Browse Forums Building A New House Re: Soakwells - Builder or 3rd Party Post-Handover? 3Sep 17, 2015 3:03 pm From what I understand from one third party contractor - they said it would be poly if after handover as the concrete ones are only done with an excavator at slab stage etc. (basically when there's no building up and risk of damage). The size seems to be similar - 1500 x 900 poly quoted as opposed to my builder putting up concrete. The contractor reckons the poly ones are just as sustainable and non-degradable as the concrete and actually have better flow/usage than the concrete. With concrete cited as only being used by builders to prevent third party utilities coming in after their installation (gas, electriciy, water etc) and digging and damaging poly material soakwells, whereas with concrete it'll scratch but never break. Given my soakwells are on the front setback (minimum of 4 metres-4.5 metres, assumedly the soakwells are away from the footings. So if they're doing poly at the front only (given my sides and back only just meet near the 1.5 m setback regulations , so no room to move and therefore I doubt they'd try to sink one at the back) wouldn't I be safe from structural/footings risks? Your right though the builder may hit you on it as an excuse for faults... be keen to hear if anyone with building or developing background has an opinion. Who's playing smoke and mirrors/scare tactics? The price diff is quite substantial... currently 3.5k quoted for the 4 x 1500 x 900 style polys versus the $6k provisional amount for 4 x concretes of the same 1500 x 900 - which my sales rep reckons it will largely be used up by the builder. Re: Soakwells - Builder or 3rd Party Post-Handover? 4Sep 17, 2015 3:35 pm SaberX Your right though the builder may hit you on it as an excuse for faults... be keen to hear if anyone with building or developing background has an opinion. Who's playing smoke and mirrors/scare tactics? The price diff is quite substantial... currently 3.5k quoted for the 4 x 1500 x 900 style polys versus the $6k provisional amount for 4 x concretes of the same 1500 x 900 - which my sales rep reckons it will largely be used up by the builder. I am surprised you are given a provisional sum and not an actual figure. I would press for an actual figure cause I don't understand how hard is it to estimate digging for soakwells. They must have done it lots of times anyway. Re: Soakwells - Builder or 3rd Party Post-Handover? 6Sep 29, 2015 1:14 am Just a *bump*. No one else with an opinion or anyone who works with the builders/development side of things who can offer whether doing soakwells through the builder is the safer/recommended outcome versus a third party contractor post-handover? Only another two days until pre-start so I need to make a decision by then unfortunately... It seems very clear to me that your contract states that a security account does NOT need to be established so the answer to the builder is NO. If in doubt find a contract… 1 8512 2 31358 If there have been changes, variations, during construction then the drawings should be revised, the building permit amended and the current, as built drawings given to… 2 4491 |