Question about Questionable Renovation Work Completed by a Tradie

godlike1001 on 15/11/2022 - 14:31
Last edited 15/11/2022 - 16:54 by 1 other user

Hey everyone, just a question about renovation work recently completed on my property by a tradie.

Basically, the tradie did some landscaping work in my backyard (re-did the grass, gardens, built a large shed, etc).
During the course of the landscaping, the tradie became aware of plumbing issues under my backyard. His friend is a plumber and came to "flush out" the pipes under our backyard. Apparently this was unsuccessful and it didn't fix it issue.

The back of our property is an open reserve. So there's no other house behind us and just about 60m of green reserve which is periodically maintained and mowed by the council. After the renovations was completed, I noted that there is now an exposed pipe on the reserve which transports rainwater from our house directly onto the reserve itself (not sewerage, just rain collected from the roof).

Basically, it looks like they have replaced the plumbing under our property with new pipes and which do not connect the existing infrastructure, but rather flows directly onto the reserve.

I asked the tradie about it and he said: "We called Sydney Water and they said they have no clue who's responsible for the plumbing on the reserve so just get in, do what you have to do, and get out. We've covered the pipe with some rocks so just make sure you keep covering it if it gets exposed and if they ask you, just say thats how the property was when you bought it".

There's maybe 1m of exposed pipe with the rest connected underground. The opening of the pipe was exposed and the rest was concealed with a mound of dirt (it's not subtle at all). We weren't consulted at any stage before the new plumbing was placed. We didn't even sign a contract with the plumber. Rather, we had a contract with the tradie and paid him and he paid the plumber.

I'm just worried that Sydney Water will come after us for impermissible work on council property and we won't have any recourse against the tradespeople responsible for the work. The property is a normal dwelling located in North Sydney if it makes any difference.

Anything i should consider to deal with this issue or just ignore it until someone says something?

• 

  djkelly69 on 15/11/2022 - 14:36

  +2

  I would be calling Sydney Water personally. Rather find out about the issue now while you have some chance of going after the 'tradie' than finding out in 5 years time.

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  klonky on 15/11/2022 - 14:41

  From what you have explained, sounds like stormwater is blocked so they decided to divert it to the reserve?
  Have you previously had overflowing gutters when it rained?

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  jv on 15/11/2022 - 14:43

  -4

  Can I ask a Question on your Question about Questionable Renovation Work Completed by a Tradie ???

  

  jv on 15/11/2022 - 14:43 (Collapsed - Offtopic. Show)
  • 

    coffeeinmyveins on 15/11/2022 - 16:11

    +4

    Mate, get a hobby.

    • 

      iDroid on 15/11/2022 - 16:20

      +1

      This is jv's hobby!!

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  mskeggs on 15/11/2022 - 14:45

  +7

  Consider what you want to happen.
  It is pretty regular to drain gutters onto gardens etc.
  My new place drains into a stormwater culvert, my old place just into the garden.
  Sydney Water will not allow you to connect stormwater to the sewer (indeed, there are penalties for doing so).
  Most suburban places drain onto the street gutter, but if the slope of the land stops that, you need to be realistic.

  It sounds like the landscaper was trying to do you a favour by inexpensively solving your problem. If you want a different solution, you might find it costs a lot more.

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  Seraphin7 on 15/11/2022 - 14:46

  Hmmmm … most of the parks in North Sydney that have adjoining properties are pretty exposed/high traffic areas. It won't be long until a punter notices what's going on and kicks up a fuss with the council/Sydney Water, especially if the area in question suddenly turns into a bog.

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  netjock on 15/11/2022 - 15:13

  -1

  Tradies says it all. I am getting to the point where I questions if you can make $150k without it being a serious professional career choice which requires at least some level of formal education.

  Imagine if rain water discharge contributes to land slip / slide (imagine if council comes with a tractor to do the mowing and the it rolls over thanks to your unauthorized discharge) and someone get hurt (I assume that is why we have storm water drains so we don't end up with polluting grown water or even worse have people bogged down in mud or fall down sink holes).

  Look at what OP wrote there is boundaries in ethics, social / moral hazards and contract laws broken all over the place. I wouldn't want to be an apprentice either because you get treated like trash and taught questionable business practices.

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  onetwothreefour on 15/11/2022 - 15:14

  +2

  Where do your neighbours drain their storm water to?

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  Jimothy Wongingtons on 15/11/2022 - 15:28

  Damn dodgy tradies can run rampant now that Tracey Grimshaw has stepped down :(

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  Muzeeb on 15/11/2022 - 15:36

  just say thats how the property was when you bought it

  Except the date the pipe was manufactured will possibly be printed all over the length of the pipe.

  I'm guessing that date is after you moved in.

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  Donaldhump on 15/11/2022 - 17:05

  if its downhill, i'd maybe just leave it, if not a heavy traffic area, or undo it 3m back inside your property and build a rubble pit. or request them to undo it, but they will likely act dumb.

  it is dodgy thought, there is no way sydney water said that, it is illegal to flow water onto someone else property. If someone trips breaks their neck might be an issue but unlikely.

  my neighbour has an unknown pipe on his land and it pisses ground water alot after rain and we have nfi where it comes from. His and some of my yard is a bloody bog, The council came and said they have nfi either and unless he can work out where it comes onto his property its his issue. its a 7 acre block so would take some serious pipe tracing.

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  lgacb08 on 16/11/2022 - 07:08

  Sydney water has nothing to do with it, they only manage sewer systems. As long as you don't connect it to the sewer they don't care. Ask the council for it.