North Melbourne
Blocked, burst or leaking in North Melbourne?
Blocked drains, burst pipes and leaks in North Melbourne, from the Royal Park edge to the old West Melbourne Swamp, passed to a licensed plumber day and night.
Plumbing in North Melbourne
Land boom terraces right on the footpath
During the land boom North Melbourne became the most densely populated part of the city, and the slump that followed left most of that Victorian housing standing. Houses of that age are likely to have earthenware house drains and cast iron or galvanised water lines, so the drain is filmed before anything is quoted.
Homes run from big detached houses to terraces of every width, and setbacks are non-existent or small. With no front garden, the sewer and water connections can pass under the house or beside a party wall, so relining, or coming in from a rear lane, is often more practical than digging.
The first subdivision was hemmed in by a watercourse from Royal Park that ran south-west to the West Melbourne Swamp. Streets on that old line can collect overland flow and sit on soft ground, where drains settle and joints crack.
Jobs in North Melbourne
Party walls, old clay and low points
Pipe relining
A lining through a sewer that runs under the house or along a party wall.
CCTV drain inspection
A camera along a Victorian earthenware drain to find the crack before anyone quotes.
Gutters and downpipes
Downpipes and roof plumbing on graded terraces, with any heritage permit sorted first.
What it costs: hot water replacement cost, gutter replacement cost, toilet installation cost
North Melbourne questions
Low cottages, estate towers and heritage gradings
Why does stormwater back up in the low cottage streets?
Part of North Melbourne's old cottage ground was flood-prone, unlike the higher ground a few streets away. In heavy rain a street pit there can surcharge, so pit levels and backflow protection are checked as well as the private drain.
Who calls the plumber for a blockage in a public housing tower?
The landlord or building manager. The estate towers share drains and stacks between many homes, so consent and access are settled with management before the plumber goes in.
Can a heritage review hold up a downpipe replacement?
It can. Council's North Melbourne Heritage Review recommended changing the heritage category of 119 properties, with permanent controls still with the Planning Minister when council last reported. Visible downpipes, roof plumbing or front pipework on a precinct terrace may need a permit, so the current overlay is checked first.
