Subdivision Progress: Removing Underground Concrete Tanks And Clearing The Backyard

One of the subdivision requirements we have to do as part of excavating the backyard is remove two large underground concrete tanks - these are the old septic tanks which were decommissioned years ago when the house was put onto new septic (years before we bought the house). The tanks were no longer used but had been left in the ground (which is what they often do) and just filled in with sand and rubble.

But because we want to subdivide the block and someone will want to build a house on it we had to dig up and remove the tanks completely. This is to make the land safe without the concern that the tanks could cave in and cause damage to any buildings on top of them - the old paved patio area pictured below sat on top of the concrete tanks and use to get wobbly pavers as the tanks slowly shifted over time. So just imagine if there was a house on top of them, it wouldn't be very safe!

Before

After!

The problem is that it is a massive job - the tanks are heavy and made from solid concrete and need big machinery to dig them out of the ground and take them away.

We had a driver and mini excavator in to start digging them up and he discovered another tank we didn't know was there - it was made from bricks instead of concrete so a lot easier to remove as the bricks just fell in and we could dig them out. 

The concrete tanks are so solid - the driver lifted off the lid and cracked open the bottom of the tank and tried for a few hours without success to pull them out but his excavator wasn't big enough to do the job.

So we called it a day and made plans for a bigger excavator to come back and finish the job.

A few weeks later, after the Christmas break, the big excavator came and lifted out the concrete tanks, put them in a truck to be taken away, and both the excavator and a bobcat guy cleared the whole backyard.

Unfortunately I don't have any progress shots as I wasn't home at the time, sorry!

We also had a plumber come and redo the underground pipes and all the services for the new block are now done - plumbing, electricity and water services.

Our next task is to get the block surveyed again and have them measure and peg out the two areas - the back block of land and the front block (which will determine what will become the new size of our backyard).

Once the pegs are in place we will get quotes to have retaining walls and new fences installed. It is really going to take shape then as once the fences are in we can build a deck and landscape our new (and much smaller!) backyard and the subdivided land will be just about ready to put on the market to sell.

What a relief to have the tanks removed and the whole block cleared .... it's amazing how big it looks now that the patio, granny flat and big tree is gone.

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[All images my own]