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 Post subject: Filling in a hole
PostPosted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 6:45 pm 
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Hi all
I wonder if you can help.
I've just moved into a house with a greenhouse. Now the greenhouse itself isn't a problem. Inside are 4 pillars made from 9 breeze blocks each. The greenhouse itself is 8x6 and has been dug down about 1 1/2 feet.I'm not sure what the previous owner used it for as the house was empty.
I intend to dismantle the greenhouse but it's the pillars and the actual " hole" that are the issue. What is the best way to fill the hole? Could i just break the pillars leave them in the hole and then fill it?
What is the best for filling the hole? soil? compost etc? I would like to maybe grass/grow plants in the area in the future.
I'm working to a small budget as a new house and baby on the way have eaten at my savings.
Any help and advice would be much appreciated. I know you are all busy people but i could really do with some advice.
Thanks


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 Post subject: Re: Filling in a hole
PostPosted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 7:23 pm 
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Dismantle the greenhouse piece by piece working from roughly the top down. Use a hammer and bolster chisel to break the bond between the blocks and store them to one side to reuse, or break up as hardcore or take to the recycle centre. If you're planning to grow anything best to fill the hole with soil. If the previous guy dug it out he may have just piled it up somewhere in the garden?



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 Post subject: Re: Filling in a hole
PostPosted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 7:33 pm 
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Advertise the greenhouse on ebay in a couple of months. Should make £60-100 buyer to dismantle and collect.
You could do with deciding what you will grow there?
Potatoes or other fruit and veg or prize winning roses or dhalias could use 1.5 ft of good soil / compost and 1/2 a dozen bags of well rotted farmyard manure mixed in.
If you are just going to grass it over throw whatever you can find in there and cover with 4-6" of reasonable top soil before seeding / turfing.

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 Post subject: Re: Filling in a hole
PostPosted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 11:46 pm 
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Firstly, thank you for replying.
The greenhouse is promised to an elderly gent with an allotment so thats no problem.
It's what to do with this 8x6 18 inch deep hole that concerns me.
I would probably like grass it with a couple of plants/bushes on there.
Anybody know how much soil i would need to fill it? And roughly how much it should cost.?
The base of the hole is concrete, so would i have to break that as well to avoid any drainage issues?
Whats the best thing to use to flatten/compact it when i lay the soil.
If you haven't guessed i've lived in flats all my life so a garden and it's care are all new to me.
thanks once again.


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 Post subject: Re: Filling in a hole
PostPosted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 7:36 am 
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You will need about 3 ton, or 4 jumbo bags of top soil. Maybe less but once the soil settles you don't want to be left with a depression so better to have some left over. Depends where you are in the country? Can be anywhere from 12 quid to 45 quid delivered a ton call a few local suppliers . Yu can either walk back and forth on each layer to compact it with heavy boots, or hire a roller. By rights you should get that lump of concrete out of the hole , but I have laid a lawn over a bomb shelter, leaving about 200mm cover and it has been fine so you should be ok.



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 Post subject: Re: Filling in a hole
PostPosted: Thu Feb 02, 2012 6:03 pm 
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Thanks for your suggestions.
Looks like topsoil it is. I'm in the midlands so hopefuly i won't have to pay an arm and a leg for it.
Would i be allowed without breaking any environmental laws etc to bury some of the breeze blocks in the hole?


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 Post subject: Re: Filling in a hole
PostPosted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 9:59 am 
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allhelpappreciated wrote:
Thanks for your suggestions.
Looks like topsoil it is. I'm in the midlands so hopefuly i won't have to pay an arm and a leg for it.
Would i be allowed without breaking any environmental laws etc to bury some of the breeze blocks in the hole?


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