Need Help/Advise on 80K repair bill

[cKone]

Dear All Expert Plumbers,

I have a huge problem in our Townhouses. It is a block of 5 units and one of the unit having a problem with overflow gully in the backyard (looks like it is sewerage). Two different plumbers have attended the site but none of them could clear the blockage.

We live in a busy road, and the camera can go past the first lane of the road (The road is 70 zone with three lanes in it). According to both plumbers, the only way to fix it is to excavate the road.

We have not been given the exact quote yet but it might cost around 80K. It is a strata plan units and and the moment we only have 1K left.

I have some questions:
1. Who responsible to pay the bill? Sydney Water? Council? Builder? (I believe the building is still under warranty)
2. Health inspector from Council got involved (Thanks to one of the owner) and we have been given 14 days to fix it or we get fined and the repair will be carried out by council and all expenses to be paid by the owner.
3. I am the executive member for the strata and don't know what else I can do

Anyone please help, I can't afford 20K repair bill.

P.S: We had the same problem a year or two ago and Sydney water paid the repair bill. But this time they said no.

Thanks

[ian]

Questions you need to answer

A) Is it sewerage or storm water ?
B) Does each unit have it's own outfall sewerage connection to Sydney Water's main or is there a common line ?
C) Can you locate the sewer diagram for the property — it should be with the title papers — where are the sewer connections located?

your questions
1) If it's the same problem as last time and in the same place that Sydney Water repaired then it's Sydney Water's problem — the arguement being that that Sydney Water didn't do a proper repair last time. Write and tell council.
But if the problem is that the outlet pipe is too close to the road surface, then it looks more like your problem. You might be able to sue the builder or the building certifier for negligence after you've paid for the fix. But be warned their insurance companies known you have no spare cash and will try to starve you into submission. But again if Council was the certifier you may be laughing.

check the strata legislation and regulations
1) If I remember correctly, a cost like this has to come out of the Sinking Fund not the Admin fund and you can't swap funds from one account to another.
2) you may be able to morgage the common property and thus spread the cost over a longer period. This gets really tricky as only those owners who can't stump up the cash on the spot are liable to repay the loan and interest.


good luck

[cKone]

a. It is sewerage
b. I believe it is a common line
c. I will send a message to you for the diagram

[ian]

First up I'm not a plumber

However, Woodville Rd is controlled by the RTA who will probably demand a large deposit up front before your contractor can dig the road up to carry out the repair.
Given this I suggest that the engaging Council to carry out the repair might be the least stressful option. At least council will give you time to gather the funds together to pay the bill.

Secondly not being a plumber it's unclear to me whether the rear two units are connected to the Woodville Rd sewer line or drain to the rear of the block.
This might be important in terms of whether the cost is shared between three or five owners — check this very carefully.
link to cKone's sewer diagram http://users.tpg.com.au/wkhouw/Diagram.tif

I know Woodville Rd, I'd be very surprised if the sewer is under the road itself. Most likely it is under the footpath on the other side of the road.
Either way it is probable that the line from the last trap in your property to the sewer line has been extant since Woodville Rd was widened in the early 1960s. So little likelihood of joy through building warranty or the certifier.

If the sewer is under the opposite footpath, a new sewer line thrust bored across the road is probably your cheapest option.


ian

[cKone]

Unit 4,5 are connected to the tank at the back and there is a pump to pump it out.

[cKone]

The last two units are connected to some sort of tank at the back yard on the last unit. I believe there is a pump that pump it out to the street or unit 3.