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Author: Subject: Filling an Inspection Pit
motorcycle_mayhem

posted on 23/11/16 at 05:47 PM Reply With Quote
Filling an Inspection Pit

Hoping to get some ideas of how to go about filling an inspection pit.
From the outset, no, this is not a post questioning the safety, usefulness or 'value' related to an inspection pit. I have my own answers to that debate, but no concrete (pun intended) plan on filling the pit should I decide to go for it.

It's a wide, long, deep (over 6 ft) commercial pit, no steps. Well built, block walls, concrete floor. Minimal ledge for a cover. It's damp in summer, but dry. It takes in water in the winter, to the water table depth. Now ca. 2 feet. It sits inconveniently at the garage door entrance, defining vehicle access straight over the top of it, making the space in the garage less useful than it could be, but easy access for filling material.

So...

Sand, followed by gravel, followed by hardcore, with a concrete/rebar top?
Soil?

Would you line it first, or allow the water table to ebb and flow?

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cliftyhanger

posted on 23/11/16 at 06:03 PM Reply With Quote
Difficult to keep it permanently dry.
I would think about clean brick/concrete hardcore, wacked down. Then few inches of coarse aggregate to blind the hardcore (though if thoroughly wacked down, it may not be needed), and finish with 4-6" concrete.

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LBMEFM

posted on 23/11/16 at 06:28 PM Reply With Quote
As above, compacted hardcore, blind with sharp sand, plastic membrane topped with100mm of floated concrete. Look in local paper or on facebook etc your guaranteed to find some one local with rubble to get rid of, just make sure it does not contain any organic material such as wood etc. Bricks, concrete, paving slabs are ideal just make sure you break them up and compact them well.

quote: "Would you line it first, or allow the water table to ebb and flow?" No need to line it, ebb & flow where are you exactly?.

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02GF74

posted on 23/11/16 at 07:06 PM Reply With Quote
List it on ebay, somebody will take it away.






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morcus

posted on 23/11/16 at 07:09 PM Reply With Quote
6mm hardboard.

Just remember not to walk on it...





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Mash

posted on 23/11/16 at 07:15 PM Reply With Quote
Ironically, I'm about to dig one, maybe I could buy yours

Seriously though, I'm going to cover mine with 6x2s

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obfripper

posted on 23/11/16 at 07:48 PM Reply With Quote
If you paint it with tanking slurry (not to be confused with farming slurry!) it will dry out within a month and will stay dry but breathable.
You can then do the hardcore/sand/dpm/steel mesh/concrete to finish with no worries of rising water levels.

Dave

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motorcycle_mayhem

posted on 23/11/16 at 08:27 PM Reply With Quote
Thanks for the guidance, consensus appears to be that lining is not required. Any more guidance on this is welcome, should you differ.

I have plenty of hardcore to fill, left by the previous occupiers (cheers), including a stack of paving slabs.

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JoelP

posted on 23/11/16 at 09:48 PM Reply With Quote
I filled one recently. Just threw in loads of hardcore, topped with 3 inches of concrete. A proper job would be an inch of sand over compacted hardcore, then a membrane, then 4-6 inch of concrete. Not a difficult job. I see no need to tank the hole.





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theconrodkid

posted on 23/11/16 at 10:09 PM Reply With Quote
I filled one with most of a ford capri and any other junk laying around,some hardcore and concrete over the top and job done.





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pass the pork pies

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loggyboy

posted on 23/11/16 at 10:21 PM Reply With Quote
I would frame out in timber and/or metal and try to retain. Seems a shame to delete permanently.

[Edited on 23-11-16 by loggyboy]





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coozer

posted on 24/11/16 at 12:23 AM Reply With Quote
Mine has about 2" when its raining so I'm going to dig a sump, stick a pump in it to fill the toilet up and reduce our water bill..





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nick205

posted on 24/11/16 at 08:56 AM Reply With Quote
I'd fill it with rubble (source from a local builder), compacted hardcore then a membrane and floated concrete to finish. Personally I'd love a pit, but awkward placement would be a PITA. Also, for a 7 jacks and axle stands work fine.






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Matt21

posted on 24/11/16 at 11:30 AM Reply With Quote
Make a 'lid' for it instead

Bolt some 2" angle iron to the inside of the pit walls 4" +18mm below the garage floor, lay in some 6x4 sleepers across the width of the pit and then screw a sheet of 18mm OSB across the top flush with the floor. Then if you decide you need it or a future owner does, they just take it all out.
Or forget the OSB and pour a thin layer of cement on top of the sleepers for a more permanent/hidden look, but still easy to dig back out if ever required.

I know I'd be annoyed if I bought a house and found out it had a pit but the previous owner had filled it in! haha





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Ivan

posted on 24/11/16 at 11:48 AM Reply With Quote
I would use compacted hardcore/builders rubble with no fines to 4" below floor level, then geofabric then 4" of concrete. - if there are fines in the hardcore the changing water level winter to summer will redistribute them causing voids and ultimately changes in the surface profile so try to get clean hardcore. The geofabric is not really necessary but will stop the concrete fines from running into the hardcore before it sets.
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Mr Whippy

posted on 24/11/16 at 01:03 PM Reply With Quote
their great for hiding dead bodies in

anyone you don't like?...

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benchmark51

posted on 24/11/16 at 01:14 PM Reply With Quote
you can have the wife and her mother foc!
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02GF74

posted on 24/11/16 at 06:05 PM Reply With Quote
Can it not be waterporoofed and used for storage such as a wine cellar?






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motorcycle_mayhem

posted on 24/11/16 at 07:32 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Ivan
- if there are fines in the hardcore the changing water level winter to summer will redistribute them causing voids and ultimately changes in the surface profile so try to get clean hardcore.


Thanks for that, yes, I can see the issue with fines. The diggings from the hallway floor (basically sharp sand, no cement) won't be used as infill.

Thanks again for the 'lid' comment. Yes, I had considered that, but no, I have decided not to. I don't really trust the Land Rover sitting on a structure, above a swimming pool.

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owelly

posted on 24/11/16 at 10:09 PM Reply With Quote
I filled mine in for the same reasons you are. It was in a bad position and filled with water. I don't like pits as I know a couple of guys who have died in them and one got severely burnt, all because of gasses that had collected at the bottom.
I filled mine with rubble. It was old roof tiles, broken concrete and old plaster on the top. All batted down and watered. I left it for a few weeks then ran the whacker plate over it then topped with 4" of concrete.





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Mr Whippy

posted on 25/11/16 at 12:49 PM Reply With Quote
yeah fumes at the bottom...we had one when I was a teen and it was always a worry to go in if a car had been run in the garage was damn handy though and kind of miss not having one
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