Big Hole Next To My Home's Foundation

[sheepdog]

Originally posted by Thunderbroom My wife was out in the flower bed that is adjacent to the rear of our house and noticed a large hole. I just got home from work and checked it out myself. The opening is about 6-8" in diameter and is easily a few feet deep. I looked through the opening and the hole is really large...maybe 3-4' wide at one point down deeper in the hole. I'm freaked out a bit. Where did the dirt go? Anybody have any idea what's going on?

 

 

knee jerk opinion, but sounds like a sinkhole. make sure you have sinkhole coverage on your homeowners (just in case)

[Jazz Ad]

Well, you could call me, but I'm a bit busy these days.

 

It's a job for a mason. He will be able to tell you what it is, where it comes from, how to fix it and what it will cost.

Yours seem very small but it might be the beginning of something bigger. Sinkholes do that.

How is the soil where you live ? Sand ? Chalk ? Clay ?

Did you listen to lug's mp3s in the garden ?

[bassplayinguy]

ya, if it was me id call a basement leak specialist or even a slabjacking company.. your best bet is to call the bulding inspectors department and tell them your situation, then they can point you in the right direction,

 

but most likely they will send you to a basement specialist

[Perfessor]

As fast as mine was eroding I'd call 'em tomorrow.

[Benjamin]

Jazz that picture looks Photoshopped. I know it isn't, but it looks that way.

 

We have sinkholes over here, but nobody builds near them. They are actually mindshafts. From what I have seen, our building standards to appear higher than in the US. Never seen a sinkhole, only recently in Melbourne some tunnel digging caused the corner of an apartment block to fall away!

[misterhinkydink]

Originally posted by Thunderbroom My wife was out in the flower bed that is adjacent to the rear of our house and noticed a large hole. I just got home from work and checked it out myself. The opening is about 6-8" in diameter and is easily a few feet deep. I looked through the opening and the hole is really large...maybe 3-4' wide at one point down deeper in the hole. I'm freaked out a bit. Where did the dirt go? Anybody have any idea what's going on?

 

I'd call an engineer.

[Thunderbroom]

We're going to call the local building inspector in the morning and should know something soon. I'm going to work as planned but will come home if there is a reason to. My wife will be here during the day.

[4string]

Originally posted by SpaceGhost African Carnivorous Polar Bears.

 

Since when do they burrow. Everyone knows they are tree climbers.

[rovito]

Did'nt you have a rabbit problem awhile back?

[oldivor]

 

Originally posted by bassplayinguy ya, if it was me id call a basement leak specialist or even a slabjacking company.. your best bet is to call the bulding inspectors department and tell them your situation, then they can point you in the right direction, but most likely they will send you to a basement specialist

 

 

I have to disagree. Bulding inspectors departments are to aprove stuff, not advice. I know this from a couple of people(one is my dad who used to own his own building business). I'd call a basement and foundation guy and get his opinion and then go rom there.

[Thunderbroom]

Originally posted by mxpxfan I have to disagree. Bulding inspectors departments are to aprove stuff, not advice. I know this from a couple of people(one is my dad who used to own his own building business). I'd call a basement and foundation guy and get his opinion and then go rom there.

 

I think the building inspector will come out. My wife volunteers for the village.

 

*could be wrong though*

[jetmech727]

Where does your downspout go? It's a good idea to have the water from your roofs gutters run through a downspout thats at least 6+ feet away from the house. I had some water issues of my own and discovered that the area around the first few ofeet of the house is called the excavation zone. Thats how far out they dug when they built your home. Then they backfill it when done. All this backfill is also loose fill. The ground was very packed and dense before they started, now its all loose and somewhat soft around the base of the house. Thats why your downspout should run off onto the harder packed earth.

 

Heres a pic of what weeping tile does. Its also know as clay tile. I think you were asking about that

 

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[oldivor]

Originally posted by Thunderbroom I think the building inspector will come out. My wife volunteers for the village. *could be wrong though*

 

hhmmmm

 

I still think it's the wrong way to go, but it might be different up there yankee boy.

 

yes I remember that you were raised in georgia

 

True store here: there was this guy who had no idea what he was doing. He went to the inspections place. And asked what needed to been done. Well after that. They condemned the building. Which wasn't that bad, it needed work, but not that bad. So I'm all for finding a course of action and then getting a permit, doing the work, and then getting it inspected. Do good work and do it up to code and most likely there won't be a problem. But I'm not that experienced so.

[Thunderbroom]

Originally posted by mxpxfan hhmmmm I still think it's the wrong way to go, but it might be different up there yankee boy. yes I remember that you were raised in georgia True store here: there was this guy who had no idea what he was doing. He went to the inspections place. And asked what needed to been done. Well after that. They condemned the building. Which wasn't that bad, it needed work, but not that bad. So I'm all for finding a course of action and then getting a permit, doing the work, and then getting it inspected. Do good work and do it up to code and most likely there won't be a problem. But I'm not that experienced so.

