By Matthew Baring-Gould, Kingscliff-based drainage plumber. Servicing Tweed Heads for 4 years. 5.0 stars across 173 Google reviews. Licensed NSW 383340C and QLD 15036450. ABN 74 605 392 348.
Full new stormwater system install on a Gold Coast property. Ran two new 100mm PVC lines from the back of the property, picked up every existing downpipe and surface drain, ran it direct to street. Removed an old retaining wall at the front. At the back we also excavated a cracked foundation wall that was getting water ingress, waterproofed it, and ran drainage against it. Large tree root in the front yard removed while the excavator was on site.
What the customer called us for
Owner wanted a proper stormwater system done end to end on a Gold Coast property. Existing retaining wall at the front was coming out, back wall of the house was cracked and getting water ingress, and there was a large tree root in the front that needed to come out too.
What we found when we got there
Three jobs worth of drainage condensed into one visit: new stormwater system, back wall waterproofing, tree root removal. One machine on site covers all three, which is the right way to do it.
Why we did it this way
When a machine and operator are already on site, the extra material cost of running twin 100mm lines, waterproofing the back wall, and taking out a tree root is small compared with mobilising the machine a second time. For a property owner, bundling this work is usually the single largest cost saving they will see from a drainage plumber.
What we did on site
- Removed the old retaining wall at the front of the property and skipped the material.
- Dug trenches from the back of the property down to the street at the front.
- Ran two new 100mm PVC stormwater lines through those trenches.
- Picked up every existing downpipe and surface drain and tied them into the new lines.
- Discharged to the street.
- Excavated the cracked foundation wall at the back of the property.
- Waterproofed the back wall.
- Installed drainage against the newly waterproofed wall to stop future water build-up.
- Dug out the large tree root in the front yard.
- Backfilled and tidied the full site.
The result
Brand new stormwater system running full length of the property to the street. Back wall of the house waterproofed and drained. Large tree root removed. All completed in one site mobilisation.
If you have the same issue
If you are planning two or three drainage jobs around the house (stormwater rebuild, retaining wall, waterproofing, tree root removal), get them all quoted together. The machine cost is a single line item; the extra material is usually a fraction of a second mobilisation. Call Matty on 0447 188 394 or request a quote.
Customer names and addresses have been withheld. Individual results vary. Drain Masters Plumbing is licensed in NSW (383340C) and QLD (15036450).
Frequently asked
Why twin 100mm PVC instead of a single bigger pipe?
Twin 100mm gives you redundancy and more combined capacity than a single 100mm, while still fitting easily in a standard trench and connecting cleanly to standard fittings. On a longer run it also lets you pick up downpipes on different sides of the house without crossing lines.
Why waterproof the back wall AND run drainage?
Drainage takes the bulk of the water pressure off the wall. Waterproofing stops the residual moisture against the wall from wicking into the house. Both together is a permanent fix; either one alone eventually fails.
Is removing a tree root a drainage plumber job?
If the excavator is already on site for drainage work and the root is where the trench runs, yes. If it is a standalone tree-and-root removal, that is an arborist with an excavator. On a bundled drainage job, including it costs almost nothing extra.
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