Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Sep 14, 2009 2:37 am Hi everyone - I posted about this in the Building a New Home section but was hoping to get some ideas from a landscaping perspective. Our hydraulic stormwater plans include a 4m x 10cm grate drain running diagonally through the middle of our backyard. We weren't told this would be the case at the time the hydrolic plans were being drafted and I'm very peeved about this development to say the least. Apart from some perimiter planting, we were expecting the yard to be all lawn - we have two very active little boys who I know were looking forward to the running around space. My understanding is that the grate drains can't be planted over with grass/turf. Is this right? Is there anything else I can do about this landscaping eyesore? We will be investigating with the hydraulic engineer whether the size can be reduced or the drain moved, or failing that, what our options are for getting a stormwater easement to our neighbour's land. Masterton Santorini Grande 23/01/09 First Tender 17/11/09 Contract signed 25/01/10 Slab 27/03/10 Frame 7/5/10 Bricks 1/07/10 Roof 9/7/10 Lock up 24/8/10 PCI 16/09/2010 KEYS! viewtopic.php?f=31&t=16418 Re: 4m long grate drain in middle of backyard! 2Sep 14, 2009 6:59 am I am no expert in this area... but this sounds stupid. How can you have a drain where you mow, or have general garden debris? It will block continuously. Can they not have an underground slotted agricultural drain filled with scroria? If it's a surface water problem, then landscaping can surely move it to one side. Ed "ECOECO" At 'EcoEco', we design windows, we design the best windows, we do it for you, so that when you’re happy we are happy. Tel. 1800 326 326 Re: 4m long grate drain in middle of backyard! 3Sep 14, 2009 2:17 pm Hi Ed. Thanks for your comments. We've spoken to the hydraulic engineer who told us that based on the fall of our land and the clearance required from the boundary, the grain could not be moved or reduced in size. We either accept it as is or attempt to seek an easement from our downstream neighbours. Needless to say we'll be getting in touch with our neighbours about an easement asap! Masterton Santorini Grande 23/01/09 First Tender 17/11/09 Contract signed 25/01/10 Slab 27/03/10 Frame 7/5/10 Bricks 1/07/10 Roof 9/7/10 Lock up 24/8/10 PCI 16/09/2010 KEYS! viewtopic.php?f=31&t=16418 Re: 4m long grate drain in middle of backyard! 4Sep 14, 2009 2:36 pm Will be interesting to see if your neighbours will come to the party... Easements like this could potentially affect the value of their property. I know we had a "proposed" stormwater easement on our land which meant that our land was basically cut into two portions. We either had to build on one or the other side. The other alternative was to ask the neighbour to extinguish their rights to the easement. Luckily for us they agreed - we paid for all the legal & government costs on both sides and had the easement removed Some things are worth waiting for. Re: 4m long grate drain in middle of backyard! 5Sep 14, 2009 3:48 pm Thanks kyton. I'm hoping they do... we only met them a few weeks ago! We are in an established area but they are building as well and are at lock up stage so hopefully this is as good a time as any to have the discussion, especially before they do their landscaping. Do you mind if I ask you what it all ended up costing you? Pls PM me if you prefer. We're already up for around 9-10K for the hydraulic system so wondering how much over (or below?) this we should be anticipating. Masterton Santorini Grande 23/01/09 First Tender 17/11/09 Contract signed 25/01/10 Slab 27/03/10 Frame 7/5/10 Bricks 1/07/10 Roof 9/7/10 Lock up 24/8/10 PCI 16/09/2010 KEYS! viewtopic.php?f=31&t=16418 Had a new driveway installed with a 6 metre long 150 x 150 channel drain and have since found out it has 4cm of water sitting at the bottom below the side pipe… 0 4721 Yeah mine about 9 metres long and 8 wide with slope of 25% at one point but the end point of the outlet is past the side of garage and if he concretes allowing for… 4 4535 Agreed. I just found out today the certifier has not given the final sign off. 2 4090 |