NSW Issues with potential PPOR

Hey guys. Hoping this is the right place to post about this matter and get some advice.

I am looking buy a house and upon inspection there are a 2 things that concerned me which you can see in the attached image:

Issue 1:

The pipe on the right goes up-to the 2nd level of the house and inside the house. According to the REA, this pipe is the toilet drainage pipe. Which I think is a sewer pipe for the upstairs toilets. I have never seen sewer pipes in the open and visible. Is this of concern?

Also, you can see the pipe goes underground and I believe it runs all the way to the end of the backyard where there is a sewer pit.

There is a small alfresco to the left of pipe. The distance between the alfresco and that pipe is around 2 meters. I plan on extending the alfresco with a deck/patio/pergola. Is the close proximity to that pipe going to be an issue in terms of building additional structures?

Issue 2:

In the second image you can see the part that does not have bricks. According to the REA, the part that is not bricked is the house slab and cannot be bricked. On the left side it has bricks on the same level as the part that does not have bricks because the house slab for those 2 parts are not on the same level. The left side which has bricks, has the slab on a lower level than on the right side. Should I be concerned about this?

Issue 3:

Something like what is shown in image 3 is located at the very end of the backyard. And the contract has listed the following easements:

- Easements to drain water appurtenant to the land
- Easements to drain water appurtenant to the land
- Easements to drain water effecting the parts shown in the title diagram
- Restrictions on the use of land

Will these easements prevent me from building a deck/patio/pergola in the backyard?

Any advice is appreciated.

I will get a building inspection done if I were to proceed with the property. But wanted to get your thoughts on the issues.

Thanks.

 

1. yep, looks like a sewer pipe to me and it has a screw cap for access in case you have a blockage. it will probably run to the nearest Boards Sewer connection point. this PVC line is yours and you can build over it. Refer to your lots sewer connection diagram for the location of the boards sewer.
It is only the Boards main line you can't touch, damage or build over. But there are some exemptions. see attached.
http://www.sydneywater.com.au/web/g...ments/document/zgrf/mdc2/~edisp/dd_076198.pdf
It is common to see pipes running on the outside of walls. usually when they are not readily visible from the street. you will also typically see it on all the old terrace houses built in the early 1900's.

2. not quite sure what you are referring to here. But if it is a concern with the lower course of bricks, and guessing from the photo there could be a step down on the slab and the bricks just sit on this. A licensed builder can identify any issues here (if at all)

3.

this means that your property benefits from a drainage easement to drain water and the lot burdened is adjacent
to you.

your lot will have a drainage easement (burdened) that benefits an adjoining property. it will be shown on the Deposited Plan, or the easement dealing annexure as the case may be. At a guess, it's probably running parallel and adjacent to your rear or side boundary.

the terms of the restriction will also be either attached to the DP 88b document or dealing.
Another guess would be it refers to some kind of On Site Detention System.
but it could be something else so confirm on the documents.

 

Thank you for the detailed response @bmc

This house was built around 2017-2018. Should I be concerned that such a new house has sewer pipes running outside the walls at the back of the house? Will the smell be a concern?

Do you mean the sewer pit? If I am reading the sewer diagram correctly, there is a inspection shaft near my back fence and along my neighbour's back fence there is a pit/hole.

So when a building inspection is done, the inspector can identify if there is any issues with the slab and the bricks?

There is a rainwater tank and underground irrigation system installed. Is this an On Site Detention System?

I will speak to my conveyancer to get further details on the easements and how it would effect me.

 

Issue 1 - I believe these PVC sewer lines are quite common in recent builds, the cap allows a point for a plumber to insert a camera or eel of there are blockages.

Issue 2 - The bricks sit on top of the slab, hence the bricks can't extend below the slab level. Is there a change in levels inside the house?

Issue 3 - Looks like a pit as part of your stormwater system, also very common and possibly related to on site detention. Try to get some understanding of what system is in your backyard to help with your future plans.

 

sewer pipes dont smell unless there is a leak. And if there is a leak a gyprock wall wont stop the smell.

 

It is a double storey house. But there is no additional change in levels inside the house. But from what I can see the alfresco is on a slightly lower level compared to the first ground level of the house.

What preventative measures can I take to protect it from the UV and weather? Put conduits around it?

Wouldn't all houses have some part of the sewer pipe running inside the house?

@bmc

Sorry. I should have been more clear. The stormwater drainage image relates to issue 3. I was asking if the storm water pipes running through my backyard and the drain water easements would prevent me from building a deck/patio/pergola in the backyard?

 

the pipes will outlast you.

of course some part of the sewer pipes will be internal to discharge from your sinks, floor waste, shower, toilet etc. But at some point they need to leave the house. it appears that yours exit the top level and run down the wall. as fore-mentioned its standard construction.

it will obviously depend on where the pipes are. it is best to keep clear of the easement but you can build a minor structure over a drainage easement. but take note that if you ever need to repair or replace the pipes the deck/pavers/pergola may need to be removed for access.

 

Do you guys know what is a "Flood related development control"?

According to my solicitor, this property is subject to "Flood related development control" and I have to advice my home insurance company of this which may result in a higher insurance premium.

If I need further information on the flood control, I was asked to contact my council by my solicitor.

I contacted the council and they advised that I have to lodge an information request on the property and they may (no guarantees) have additional information on the flood related development controls on the property. This will take around 20 working days and by that time I would be outside the cooling of period.

Form what I know of the suburb, it is not in a flood zone or flood risk area. If anything the suburb is on a higher altitude compared to the surrounding suburbs and there are no creeks, lakes or rivers nearby. Some parts of the suburb are hilly, but my street is not in a hilly part.

I also got a few insurance quotes and they are not higher compared to the current property that I am living in and the cost is reasonable for a averaged sized home in an average suburb.

I also checked the property address via ePlanning Spatial Viewer and cannot see indication of flood planning or flood risk under the Hazards section.