Table of Contents
Can a soakaway go under a drive?
As a general rule of thumb for a driveway of around 100m2 is, the bottom of a soakaway should be at least 1.5m down this will allow the pipe to fall toward the soakaway at a 1:40 fall and reach the top of the crate.
Do I need permission for a soakaway?
Do I need planning permission for a soakaway? If you are installing a replacement Soakaway then you will generally not require planning permission. If you are installing a new foul Soakaway or drainage field you should at least inform your local planning office.
Where do you put a soakaway?
DO install on land which is lower than your property, or at least level, to help water flow into the system and away from your house. DON’T use a soakaway for any waste/foul water. This can clog up your soakaway and damage your soil, they’re not designed for this.
How much does it cost to put a soakaway in?
The average cost to fit or replace a soakaway is typically around £700-£1000 with the price depending upon numerous factors including whether or not your soakaway will be installed under your lawn or driveway.
Is Chalk good for soakaways?
Permeable sub-soils such as sands, sandy loams and the like, along with permeable bedrock types, such as limestone, sandstone or chalk, are usually good news for soakaways, whereas hard, igneous rocks, such as granites and basalts, and heavy, claggy soils may mean a soakaway is not going to be feasible.
How deep should a soakaway be?
The depth depends upon the location – if it’s under the garden or patio etc. it only needs to be 1310mm deep, but if its under your driveway it should be 1510mm deep to allow for a little more top fill. If you don’t want to dig that deep, check out our shallow dig soakaway options.
How far should a soakaway be from the house?
2 – How Far Away From the House Must it be Located? The regulations state that a rainwater soakaway must be located at least five metres from the wall of a building and at least two and a half metres from a boundary.
Is there an alternative to a soakaway?
Septic tanks should be emptied once per year to avoid failure of the soakaway system. Package treatment plants are the modern alternative to septic tanks that produce a clear effluent suitable for discharge into a watercourse if one is available. The effluent is typically 20 times cleaner than that from a septic tank.
What to fill a soakaway with?
Lay some gravel across the bottom of this freshly dug ground to level out the surface, and you’re ready to fill the soakaway with rubble. These broken stones should surround the drainpipe and finish around 100mm above it. Alternatively, if you prefer to use a more modern alternative, you could pick up a soakaway crate.
Can you put a soakaway in clay?
A soakaway is basically a deep hole filled with rubble. To work, it must extend below the clay and be at least 1.8m deep. Dig a series of parallel trenches every 3-6m across the garden, sloping towards the ditch or soakaway. Digging in a 5cm layer of grit, gravel or crushed stone helps open up a clay soil.
How do you install a small soakaway?
Follow these 6 simple steps to install soakaway crates – both quickly and correctly: Step 1 – Create space. Step 2 – Prepare the crates. Step 3 – Prepare the base. Step 4 – Hook up to the drainage system. Step 5 – Cover the crates. Step 6 – Replace any ground that was removed.
Can I put a soakaway in my garden?
To construct a basic stand alone soak away or one to use as a dispersal point for a French drain system where the water will gradually seep away into the surrounding soil. Dig a large hole in the ground, line the sides with heavy-duty landscaping fabric, to keep the earth from over time clogging up the gravel.
How long do soakaways last?
How Long Do Soakaways Last? They should last the life of the house, at least 100 years but only if installed correctly and filters are used to prevent leaves and other material clogging the soakaway.
Are soakaways expensive?
For an easy-to-access garden, you can expect a small soakaway to cost around £750. For more complex designs, soakaways can take up to two days to install and therefore are likely to cost around £1,000. Broken down, labour costs average around £200 per day.
How effective is a soakaway?
A highly effective way of dealing with surface water; soakaways collect all surface water run-off into one point before allowing it to percolate in a controlled manner into the surrounding ground/earth in the area where it falls.
Does water drain through chalk?
Chalk has a very low effective porosity, that is, the volume of rock through which water can flow is very small. This leads to very steep hydraulic gradients (i.e. the slope of the water table) towards river valleys, so the unimpeded water at the top of the aquifer just drains straight out of the aquifer.
What is the best stone for a soakaway?
Our Soakaway Gravel Stone 30 – 80mm is perfect for filling a soakaway for land and garden drainage. In addition to preventing waterlogging and sustaining the life of your garden, a soakaway will stop damp from seeping into the property from outside.
Are Soakaways covered by insurance?
Soakaways aren’t usually covered by policies because they’re not pipes, drains or tanks but they can become blocked over time. This is because they’re often no more than a hole in the ground filled with granular materials which help the water trickle downwards into the ground.
Can Sink waste go into a soakaway?
You cannot legally send the sink water to the soakaway.
