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Original poster

Guttering advice please

23 replies

HouseyHouse21 · 16/07/2021 11:34

I'm planning a 5m rear extension for a semi-detached house and our neighbour has agreed to us building along the boundary, as he might also want to extend in the near future, and can then save himself some money by using our wall & footings.

All fine so far, but he's also said he wants to agree what will happen with the guttering and drainage before we submit our plans.

The architect doing my plans has been quite unhelpful and just says that level of detail won't be specified until the building control stage.

Can anyone point me towards a good source of information on what the options are with adjoining extensions / anything I should be aware of, so I can at least provisionally agree something with my neighbour?

OP posts:

Livingintheclouds · 16/07/2021 12:29

My architect worked out the guttering from first drawings as it was hidden in a space behind the facade. But it's hard to speculate what your neighbour might actually do, and when. I guess you'd want the drain at the end of the extension rather than where his house ends now. Surely your architect needs to this figure out regardless of what your neighbour might do. Where do the gutters empty in to now?

Rollercoaster1920 · 16/07/2021 12:37

Your architect needs to consider practicalities like water in and away, or the plans may not be able to be built!

Are you doing a flat or pitched roof?

Itscoldouthere · 16/07/2021 13:03

I think it’s great that you are thinking about this already.
I’m in the process of buying a house, the neighbours have extended into the side return right up to the boundary and their guttering is essentially in the garden of the house I’m buying.
The sellers bought the house like this but didn’t query it.
Obviously it shouldn’t have been built like this so my solicitor is querying it, I’m just hoping it doesn’t become a massive problem and as it stands would make it difficult for us if we want to built into the return.

Original poster

HouseyHouse21 · 16/07/2021 16:58

It was originally a flat roof but we added a pitch so that this neighbour gets more light - it slants towards him on that side. So if he were to build an identical extension, we'd end up with a 'valley' effect which I'd imagine is a drainage nightmare...?

But I have zero experience with this - somehow it's never come up as an issue on previous projects.

I don't think our guttering etc would be particularly problematic in itself, if it wasn't for the possibility of the neighbour possibly building something in future. That may be why the architect doesn't feel it's his responsibility to sort out. But neighbour won't let the plans go through if it's not agreed so I'm at an impasse.

OP posts:

PigletJohn · 16/07/2021 17:40

the neighbour probably doesn't have an objection that will influence the planning committee.

It would be interesting to see what he writes.

If it was me, i would want my guttering and drainage to be quite separate from the neighbours.

Rollercoaster1920 · 16/07/2021 17:52

Neighbour has agreed to you building on the boundary. You've gone for a pitched roof, presumably sloping towards the neighbours land? Sounds like your architect is expecting to put the eves and guttering over your neighbours land.

I'm on your neighbours side here!

Although if they are planning on extending then the slope for light shouldn't be needed anyway. Do plans together to resolve this now, or back off from the boundary line.

Rollercoaster1920 · 16/07/2021 17:55

A parapet wall is one solution, or a pitch away from the house with your eaves going over their land until they build their extension.
Water running towards their property will be troublesome.

Original poster

HouseyHouse21 · 16/07/2021 17:56

The way our council work (as I understand it) is that under permitted development, even the slightest objection or query by a neighbour results in refusal.

With our first application, the neighbour wrote a long rambling letter about his concerns over the party wall - not objecting, but with queries about how it would work. At the time our architect said it wouldn't make any difference as it wasn't a planning concern, but it still got refused. The decision notice summed it all up as 'adverse impact of the visual and residential amenities of neighbouring occupiers'.

I'd really like to avoid that happening again so am trying to make sure all his questions are answered but I don't have the expertise to do it myself, and am beginning to think the architects I hired don't either. Just feeling a bit stuck...

OP posts:

Original poster

HouseyHouse21 · 16/07/2021 17:59

Having everything separate definitely seems like the best option, @PigletJohn. Can you give any hints as to how that might work, practically? If I can drop in the right terminology, that might put his mind at rest, and also let me know what to ask for when all the details are drawn up...

