What lies beneath?

I've got so many questions to ask so apologies if numerous new threads start springing up especially in this forum with my name attached. I believe it's important to separate the questions into their own thread since I'm guessing they need to be dealt with separately even though it's the same lawn!

My first question was going to be about the condition of the lawn since my first post but I stumbled upon this whilst raking the lawn. This question is probably more suited in a DIY or Builder's forum but I'm thinking maybe someone might have come across this before or it's a common sight under a lawn.



I've discovered a hole in the ground with what looks like some kind of drainage even tough it's just a few inches below the lawn. Yesterday, we had a pretty heavy downpour that resulted in a bit of mess (see photos) from this drainage. Would anyone know if this drainage is redundant or it does have an important purpose? I am hoping to dig this area up to redo and extend the patio so I'm also hoping I won't meet any obstacles such as this and if I do, can simply remove them?

Thanks very much and hope you can help.

 

Easiest way is to dig around the area if it is a drain you'll soon find a drainage pipe, could it have been a old outside toilet not blanked off ?

 

Thanks, I am planning to dig around it. I've put my hand down the hole and can feels drains, I think one of them leads to the current patio 2-brick wall (see picture). I don't know much about drainage but I'm thinking, surely whatever I dig up in that area to make way for the new patio can't be related to house drainage? Surely they will be too shallow in the ground for that sort of thing?

 

Drains can be laid not were you expect, it could drop down under the patio and connect to the house drains, if it rained hard it could have backed up to that level.
Our drains on our house are only 8" below the ground

 

Thanks, that interesting.

This project looks like it's no longer a DIY one unfortunately, boo-hoo!

I've inspected the debris around this hole and can see it's got a lot of bird poo and decayed moss in it. I'm now assuming that's come from the guttering. It's all very weird to me, I don't understand what's it doing in the middle of the garden. Maybe this is why the previous owner only built a short patio. I think my budget is going to take a major hit or something's dead in the water!

Thanks again.

 

I have a few ideas on this.

1. If your property is of a mature age then the hole and pipe/s could be from a disused septic tank and have been filled in. I came across one in a previous garden of mine and I'd got quite a large hole opening up because the soil had moved away and revealed it.

2. Something to do with a soakaway, possibly functioning separately from but in conjunction with a septic tank for household liquid waste. Or, straightforward pipework entering a still used soakaway for guttering/downpipe to drain into.

3. Could possibly be drainage for your garden, if your soil is clay somebody in the past may have laid it to take excess water away to prevent flooding.

It may be an idea to speak with your neighbours to see if they can shed any light on it. Also, if you have access to your house deeds the pipework may show up on those.

 

Thanks again Sheal, I was going to try and see if I could get some plans but it seems they're rarely accurate from what I've read. Nevertheless I will phone the council on Monday.

The property was built (apparently) around 1971 in a development so I don't think there was a tank of some sort, but you never know!

I'm hoping it is your option three because I think that would make it less complicated! I guess there's no harm digging around it to see what's there. It's not like I've got a beautiful lawn to mess up at the moment!

Thanks again.

 

A 1971 build is unlikely to have had septic tank drainage as you say. Let's hope it's the lesser of the evils!

 

How big is the hole across, I know the talk is of drainage, my first thought was rotary clothes line.