ᐅ Relocating the construction water connection yourself – what does the connection look like?
Created on: 9 Feb 2022 17:42
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Pinkiponk
We need construction water for the earthworks contractor by February 28th. (Temporary electrical supply has already been arranged.) The standpipe protrudes a maximum of 50cm (20 inches) above ground but unfortunately is located where, according to current plans—yet to be confirmed by the crane company—the crane’s base is supposed to be. Since we have not received any information yet about whether the 50cm (20 inches) standpipe will interfere with the crane or if the crane can position itself over the standpipe, we are considering having the standpipe installed initially at that location and later possibly using a hose without the standpipe to access the water, or perhaps relocating it somehow. From your point of view, is this feasible? I couldn’t find any advice online, and the water supplier said the earthworks contractor could dig a channel to move the water connection aside, but the earthworks contractor needs construction water already. Do you know anything about the order of these steps?
Is it possible to access the construction water without a standpipe, maybe just with a hose? Do you know if a standpipe is permanently fixed? I have read that they are sometimes stolen.
The water connection is already on our property.
(I now understand why housebuilding companies delegate all earthworks and utility arrangements to the homeowners—that’s quite complex.)
Is it possible to access the construction water without a standpipe, maybe just with a hose? Do you know if a standpipe is permanently fixed? I have read that they are sometimes stolen.
The water connection is already on our property.
(I now understand why housebuilding companies delegate all earthworks and utility arrangements to the homeowners—that’s quite complex.)
guckuck2 schrieb:
As I said, nobody is going to set up a standpipe for just a few liters a day. How do you expect that to work when "everyone" in a new development wants to connect a standpipe all the time? It simply doesn’t work. Not to mention the outrageous costs. There’s an IBC container for that, or bottled water. That was just a casual joke on my part 😉
I am aware of how it works in practice, as you described. On the other hand, I also point out that especially when working with general contractors, blanket requirements are often included in the construction specifications/contracts, such as for construction water or standpipes.
In practice, I have seen several cases where the clients arrange all of this at great expense based on those requirements, yet it ends up hardly or never being used on site.
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BBaumeister10 Feb 2022 15:44For our project, construction water was drawn from a public hydrant in the street using a standpipe. Relocating the hydrant would likely have involved significant costs and required an approval process.
These points might help you:
- The groundwork contractor usually doesn’t need construction water.
- The portable toilet has its own water tank for the sink, which is refilled weekly by the service vehicle.
- Our shell builder brought an IBC container and needed very little water (for thin-bed mortar with Poroton). Concrete was delivered ready-mixed by truck.
- We only needed the standpipe when the interior and exterior plastering (and later the screed) started.
- I would always disconnect and store the standpipe inside the house at night. Our utility company required a 1,000 € deposit. It only takes two simple steps: screwing it in and unscrewing it. In our building area, someone once left the standpipe connected overnight, and a neighbor accidentally hit it with a car. The water spout shot over our roof, and we’re glad the basement didn’t flood.
Maybe some ideas for you:
- When the crane is set up, make sure to remind everyone that the hydrant needs to remain accessible. The standpipe itself requires very little space, so it should still fit.
- If it’s a new development or houses are already built nearby, just ask if you can connect a hose. Buy an inexpensive water meter at a hardware store to attach to it, and offer a fair compensation plus a crate of beer. Neighbors here have done this successfully.
- Once the interior plastering is done, you can at least install a simple faucet where the washing machine will go and use the regular house water supply. Tradespeople like tilers don’t need much water, so renting a standpipe after that point isn’t really worth it.
These points might help you:
- The groundwork contractor usually doesn’t need construction water.
- The portable toilet has its own water tank for the sink, which is refilled weekly by the service vehicle.
- Our shell builder brought an IBC container and needed very little water (for thin-bed mortar with Poroton). Concrete was delivered ready-mixed by truck.
- We only needed the standpipe when the interior and exterior plastering (and later the screed) started.