OP posts:

coogee · 16/07/2021 18:02

Our existing gutters overhang into our neighbour's property. They have been doing so for about four hundred years so it hasn't been an issue. We have some building work planned up to the boundary and existing neighbours are happy for the new gutters to overhang too. The alternative was a recessed gutter.

As said above. Planning aren't interested in whose land the gutters are in.

coogee · 16/07/2021 18:06

If I can drop in the right terminology,

Google "hidden gutters".

PigletJohn · 16/07/2021 18:08

sorry, don't know how to word it. But the architect should.

Roofers can get prefabricated valleys now, I think they are fibreglass. Should be less prone to leaks.

SpeakingFranglais · 16/07/2021 18:16

No way would I allow guttering to overhand, the boundary needs moving back.

Chumleymouse · 16/07/2021 18:28

You just have have a box type gutter that sits on top on the outside skin of the brickwork and the tiles just hang into it like a normal roof , it’s very straightforward and won’t cost anymore than a normal overhanging gutter.

This way there will be no overhang and you just put the downpipe at the end and into a gully on your side. I’ve seen it don’t a few times to get over the same problem you have.

takemetomars · 16/07/2021 19:49

@HouseyHouse21

All fine so far, but he's also said he wants to agree what will happen with the guttering and drainage before we submit our plans.

The architect doing my plans has been quite unhelpful and just says that level of detail won't be specified until the building control stage.

Bring your extension in and don't build along the boundary. Don't let him do that in the future either. Or move. It sounds fraught with potential issues

coogee · 17/07/2021 17:31

Don't let him do that in the future either.

How do you stop somebody building up to their boundary?

CasperGutman · 18/07/2021 06:55

Bring your extension in and don't build along the boundary. Don't let him do that in the future either. Or move. It sounds fraught with potential issues

If you both end up extending then a shared party wall on the boundary is a better plan than two separate walls with a tiny gap between. That situation is a maintenance nightmare, often leading to damp.

So, unless you've enough space to leave a gap big enough for maintenance access, even in the event that the neighbour builds to their boundary, better to agree to share a wall.

StatesOfMatter · 18/07/2021 07:58

I can understand your neighbours concern. I walked away from a house that was otherwise perfect because neighbours had built an extension and their guttering went over into the land I was interested in buying and would have restricted my options. To those saying it makes no difference it does have a detrimental affect on the other house and it’s future sales price.

OP glad you are looking at accommodating your neighbours concerns. Wish more people would do that.

Original poster

HouseyHouse21 · 18/07/2021 15:52

Thanks for the opinions. I'm bought into the idea of sharing a wall, that's fine.

Removing the roof pitch seems to at least partially solve the problem, as there's presumably less risk of rainwater collecting in the valley that it would create.

And the extra light that we'd be giving him with such a small slope is pretty minimal anyway.

But even with a flat roof, I've briefly looked into the recessed / box guttering options and they seem fraught with problems. Is there any other way of doing it, does anyone know?

OP posts:

Chumleymouse · 18/07/2021 21:36

I’d keep the pitched roof over a flat roof any day , a low pitch of 15 degrees will have very little impact on his light.

The recessed gutting is not much different to a normal overhanging one . Something like this is easy to achieve.

Chumleymouse · 18/07/2021 21:37

All those parts can be bought off the shelf.

Rollercoaster1920 · 18/07/2021 21:50

Just slope your roof towards your garden, not the boundary wall. If 'flat', low pitch, or 45 degree slope it'll work. I don't see why your architect is struggling with this. It's really standard.

Your neighbour needs to think about his design too so the shared wall works for both.

Original poster

HouseyHouse21 · 19/07/2021 09:19

Yes @Rollercoaster1920 I think you're absolutely correct, seems so obvious now you've suggested it. I will put this to them. No clue why they didn't come up with that idea on their own.

OP posts:

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