Aghh! I can push a 9inch screwdriver under my house wall!

[Michael65]

My house is rendered, but where the previous owners re-did the driveway there is a small gap in height between where the render stops and the ground starts. The exposed bit (which is about 2cm in height) I have always assumed was old brick/stone, although it's a bit mossy in places.

Anyway, whilst prodding around I noticed that in one place I could push my finger seemingly right under the house. A bit perplexed I went and got the longest screwdriver I could find, and went back and slowly pushed it into the same place. To my amazement it slid all the way in, with no resistance.

What the hell? Should I get a surveyor out? This doesn't seem very normal.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Is it a black hole?

 

[Michael65]

If we're talking in the astronomy sense, probably not, because I wasn't pulled into another universe or transported trillions of miles to a strange planet after putting my finger in.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Hmm, I guess you're right it doesn't sound like a black hole.

 

[wakey77]

how long have you been in the house?
how long has the hose been rendered?
is the property showing any signs of movement e,g cracking up?
what you,ll most likely find is your poking into a cavity its highly unlikely your house has been built without foundations and it certainly isnt floating
before going to the expense of a surveyor id get a spade out and dig a pilot hole see exactly what it is thats troubling you.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Now there's a sensible reply.

 

[Michael65]

Not long at all. Less than a month.

Property is 1890's build, and no signs of recent movement, although internally it's got the odd quirk I guess you'd associate with an old property. Not sure how old render is. No major cracking beyond a couple of hairline ones that a surveyor looked at and had no issues with.

Photo of hole attached.

View media item 78325
Can't easily dig hole as wall borders driveway

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Driveway looks like brick paviors? Probably just need to fill it up with concrete.

 

[Michael65]

Yeah, it's brickwork paving. But don't understand why there would be a hole that seems to go right through the other side?

 

[wakey77]

with a house of that age its hard to say personally id do as freddy suggests fill it in and forget about it with a house of that age theres always going to be niggles maintenance is the key.

 

[theprinceofdarkness]

old air brick?, How long is the hole? Where is the damp course? More work required!
Frank

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

If the drive is brick you should be able to lift out a couple of bricks to investigate easily enough. You bought the wrong house if you thought you wouldn't get quirks like this.

 

[Michael65]

I'm starting to wonder whether I should have stuck with a newer build. I've got a habbit of going looking for problems, and in an old house that's the sort of thing that will seemingly drive you mad.

 

[Michael65]

On closer inspection the hole is right next to an air brick that I believe vents the subfloor space below the flooring. I think I'm just looking at where the surrounding material for the grate has failed, hence the hole.

 

[tony1851]

For heaven's sake you haven't got a problem!

If the house is 1890s, it's almost certainly solid 9" brick. Airbricks are about 3" thick. Added to that, lime mortar is soft, so you have probably just pushed the screwdriver through the vertical joint next to the airbrick. The vertical joints are often not filled well anyway so that, coupled with the soft mortar, and the void behind the airbrick, explains why your 'driver went right in.