Building near a well

[TheFamilyMan]

Hi all, newbie poster here!

We're going to be doing a remodel and renovation of a property we've moved into, and a single storey extension is going to be within a metre of an existing well. The well has a diameter of circa 1m and is 5m deep.

The builder is advising that if any foundation work is within 5m of a well it has to be supported by several boreholes around it to support? Which he said can get pricey.

Is this the only way? As I've seen in some other posts on here that a well can potentially be filled and/or bridged when actually building over them. As we're not building over it I hoped filling may just be possible?

https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/...regs-plans-due-to-a-water-well-discov.317345/

Thanks in advance!

 

[Notch7]

if the well is empty and not fed by anything, then filling it up is the cheapest option.

your well is only about 4 cubic metres

 

[TheFamilyMan]

Thanks Notch, and that is all okay in terms of building regs? Just wondered why he wouldn't have suggested that as the easiest fix.

 

[Notch7]

Thanks Notch, and that is all okay in terms of building regs? Just wondered why he wouldn't have suggested that as the easiest fix.

Ive filled in a well 16m deep and had it approved by the building inspector.
The well was dry.

I think your builder is talking about a situation where a well still fills up -in which case filling the well will mean a build up of water pressure potentially causing heave, Im only guessing, but that seems a reason for boreholes..

 

[TheFamilyMan]

I'll have to get the well pumped to find out then I guess.

Thank you, very much appreciated

 

[domdee]

seems a shame to fill it! can you not encorperate it into your extension and seal with a glass lid and light it up?

Plan of property/grounds would help give a better insight to what your situation is.

 

[clifford1]

The builder apparently thinks a borehole in some way "supports" a well -
"a well has to be supported by several boreholes around it to support?"

What do the boreholes do - relieve water pressure from a blocked-up well and gush water like when drilling for oil?

 

[Leofric]

"a well has to be supported by several boreholes around it to support?"

Maybe the builder means piled foundations to the extension

 

[TheFamilyMan]

seems a shame to fill it! can you not encorperate it into your extension and seal with a glass lid and light it up?

Plan of property/grounds would help give a better insight to what your situation is.

Sorry I don't have access to a scanner right now so have taken a photo on my phone. I measured off the original house plan which showed the well so it's in the right position. It will be pretty much touching the orangery so is even closer than I thought!

 

[Leofric]

One for a structural engineer perhaps, or a redesign of the external corner of the orangery.

 

[TheFamilyMan]

Hi, thanks for the reply, there was a retired structural engineer on site and he didn't contradict the builder. Based on the link at the top though I just hoped there may be another way as understand boreholes can be quite pricey.

 

[bernardgreen]

The water in the well could be a heat source for a heat pump system,

Provided the walls of the well are sound then it will have no significant affect on foundation close to it,

A house near here has a 10 metre deep well under the dining room floor. The owners do not know for sure but suspect the room was built after the well.