Hell's bells - drain problem

[wowfudge]

We have an extension that was built over the original outside kitchen drain of the house over 30 years ago. The drain has been covered over. House is Edwardian - we have been there for less than a year. Drain is in line with soil pipe (further 'downstream'), everything drains into main sewer.

The sink, dishwasher and washing machine have been discharging into waste pipes that feed into the drain under the floor.

We are moving the sink and dishwasher position to discharge into the drain from the other side. Builder has dug a trench for this. It's smelly as it's been opened up. Is there anything we should be doing in terms of how it is covered over now?

I haven't seen or smelled it yet (sounds rank) - I have that delight awaiting me tonight.

[PigletJohn]

A house of that age probably had a clay gully outside the old kitchen wall. It has probably been broken for about sixty years. Some of the sockets and bends on the old pipes are also likely to have broken.

This is especially likely in a clay area like the London basin, and in or near any town that existed prior to 1945 and will have been bombed, causing the ground to ripple.

I expect that the old stuff will need to be dug out and replaced with modern. There may also be a cavity if the escaping water has washed away the soil.

Sadly this is all perfectly normal.

[wowfudge]

Thanks PJ. Having got home expecting a stench, there is nothing - I think the builder may have been a bit dramatic. There was no sign of any damage to the drain when the manhole frame and cover were replaced last year - it's all in a straight line and we have the original ground floor floorplan showing where everything is. The drain surround the wastes go into looks sound and bone dry.