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.
Blocked stormwater, cleared the roots, found the pipe had been disaligned by a gum tree on the neighbour’s side. Replaced the section.
What we found
The stormwater line ran along the boundary fence (as they often do). It was correctly sized (100mm). The problem was a large gum tree on the neighbour’s side, planted directly next to the fence. Gum tree root systems are aggressive and extensive, they had grown through the stormwater pipe at the boundary and disaligned a section of pipe. The disalignment meant water was not escaping freely from the stormwater pit, which was then overflowing in heavy rain.
What we did
- Hydrojet to clear the immediate blockage.
- CCTV survey, located the broken section at the boundary.
- Cut concrete where it ran across the driveway.
- Excavated the disaligned pipe out.
- Laid a new section of 100mm up to the stormwater pit.
- Backfilled, re-concreted the driveway cut.
Takeaway
Boundary stormwater pipes are vulnerable to neighbour trees you have no control over. A pre-emptive camera inspection every few years catches disalignment before it causes real damage.
Call Matty on 0447 188 394 for drainage work across Tweed Heads, the Northern Rivers, the Gold Coast and inner Brisbane.
Customer names and addresses have been withheld. Individual results vary. Drain Masters Plumbing is licensed in NSW (383340C) and QLD (15036450).
Frequently asked
Can we insist the neighbour removes the tree?
Generally no. Mature trees are protected in most council areas. You can usually require the owner to pay for damage their tree causes, but that depends on your local laws and may require formal mediation.
Can the pipe be relined instead of dug up?
If the pipe is only cracked, yes, relining is often the better option. If it is disaligned (as here) the sleeve cannot bridge the misalignment, so dig-and-replace is the only route.
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