Projects
Installation of service ducts and pipes, new build, Case Study
Having done the groundwork for this pair of new builds 6 months prior, we were asked to come back and lay various service pipes and ducts to each of the two plots.
Objective
To lay services for two new builds, including water pipes, electric ducts & BT ducts
We were delighted to be asked to return to this site to excavate for and lay water pipes, electric ducts and BT ducts from the boundary with the Highway, to the two new builds that we had done groundwork for previously. The groundwork was done 6 months prior and a builder had since got the two shells up and built.
We brought a couple of diggers to site, our favourite 3.7 tonne Kubota digger, and also its younger brother, the 1.5 tonne. One for digging and one for backfilling.
We laid the water pipes first, as these were deepest. Anglian Water had specified barrier pipe, due to the possible risk of the ground being contaminated. Unfortunately, water authorities used to occasionally ask for barrier pipe to be used if they suspected contaminated ground, but now it’s becoming the norm, unless you can prove your ground is not contaminated. We suggested to our customer that he send AW a ground survey that he’d had done previously, which he did. Although AW relented and said they’d allow him to use standard 32mm pipe for half of the 70m run, the other half had to be barrier pipe, due to the site having an agricultural history. Unfortunately, barrier pipe is a lot more expensive than standard MDPE pipe.
We laid these water pipes at a depth of 800mm cover (750mm is the minimum), in sand surround and with warning tape to cover. AW inspected the depths that the pipes had been laid at etc. With these laid, we put in a 125mm ribbed electric duct from the boundary with the Highway, to a location near the first plot. At this point we left an open hole for an electric joint to be done later, and from here we laid smaller 32mm black duct to the meter box on each plot. These too were laid in a sand surround, and with a different warning tape on top.
Lastly we laid a BT duct, this was a 90mm duct from the boundary with the Highway, to a position near the first plot, where we built a ‘No 4’ BT Box with pre-cast plastic sections, and finished with a frame and cover supplied by BT. From here we laid smaller 50mm ducts from this box to each plot, and these ducts were finished with warning tape as well.
A nice simple job for us, and nice and local to us as well. It was a pleasure to return to this site having done the groundwork previously. Click here to read a case study on the original groundwork project for this site.
And we were delighted to have received a 5-star Google review from our customer for this job!
