After spending a lot of time viewing French properties my Wife and I thought we found the “one”.
Anyhow after a lot of questions/ checks it appears it isn’t on mains drains.
Luckily we haven’t bought it but wondered a ball park figure per metre for installation/ excavation of drainage pipework/ bends/ rodding eyes/ inspection chambers etc per metre in France to connect to the commune mains drains inspection chamber which is sited already on the property to the front.
A rough guess on length of pipework to install would be about 40metres.
Just wondering, houses that could have been connected should have been or previous owners would have been fined. If there is a reason for it not having been connected?
Also worth checking with the Mairie/council… there might well be a “connection” fee… payable for the pleasure of using the council pipework…
Our council charged the “connection” fee… linking to their pipework… plus an annual bill… depending on the amount of metered water used by the household… (what comes in, must go out… )
That’s what I’ll be doing hopefully in September. I’ll just need to submit site & section plans with gradients, back fill materials, photos etc. also risk / method assessment, to the Mairie as I need to dig up 35’ their pavement the deepest 18’’ to the shallowest 7’’ .
Did mine and they didnt install the inspection chamber deep enough so a slightly shallower gradient but a rodding point fitted just in case but so far no issues.
Bon courage!
I’ll be doing all the works including the inspection chamber and coupling up to the evaluation chamber. I just have to do the works on the pavement this year as next the Mairie hands over the responsibility to the communauté de communes, have friends living in the area dealing with them and just for an hours work cost a fortune to put in the last 3’ of pipe and install the evacuation chamber, they paid ‘un forfait’, f’bandits😡 Next year I’ll need a digger for my side the incline and depth is not so favorable.
Is it a total no for you to live with the house that is not on mains drains? We’ve been in 3 houses since 1996, none of which are on mains drains, including our current house in France. Water rates are often cheaper, as a minor side benefit. We’ve installed compact sewage treatment systems where necessary which work very well…
Hi George, we’re not bothered either way, sceptic tank would be fine if it conformed and could be located. However having to connect to mains drains brings in that extra cost.
Thanks for your advice.
You can always get a quote and use it to negotiate a reduction in price, especially if mains drainage is available and should have been connected. . Another thing to think about is if it’s not on mains drainage, then where does waste water go currently ? If there’s a fosse, then it may need removing. I’m assuming the house was recently/is inhabited ?
