groundwork firms on Monday - but don't want them to steal my lead and quote the contact direct!

 

[Marco]

Re: Quoting for first lead supply pipe replacement job on Monday - estimating tips pl

Get down the pub and find a couple of labourers who fancy digging

Ha - yes did think that. Concern is settlement after the trench is backfilled and the slabs are re-layed, obviously would tamp down the soil, but if a car rolls over it etc with time it could settle lower. Layed flags before, but all at same time , so settlement not an issue.

Wouldn't get that issue with the mole - saw something on utube and they looked good.

 

[Gray0689]

Gray - do you mean for them to do it or to hire one? Have you had any dealings with these firms? I looked on yell.com but none locally, will try some groundwork firms on Monday - but don't want them to steal my lead and quote the contact direct!

No dealings myself but seen it done
No you price them as you taking control of job they will be working for you you take there price and you add your bit on top
Or as tamz says get in some cheap labour to dig it for you
I would not worry to much about the scrap lead if you can get it all well and good but if it a lot more work to get it not worth it

 

[obseen16]

Re: Quoting for first lead supply pipe replacement job on Monday - estimating tips pl

careful with moles, if they hit a tough rock they can ping off course and pop up somewhere else also have to be cautious because of the risk of hitting another service like soil or rainwater wastes etc. id get some labourers to trench out, itd take you ages by hand on your own especially if the grounds rocky or clay. then just hire a "WHACKER" for the day when your back fillling and then whacker the top a few times to compact the soil in are they actually called whackers? that just what our lads call em,

 

[Marco]

Re: Quoting for first lead supply pipe replacement job on Monday - estimating tips pl

Bit of an update...I got a groundworks co to go with me. It turned out to be 27mtrs! I'd be there for ever. Benefit is they cart away the spoil and replace with sand and gravel and relay the paving slabs, so remove the subsidence issue. Put a price and will chase up.