 

My house is only 12 years old. I'm pretty certain my house won't be condemned but I understand the point of the story.

 

And thanks jetmech727...I'm going to check the downspouts in the morning. My gutters were replaced this Summer when the roof was done.

[oldivor]

 

Originally posted by Thunderbroom My house is only 12 years old. I'm pretty certain my house won't be condemned but I understand the point of the story. And thanks jetmech727...I'm going to check the downspouts in the morning. My gutters were replaced this Summer when the roof was done.

 

 

yeah, the main thing is be careful and make sure the job is done right(and by right I mean good). Like you I don't think your house is likely to be condemned for a little hole, but just be careful of every thing, contractors, inspector and the whole(no pun intended) nine yards. I've seen some of the nicest people that have been robbed by bad contractors.

 

Do you know any one who is in the building business?

[bassthumpintwin]

 

Originally posted by bholder Have you notice lug sneaking around your drainpipes at night?

 

 

As if Lug even needs to be in the vicinity! Everyone know's that everytime a Lug MP3 is play, a hole must form somewhere in the world.

 

Unfortunately, it's most often in the unsuspecing listeners bowels.

[SatansEnemy]

i have a friend who has this problem in his yard...hasnt had a problem too close to his house yet. His problem is underground streams...eroding away as they flow. you said the ground was flat, so im guessing it isnt underground streams but i thought id throw up that idea!

[F-holes]

Another cause of sinkholes is from buried construction waste.

It was once common practice for builders to simply bury their waste materials out in the yard somewhere. This was before enviromental standards were put into effect. One of the reasons for the ban on that practice is because after the buried scrap breaks down it creates big holes.

 

 

[mike fitzwell]

Originally posted by F-holes Another cause of sinkholes is from buried construction waste. It was once common practice for builders to simply bury their waste materials out in the yard somewhere. This was before enviromental standards were put into effect. One of the reasons for the ban on that practice is because after the buried scrap breaks down it creates big holes.

 

+1. The gas company T'd off my line right in front of my house to hook up the neighbor this past spring and they pulled up a shit-ton of broken cement block when they dug the trench.

[ezstep]

I think it might be pirates' treasure! I would dig it up!

 

 

 

*sorry, Jeff. I don't have a clue.*

[Thunderbroom]

I looked at the hole better lighting and realize that it is not as big as I though, though it is still big. I also talked with the guy that teaches our construction management classes where I work. He's fairly certain, based on what I've described, that some old field tiles may have broken. As I understand it, farmers put tiles out in their fields to help with drainage. Most the land around here either is or was farm land. Fifteen years ago, provisions weren't made to deal with this. Contractors just came in and built subdivisions.

 

He suggested I dig the hole larger and to see if I can see the tiles. If I can, I should mix a back of concrete and dump on the tiles. and fill the hole back with dirt. I'm staying home today to deal with it. I'm very leary though as this is out of my league.

 

We're still getting this weird popping sound from the general area. I can hear it from inside the house. It is a single muffled "pop" about every 20 - 40 minutes. I have been unable thus far to figure out what's causing it.

[fretless]

[The Admiral]

I my area of Florida it would be a sinkhole, and rather expensive to fill. THeer are sonar tests that can be done to find out exactly the problem.

[Craig Vecchione]

 

Originally posted by Thunderbroom I looked at the hole better lighting and realize that it is not as big as I though, though it is still big. I also talked with the guy that teaches our construction management classes where I work. He's fairly certain, based on what I've described, that some old field tiles may have broken. As I understand it, farmers put tiles out in their fields to help with drainage. Most the land around here either is or was farm land. Fifteen years ago, provisions weren't made to deal with this. Contractors just came in and built subdivisions. He suggested I dig the hole larger and to see if I can see the tiles. If I can, I should mix a back of concrete and dump on the tiles. and fill the hole back with dirt. I'm staying home today to deal with it. I'm very leary though as this is out of my league. We're still getting this weird popping sound from the general area. I can hear it from inside the house. It is a single muffled "pop" about every 20 - 40 minutes. I have been unable thus far to figure out what's causing it.

 

 

You might look up the "call before you dig" number and get those folks out to mark off your yard. They usually have pretty good plans for the area and know where any known piping, drainage, gas lines, etc are located. It's possible there's a drainage easement through your yard. At any rate it's good to have them mark the yard before you start digging or filling things with concrete.

[Thunderbroom]

 

Originally posted by Craigv You might look up the "call before you dig" number and get those folks out to mark off your yard. They usually have pretty good plans for the area and know where any known piping, drainage, gas lines, etc are located. It's possible there's a drainage easement through your yard. At any rate it's good to have them mark the yard before you start digging or filling things with concrete.

 

 

I've thought about this.

 

The hole opening is smallish...about an 8" diameter hole. It opens up and increases in size as it gets deeper. My plan is to just gradually widen the opening until I can get a clear look at what's down there. I really don't think I'm going to pour any concrete in the hole today. I'm thinking of putting some gravel in the bottom and refilling the hole. From there, I can monitor it more closely.