This will require the 100 mm waste line to be extended in to the void area in the undercroft.

While we are doing this, there are quite a few aspects of the existing plumbing that need improvement.

In an attempt to save myself some expense, I am exposing all the existing waste piping so that Richard, our plumber, does not need to charge me for it.

I spent the whole Saturday lifting bricks, slabs and other obstacles to access this area.

I am still not finished - maybe another day of digging is required.

(I will have some photographs in the next few days)

Also while I am at it I while cut back the earthen wall next to the void area.

I have long been concerned about excluding moisture from this wall once I enclose the void as a work shop.

However, now that the pine trees are gone, there is nothing to stop me from cutting this wall back by at least another 500 mm - giving me a good separation.

This will be very hard work but well worth it.

Also, it will make access for the plumber so much easier.

Thursday

Richard is coming in about a week's time.

This will give me time to expose the entirety of the existing plumbing.

I have sent him one of these photographs and he tells me that he will completely remove the existing work and start again.

I have to say that I agree with him:

(1) Two of the junctions are 90 degrees instead of the required 45 degrees.

(2) I thought I was helping when I cemented the toilet in place myself but this forced the previous plumber to use a repair to make the connection - tree roots are invading through the bottom edge of the repair.

(3) The DT needs to be moved around the corner, near the laundry waste, away from the gas bottles to comply with regulations.

(4) The elbow on the vanity waste is broken.

(5) There is another 100 mm repair (not yet exposed) where the tree removers dropped their cherry picker stabiliser many years ago.

(6) I must have disturbed the toilet waste seal when I was digging as there is a slow drip, drip coming out of the floor waste pipe.

(7) The tap at the back door is double headed so that I can attach a single reticulation valve - I want to restore this to a single tap and install the second tap on an existing, unutilised riser near the front veranda.

Friday

I spent much of the day exposing the last run of the waste line back to the tank.

This involved a lot of restacking of the scaffolding planks, discarding white ant eaten pallets, and lifting of heavy slabs.

I also dug a little deeper on the previous excavation to expose the gas line and hot and cold water lines.