Hi,
I'm currently planning a single storey extension on my house and it is my intention to build right to the boundary. On one side this will mean digging footings along the property boundary - right alongside my neighbour's existing extension. I have dug a small hole to check their foundation and it goes down approx 1m, which is what mine will be. My question is, is it safe to excavate directly alongside the existing footing?
I have attached a diagram. The neighbour's extension foundation (green) will sit directly next to the proposed foundation for my new extension (red). I will have to dig down where the dotted yellow line is, and it is this that concerns me. I will be removing the earth along the side of the foundation. If this method is not safe, what other alternative is there? We don't have enough width in the garden to build away from the boundary and leave a gap.
I'm currently planning a single storey extension on my house and it is my intention to build right to the boundary. On one side this will mean digging footings along the property boundary - right alongside my neighbour's existing extension. I have dug a small hole to check their foundation and it goes down approx 1m, which is what mine will be. My question is, is it safe to excavate directly alongside the existing footing?
I have attached a diagram. The neighbour's extension foundation (green) will sit directly next to the proposed foundation for my new extension (red). I will have to dig down where the dotted yellow line is, and it is this that concerns me. I will be removing the earth along the side of the foundation. If this method is not safe, what other alternative is there? We don't have enough width in the garden to build away from the boundary and leave a gap.