Browse Forums Paving & Concreting 1 Mar 07, 2014 9:03 am We are trying to work out how to do the paving in this area so that it is not a tripping hazard. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅
(The rest of the paving shown has to be ripped up because it is too high.) We are left with the following problem: we need to leave 75mm of the slab exposed for our termite protection but have an overflow relief gully which is 150mm below the top of our slab (black blob in the middle of the back wall). Does anyone have any suggestions about how to pave here without resorting to a step down? Or how to do a step down that wouldn't be a tripping hazard? A step down will also entail a retaining wall at the edge of the easement because the back fence will end up higher than the paving level. Also how do you disguise the concrete next to the ORG? Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Any ideas/input would be appreciated. Re: How to resolve a paving level problem 2Mar 07, 2014 3:18 pm Basically I don't see any reason why the ORG can't be moved. The main point of an ORG is to prevent an overflow if there is a block in the main sewer so it can be located anywhere between the main sewer and the house. The key issue is 'The top of the riser of the ORG should be installed a minimum height of 150mm below the overflow level of the lowest fixture or the grate of a shower/floor waste gully in the property' Also see http://www.anewhouse.com.au/2013/08/ove ... ef-gulley/ The Harder You Try - the Luckier You Get ! Web site http://www.anewhouse.com.au Informative, Amusing, and Opinionated Blog - Over 600 posts on all aspects of building a new house. Re: How to resolve a paving level problem 3Mar 07, 2014 6:02 pm Hi Bashworth, Many thanks for the reply. The difficulty is that the sewer actually runs along the western boundary - the same side the ORG is situated and there is a 2 metre easement between the fence and the house. The only place where we could have the ORG at the right height without interfering with paving levels would be on the south side of the house near the laundry where the slab is much higher. Can we move it there? It would have been the logical place for it. The only reason it seems to be on the western side is because the designer specified there be " a single junction between grey and blackwater water... easily accessible from backyard on western side of house." But we don't even have a proper separation of black and grey water because they seem to have plumbed the kitchen sink to the greywater. Re: How to resolve a paving level problem 4Mar 08, 2014 6:04 am Although I would think it would be possibe to move its hard to comment without seeing plans but here are a few other thoughts: If the slab is higher elsewhere could the ORG be raised and still be 150mm below any shower or floor drains? Sink water is grey water. You could run a channel through the paving to a lower spot outside the paved area with a steel grate over it. Is decking rather than paving an option? The Harder You Try - the Luckier You Get ! Web site http://www.anewhouse.com.au Informative, Amusing, and Opinionated Blog - Over 600 posts on all aspects of building a new house. Re: How to resolve a paving level problem 5Mar 08, 2014 7:30 am Thanks again Bashworth, Unfortunately the ORG can't be raised as we have a stepless shower so our lowest fixture is 50m below the top of the slab. The slab is higher on the south side because the ground is lower than at the back so the ORG can be at the same height while not interfering with the paving there. I had thought of a kind of decking over the paving-a bit like a Scandinavian shower. We have to have paving (concrete) as well as we are on clay soil. It is going to require a lot of maintenance though and we already have heaps of wood to look after. The channel idea might be an option. You wouldn't have any pictures of this, would you? Re: How to resolve a paving level problem 6Mar 08, 2014 11:30 am bashworth Sink water is grey water. I was using a green home building guide as a reference here. It says that blackwater is water from a toilet or a kitchen sink. The Your Home Technical Manual stops short of calling sinkwater blackwater but it does say "it is advisable to exclude water from kitchens and dishwashers from greywater being recycled, because of the potential for contamination by pathogens." So when you ask for your house to be made greywater ready, a plumber will automatically include kitchen sink water? I've just found a practice note issued by the Building Commission in 2011 called Residential Sustainability measures: http://www.buildingcommission.com.au/__ ... 011_55.pdf It says under 6.2 "Greywater is the waste water from your washing machine, laundry trough, shower,hand basin, and bath -excluding the waste water from your kitchen and toilet." Re: How to resolve a paving level problem 7Mar 08, 2014 5:49 pm I'm not a big fan of using grey water (see http://www.anewhouse.com.au/2013/09/is- ... orthwhile/), but I always think its funny that shower water is considered 'cleaner' than sink water. (I don't know about others but the sound of running water in the shower can have a certain effect on some people ) Here is a link to a catalogue that gives examples of the grating. http://www.webforge.com.au/files/Aquadran_Brochure.pdf The Harder You Try - the Luckier You Get ! Web site http://www.anewhouse.com.au Informative, Amusing, and Opinionated Blog - Over 600 posts on all aspects of building a new house. Re: How to resolve a paving level problem 8Mar 09, 2014 10:09 am Does anyone have any suggestions about how to pave here without resorting to a step down? Or how to do a step down that wouldn't be a tripping hazard? A step down will also entail a retaining wall at the edge of the easement because the back fence will end up higher than the paving level. Also how do you disguise the concrete next to the ORG? My 2c: Maybe they can extend the height of the ORG by those "missing" 7.5 cm?? Yes, involves cost (: (cut the pipe, glue on an extension piece, .... can be messy) OR - a simpler height extension: Maybe you can simply put an offcut of another (but slightly wider) pipe on top of ORG when they pour the concrete, so you still have access to the grate below if ever needed. In that case, I would definitely wrap the offcut with 75mm foam thingy (Abelflex