Deejay_2

Just a quick update as not much has happened. Still waiting for confirmation of "commencement" from BCO. Have just paid diggerman - £560 which I think is reasonable for 2 trial holes, one 8 m trench 1.2 m deep, and exposing massive roots of conifer. Two visits in all. Grinder coming to deal with conifer stump on 30 June so will post photos.

The different BCO called today. He said the trench is fine. I asked about part back filling the trench but he said no as that would mean we had not "commenced" the work, which I know is right. I am just concerned about the nearness of the wall to an open trench. I am now in a quandry as to what to do. He said get the concrete in but we wanted this to be as least expensive as possible in case I die in the near future and the proposal is abandoned and also due to our current financial situation (plus not 100% certain of diggerman's setting abilities - will get a professional to set out the whole site before any further excavation is done). So Should we purchase some OSB boards and cover the trench, plus cover the OSB with heavy duty plastic sheeting, leaving the soil dug out piled up at the side of the trench. Wait to receive the commencement email and then wait a further couple of weeks before asking the diggerman to come back and refill the trench. I'm not dishonest by nature and if they found out and retracted the commencement proof, we'd have to dig it all out again and be back where we are now. Is there any reason they would find out. No one else can see the trench. I would hope the diggerman wouldn't blab but he is a bit of a gossip. Put in the concrete which we really don't want to do. Any opinions on what individuals would do in my situation would be much appreciated.

OK - the stump man has been out - he has asked that we dig about a 6 ft square 10" deep area in front of the stump to form a sort of ramp for him to get his machine in. If we do this he will be able to get most of the stump out I think. He is busy for a few weeks so it won't be immediate - £180 which I think is reasonable. We have a different BCO coming out tomorrow to inspect the trench - I'm going to suggest we at least partially backfill the newly dug trench as it is quite near the wall and if it remains just a trench for example say 18 months it might weaken the wall's structure. If he says that's OK, we'll probably backfill completely to be on the safe side. The other BCO said we can't backfill as it would mean we had not commenced work. We are not doing any concreting at this time. The tree stump situation is interesting so I'll post as things progress. Next thing BCO.

New trench showing Holly tree roots.

Diggerman arrived at 8.15 am. 8.15 Diggerman arrived. I checked with him what he was going to do and explained that I was concerned about whether the rear elevation measurement on the drawing matched the space available. I have had large laminated plans done so that they had something clear to refer to. 9.30 (After tea and biscuits) they had drawn the southern elevation and I went to check. The measurement across was approx 13 m and we needed 14 to accommodate 12 m elevation with 1 m each side. What they had marked out (and I’m sure would not have consulted me about before starting to dig) was totally off the mark The plot is not square and to do it the way they intended would have made it very difficult for a car approaching the garage doors to drive in without having to negotiate. The diggerman boss kept referring to me being a “whittler” and fusspot. I said surely it’s better to agree on the building’s position before the excavation starts. This is what I mean about the way men in these sorts of trades still regard. It gave me a headache having to stand my ground so firmly. 10 am and not started digging. The BCO has just turned up and not pleased as the trench has not been dug. When I arranged the visit with their office I said I would phone the BCO when the trench was ready to be inspected but the person who did the booking failed to make a note of this so I am in the bad books again. He said he’d rebook it for tomorrow. So all my careful plans to get everything done today as regards trench and BCO have now gone awry. 10.30 diggerman boss went to another job and his employee excavated the newly placed trench. Good soil but a lot of holly roots see pic. He also dug around the tree stump which is enormous with some massive roots. He is unable to take it out so will need to be ground out and the stump buster man is coming this pm to advise on next move, which I will report. The photo doesn't show how enormous the tap root is and which runs right across the proposed foundation.

Thank you. So having uploaded the photos is the general concensus that what we are going to do on Thursday (as post above) is OK and we won't be making problems for ourselves when we return at sometime in the nearish future to recommence work.

I don't have a mobile phone so using camera. I don't upload many photos so can usually manage. The stuff that has been removed - the sandy coloured part - is crumbly between my fingers, but not fine, and is full of bits of stone. I was unable to push a pole into the bottom as I didn't feel safe. I can't see any clay but I am no expert. Do the pictures help - I've uploaded another one.

Second photo. (I will poke the bottom of the trench with a pole and get back to you)

Here goes - I think my files are too big and I don't know how to reduce them. Yep, it's saying I'm exceeding something or other. I'll do another post.

I would say dry sandy coloured with stones in it. Would a photo help, bearing in mind I only seem able to add one photo!!!

Hi and thank you. Does all this apply if the soil is not clay. We have good soil and the trial pits dug at 1.2 m have no water in them even though it poured most of last week. Also no caving in of either pit. The BCO has said the fill should be 1.2 m deep throughout with him assuming the tree stump is removed or ground down. The diggerman is coming on Thursday to refill the trial holes and dig one trench (south elevation whereas stump is north elevation). BCO will inspect the trench and we should receive a commencement notice, which is what we are seeking (before 15 June 23). Following the trench dig, the diggerman will try and remove the stump by digging around it which will encroach upon the proposed northern elevation foundation area. If he is unable to remove the stump he will ask a grinder to grind it down (he will be able to go deeper as a result of the work done by the diggerman). Because we are not digging the northern elevation trench at this time I am trying, from your drawing, to establish whether what we intend doing will marry up with your suggestion ie dig around stump and either nudge or pull out (unlikely I know) and if unsuccessful employ a specialist grinder to grind it down as much as possible. The area will have time to settle as we are not undertaking further work at this time. The drawings are really useful and we shall refer to them in the future but I would like to be sure the work undertaken this week in removing the stump will not prevent us following your plan at a later date. Many thanks and I have my camera ready.

Update I'll dispense with all my frustrations this week, mainly getting groundworker to give a firm day/time and then awkward BCO tel con when he was very offhand with me. In the end, the trial pit excavation this morning and the inspection by the BCO turned out to be a pleasant experience. So two trial pits were dug to 1.2 m this morning. The ground is loam and is great, therefore no problem with the tree roots from the trees in the churchyard. The BCO was lovely and helpful when he came out to inspect and is allowing us to dig a trench the length of one side of the elevation - he emphasised that this is a concession to enable us to have deemed to have commenced work before 15 June. Digger man coming next week to backfill the trial pits and dig one elevation trench 8 m x 1.2 m depth (BCO said all trenches to be 1.2 m deep unless we hit anything unusual). Therefore no especially deep trenches where the stump is. He says once dug, we can't backfill the trench we are digging as this would in effect mean we had not "started" so at the moment we intend covering the 8 m length with OSB boards and strong plastic sheeting. (I suppose we could backfill once we have confirmation of commencement?) The digger man will also excavate around the tree stump as much as possible and then, I think, get stump grinder man in. He doesn't seem phased with it at all. All in all a successful day and fantastic news about the loam soil. From this experience I would say trial pits are a must. I'll report further next week after trench is dug and tree stump out, hopefully with photos.

After your comment I emailed the BCO and he confirmed that they will inspect the trial pit and will request a soil test only if necessary. So thanks for that, all being well you have just saved me £70 incl p&p.

OK - got it!! We are to going to attemp to remove the tree stump long before digging the trench which is why I couldn't quite get it. I suspect we shall also need a stump grinder. Thank you.

Hi - I am having difficulty imagining this but will copy it and print off to see if anyone can relate it to our stump. At least it proves there's a way around it. Thank you.