Can I move a grid cover?

[hex]

We're thining of extending our kitchen and there's a grid cover (is this what they're called??) in the exact spot we'd open our French doors onto.

Can we move it - do we have to apply for permission, and if so from whom? Council? Water Board?

[lilymolly]

Do you mean a manhole?
What exactly is it, then maybe we can help

[hex]

yes. it's probably a manhole...guess you get access to...oh now I realise I don't know whether it's waste water pipes or water supply pipes ...well all this isn't really area of expertise. We've never lifted it but it does have two handles, one at either side...does this make it any clearer?

[lilymolly]

dp say just need an airtight manhole cover, and the builder should do this for you, may require and extra manhole installed so you can get access to it in the future. Its not an expensive job. hth

[hex]

okay but won't it mean extra pipes to wherever we move it to? Will the builder do this then?

[DominiConnor]

We did this, and were counselled that the water people have the right to come and dig it up later.

[hex]

so did you have to lay extra pipes to the new position of the manhole? did you do this yourself. I don't really know what's down there tbh

[DominiConnor]

In our case it was bricked over, but in such a way that in the unlikely event that they exercised their right, the mess would not be too bad.

[lionheart]

We did the same so they built the patio with a special cover that can be unscrewed for access (actually on the step so even trickier).