Soakaways in East Dulwich that stop water pooling and protect your home’s foundations. We design, test and install compliant systems—crate or rubble—built for Southwark gardens and driveways.
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If you’re seeing puddling after heavy rain or overflowing gullies, a properly designed soakaway can make a dramatic difference. We install new systems and upgrade failing ones across SE22, including around Lordship Lane and Dulwich Park. Each installation is sized to your roof and hardstanding area, not guesswork. The result is controlled dispersal of rainwater with less risk of damp and surface water issues.
East Dulwich homes—Victorian terraces, Edwardian houses and period conversions—often have tight side access and mature gardens that need careful planning. Older drainage runs can be shallow, shared, or poorly mapped, especially where extensions have been added over time. We work neatly around existing patios, paths and planting while keeping disruption low. For properties near Peckham Rye and Dulwich Village, we’re used to protecting finishes and reinstating surfaces cleanly.
Our process starts with percolation tests and sizing calculations, then we recommend the best solution: crate systems, rubble soakaways, or a hybrid where appropriate. We install inspection chambers for future access, connect downpipes correctly, and confirm compliance with Building Regs where required. You’ll get clear documentation, tidy workmanship, and practical maintenance advice. Homeowners choose us because we diagnose the cause, not just the symptoms, and we stand behind our work.
Ground conditions vary in the soakaways East Dulwich area, so we test rather than assume performance. Many SE22 streets have limited parking and narrow access, so we plan deliveries, spoil removal and working hours carefully. Period properties can have shallow services and mixed drainage layouts, so we locate runs and protect existing pipework. We also adapt designs to garden levels and boundaries to avoid water migrating to neighbouring plots.
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Costs vary with size, access and whether you need new connections or repairs. As a guide, a small rubble soakaway for a single downpipe might start around £900–£1,800. A modern crate system with geotextile, inspection chamber and new pipework is often £1,800–£4,500+. Complex jobs—poor access, deeper excavations, multiple downpipes or reinstatement of paving—can reach £5,000–£8,000+.
Most installations take 1–2 days for a straightforward single-downpipe soakaway with good access. Larger crate systems serving multiple downpipes or driveways typically take 2–4 days, especially if reinstatement is required. Timescales depend on excavation depth, spoil removal, service diversions, and whether percolation testing or additional drainage runs are needed. We’ll confirm a schedule after a site visit in SE22.
In many cases, soakaways and garden drainage works are permitted and don’t require planning permission. However, rules can change if you’re working near boundaries, altering levels significantly, or dealing with listed buildings or conservation areas. Building Regulations may apply to certain connections and discharge arrangements, and you must avoid directing water into the public sewer without permission. We check the relevant requirements and advise you before work starts.
Yes. We provide a 10-year warranty on our workmanship for soakaway installations, covering defects arising from installation errors such as poor connections, incorrect assembly or inadequate protection of the system. The warranty doesn’t cover blockages caused by misuse, lack of maintenance, or extreme weather events beyond design assumptions. We also fit inspection chambers where appropriate to make future checks and maintenance straightforward.
We install modern crate systems wrapped in geotextile for high-capacity storage, traditional rubble soakaways where suitable, and hybrid designs when space is limited. Options include different crate volumes, pipe diameters, silt traps, and inspection chambers for access. We choose the design based on percolation test results, available footprint, nearby services, and what you’re draining (roof, patio, driveway). You’ll get a clear recommendation with pros and cons.
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