Underground services

[cjgarlick]

Morning List -

I recently pulled out the hedge along the front of my property, bordering the pavement, to replace it with a fence.

Was digging down last week for some fence post holes, and found (barely below the surface) what I initially took to be the footings of an old wall (it's an old-ish property, approx 100 yrs).

This runs right along my property, under where the hedge was, and consists of (from top down)

1 course of blue bricks
1 course of ordinary house bricks
1 bed of extremely hard concrete, which I can't get through !!!! It bent the chisel on my biggest SDS hammer drill.

Before I hire a serious Breaker from handihire or somewhere, I thought it prudent to check with the list - is it at all possible that what I have here is a protective covering over (eg) a water main, gas main, etc etc?

As far as I'm aware, such underground services are normally covered in pea shingle...but I'm not certain and I REALLY don't want to go at it hell for leather with a pneumatic monster that might not go slowly enough for me to check as I go.

Comments gratefully received - thanks all.

 

[breezer]

i have never seen pea shingle put down a hole before filling (you know the holes the utility companies dig)

could you not dig a hole next to it, go further down and slightly across to see what is under what you have found?

 

[cjgarlick]

Cheers Breezer - good bit of lateral thinking (pardon the pun...). Can't believe I didn't think of that !! Did as you suggest and all is fine - job now done, thanks for your help.