looking to remove concrete pad in garden - but it contains a inspection chamber

Hi all,

I wonder if I could get your advice?

There is a old concrete pad in our garden. It used to have a gargage standing on it. But we took the garage down. We're now looking to remove the pad itself and turn it back to soil/grass. We have a breaker - and I have worked away at the thickest corner of the pad. It will take a while - but will break up. However, there is an inspection chamber located in the pad. So I'm not sure what to do (see photos).

Photo 1. Inspection chamber cover.
Photo 2. Inside inspection chamber. (The channels at the bottom of the chamber start at about 5 brick widths down.)
Photo 3. Concrete pad with IC (IC right of shot, behind compost bin!)

My questions:
1. Can we still take up the pad ourselves? (any UK rules or regs. we are breaking?)
2. Presumably it is not sensible to use the breaker too close to the inspection chamber... but how far should we stay away?
3. Anything else we haven't thought of?

Yes, if we remove the concrete it seems likely that the inspection chamber will end up stand proud of the surronding soil. Thats OK with us for now. Just want to get rid of the pad.

Thanks in advance.

mvdct said:

1. Can we still take up the pad ourselves? (any UK rules or regs. we are breaking?)

Click to expand...

No problem with you breaking the pad up yourselves.

mvdct said:

2. Presumably it is not sensible to use the breaker too close to the inspection chamber... but how far should we stay away?

Click to expand...

Cut through the slab maybe 450mm away from the chamber on all sides using a disc cutter - using a breaker will more than likely disturb the chamber sides.

mvdct said:

3. Anything else we haven't thought of?

Click to expand...

Get the skip ordered and prepare to be surprised by just how much broken concrete there will be!

thank you @newboy.

sounds like solid advice to me. very happy with that.

anyone else with any thoughts?

Remove a couple of courses of brick from the manhole so it sits lower.

Ian H said:

Remove a couple of courses of brick from the manhole so it sits lower.

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Of course. I guess it really is that easy, isn't it. Thanks @Ian H