or similar) because in that case it would be very easy to pull out the pipe to get access (because concrete will not sick to pipe, plus it would give you even a wider access - meaning a common 100mm pipe (offcut) will do nicely). For safer walking, maybe you can improvise with some normal plastic grates for 100mm pipe (easily removable). Make sure they make a cut in concrete (at 90 degrees) to align with the centre of the pipe to help prevent willy nilly cracking around the pipe. I don't fully understand the bit "Also how do you disguise the concrete next to the ORG?" Wouldn't it be covered by new concrete? Or are you asking about how to break it up to make way for new concrete - although I am not sure why ... I would not do a step down just in case ... I'd want to retain as much height as possible. How far is the slab & ORG from that future retaining wall? Can you do a grate all along the retaining wall (on the house side, of course) and slope the new concrete into it and then have the grate drain naturally far away from house into lower levels of terrain (if possible)? Obviously, only if there is natural fall in the terrain ... My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: How to resolve a paving level problem 9Mar 09, 2014 10:13 am Actually, ignore that last bit ... if that area has any slope, the grate is not needed. I confused myself thinking about drainage for the wall and drainage for the concrete surface and assembled it all into one - but left the wall drainage out!! ahhahaah not thinking today My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: How to resolve a paving level problem 10Mar 09, 2014 12:25 pm Hi Lex, Nice to hear from you. Unfortunately raising the overflow relief gully is not an option. It has to be 150mm below the lowest waste outlet and that means it has to stay at the height it is and because you must have at least 50mm height separation between it and the finished paving level, we are going to have some excavation. The problem with excavating all around the house to that level is that it takes us below the fence and that means retaining walls on the south side as well as the west side. We are just trying to come up with a solution that isn't going to cost the earth and that will be safe and liveable. The concrete next to the overflow relief gully can't be covered because you must leave clear space around it. Hope all that makes sense. Re: How to resolve a paving level problem 11Mar 09, 2014 1:00 pm Oh ... and I just scanned through what bashworth has suggested - turns out to be the same thing ... meaning I have wasted your time, sorry One thing still bugs me - what is the "riser" in the ORG?? Is it the very top of it (eg. the palstic cover bit)?? My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: How to resolve a paving level problem 12Mar 09, 2014 5:23 pm Lex, you haven't wasted my time. I'm just flattered anyone at all is interested in reading about our problems and thinking about solutions!! A riser is usually a bit of drainage pipe sticking out of the ground I think. The height of the ORG is taken from the top of the outlet so - yes - the plastic thingy on the top! Re: How to resolve a paving level problem 13Mar 09, 2014 10:58 pm Liliana I'm just flattered anyone at all is interested in reading about our problems and thinking about solutions!! We are all on side Liliana. I just wish there was a magic wand. 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: How to resolve a paving level problem 15Mar 10, 2014 5:26 pm I'd like to chime in too with a solution but I don't have one. Stewie ( shaking his head at dealing with grossly incompetent trades and so-called professionals in the building industry for close to 40 years ). Re: How to resolve a paving level problem 16Apr 22, 2014 3:11 pm Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅
We have come up with what we think may be a solution to the problem. It would mean that we wouldn't have to have a difference in paving levels but we would still be providing an alternative route for the sewage to overflow into a pit. Just don't know if there are any flaws we haven't thought of: Re: How to resolve a paving level problem 17Apr 22, 2014 7:07 pm I have no idea about the design itself, but just a few very minor thoughts (comments and corrections welcome if appropriate!). Does the overflow pipe need to gently slope towards the ORG pipe? Is it a good idea to wrap the 2 "slab penetrations" (the pit and the ORG pipe thingy) in Abelflex? BTW, I can't remember, is the fence right along the ag pipe area on the sketch (ie. opposite to the house)? ... but ... I hope someone with proper knowledge can provide more comments! My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: How to resolve a paving level problem 18Apr 22, 2014 7:51 pm Hi Lex,
You've just made me realise the drawing might be a bit misleading. By "slab" I actually mean concrete paving. This is the footpath around the house. Corrected drawing below: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ The overflow pipe has to slope away from the org as we want the sewage to go that way and overflow into the pit. The fence would be about 2 metres beyond the pit. Let me know if there is anything else about the drawing that is incomprehensible. Re: How to resolve a paving level problem 19Apr 24, 2014 5:36 pm Ah, ok! The pit is for sewage o/f only. I just glanced at it and assumed it's for stormwater. BTW, where does the ag pipe finally go to (eg. street s/w drain)? My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: How to resolve a paving level problem 20Apr 24, 2014 6:23 pm Hi Lex, Yes, the agi pipe goes to street stormwater. I'm assuming now that there are no flaws in our plan given the lack of criticism. Either that or I've put everyone to sleep with talk of sewage and stormwater. isn't a garage level with the rest of the house a given? pretty sure they 'came around' long time ago. if you have a flat block, the garage is usually level with the rest… 1 17407 they can, it's a fairly standard solution when the slab isn't recessed. the falls need to be in the main floor, if it hasn't been done then you need to ask them to redo… 4 6565 interesting situation what happened after builder issued final invoice? did you list as defect or not does the building surveyor have any responsibility? ie. issuing… 13 46800 |