- I would always disconnect and store the standpipe inside the house at night. Our utility company required a 1,000 € deposit. It only takes two simple steps: screwing it in and unscrewing it. In our building area, someone once left the standpipe connected overnight, and a neighbor accidentally hit it with a car. The water spout shot over our roof, and we’re glad the basement didn’t flood.
Maybe some ideas for you:
- When the crane is set up, make sure to remind everyone that the hydrant needs to remain accessible. The standpipe itself requires very little space, so it should still fit.
- If it’s a new development or houses are already built nearby, just ask if you can connect a hose. Buy an inexpensive water meter at a hardware store to attach to it, and offer a fair compensation plus a crate of beer. Neighbors here have done this successfully.
- Once the interior plastering is done, you can at least install a simple faucet where the washing machine will go and use the regular house water supply. Tradespeople like tilers don’t need much water, so renting a standpipe after that point isn’t really worth it.
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Pinkiponk11 Feb 2022 09:01WilderSueden schrieb:
You can already use this for the foundation slab. For example, to wash out snow remnants from the reinforcement or to clean the concrete pump. The concrete pump is being cleaned at the plant upon our request for 235 euros including VAT, as we didn’t know what kind of "concrete puddle" we would find on the site after cleaning. Next time I’ll know better. ;-)
TmMike_2 schrieb:
@Pinkiponk don’t worry about it. There are no problems in construction, only solutions. Thanks. That really cheers me up. 🙂 My profession was somewhat like an accountant (though not like the accountant in the movie "The Accountant" ;-) ), and that fits my personality, which can actually turn out to be "unhealthy" ;-) when building a house.
TmMike_2 schrieb:
I drilled a well for that money right away (a good 6-inch (15 cm) deep well for a proper pump was a bit more expensive), but I saved myself the pillar. Waiting times for a well in this region are 6–8 months, so we postponed drilling for now. But it would have been a good idea. It’s a shame we didn’t think of it earlier, then we would have gone for it, since building a well seems easier to me than getting construction water.
TmMike_2 schrieb:
Usually, neighbors already have a water connection. Our neighbors all built 10–15 years ago, but as newcomers I don’t want to bother them with a request right away. They already have enough inconvenience (and perhaps also trouble) from our construction site. Besides, I don’t know if that might be illegal. You’re not allowed to buy electricity from neighbors, but water I’m not sure about.
netuser schrieb:
There’s a portable toilet on the construction site 😉 That’s the only thing that worked smoothly and without problems. 🙂 Well, actually not quite. I still have to go to the site later (Plan B) and somehow mark where the toilet should be placed, so it’s not exactly on a manhole cover or where the temporary power box is supposed to go. I still have to figure out how to do that and would appreciate any tips. It’s snowing here right now, so I hope the label doesn’t get covered with snow. :-(
Plan A is of course that the company employees call me and I am present on site when they deliver the toilet.
netuser schrieb:
We managed completely without our own construction water and electricity and sorted everything out with neighbors. If everyone is building roughly at the same time, that’s great — then it’s a mutual “give and take.” With houses here being 10–15 years old, I find it a bit difficult to be the one only “taking.”
guckuck2 schrieb:
There’s an IBC container for that, or bottled water. What do you mean by bottled water? I am also trying to get a water tank at the same time, but that is somehow difficult too, as I just can’t find a supplier here who delivers to small, isolated construction sites cost-effectively.
Off topic: Does anyone know anything about ypg? I haven’t read anything from her for quite some time and am worried about her absence.
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Pinkiponk11 Feb 2022 09:07Oh, the start of our construction work (civil engineering) has been moved up to next Monday, so perhaps my previous answers make more sense now. I didn’t know this when I created the thread; we only found out quite late yesterday. I’m now busy trying to reschedule everything else earlier.
Pinkiponk schrieb:
What is bottled water? I’m also trying to get a water tank, but that’s also “kind of” difficult—I just can’t find a supplier here who delivers small quantities to individual construction sites cost-effectively. Bottled water is available in 1.5-liter (1.6-quart) containers at the supermarket of your choice ;-) You can easily use that to wash your hands.
The neighbor fills the water tank with their garden hose (I think you have a gap between buildings?).
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