<![CDATA[Hit me with your #depaving tips Mastodon!]]>Hit me with your tips Mastodon! This is our garden. It's pretty shit, and especially shameful given that I grow plants for a living. We want to take the tarmac up but don't really know how to start. Also my brother's friend tried taking up the tarmac in his garden and hit a sewage pipe, so we're a bit scared as the whole point of the exercise is to give us less shit to deal with not more literal shit.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/topic/1799bfde-2c3b-4007-8f01-3110c367ef0b/hit-me-with-your-depaving-tips-mastodonRSS for NodeFri, 05 Jun 2026 20:41:49 GMTWed, 27 May 2026 08:42:12 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Hit me with your #depaving tips Mastodon! on Wed, 27 May 2026 09:48:52 GMT]]>@yvan @afewbugs I think it needs a fulcrum to be a lever. Just sticking it under the tarmac it's an inclined plane/wedge. But the fulcrum is the contact point of the crowbar on the surface below (your piece of wood - or bare ground/hardcore if you are going to need to break that up too).

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/armb/statuses/116645909780850389https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/armb/statuses/116645909780850389Wed, 27 May 2026 09:48:52 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Hit me with your #depaving tips Mastodon! on Wed, 27 May 2026 09:46:08 GMT]]>@tops ooh, thank you!

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.coop/users/afewbugs/statuses/116645899072386782https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.coop/users/afewbugs/statuses/116645899072386782Wed, 27 May 2026 09:46:08 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Hit me with your #depaving tips Mastodon! on Wed, 27 May 2026 09:44:04 GMT]]>@afewbugs if you proceed gently and slowly that should mitigate hitting any buried services... similar to but perhaps not quite as delicate as an archaeological dig. 😂

While not exhaustive, meanwhile, https://www.nuar.uk/ might be helpful by showing if anything's in the general area or pointing that way if you know someone who has acces to it.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://im-in.space/users/tops/statuses/116645890895834862https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://im-in.space/users/tops/statuses/116645890895834862Wed, 27 May 2026 09:44:04 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Hit me with your #depaving tips Mastodon! on Wed, 27 May 2026 09:35:53 GMT]]>@afewbugs my parents removed a concrete slab to discover that under it was the old septic tank before the house was plumbed in. They had to pivot to box beds and concrete paths.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/inlaing/statuses/116645858749525137https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/inlaing/statuses/116645858749525137Wed, 27 May 2026 09:35:53 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Hit me with your #depaving tips Mastodon! on Wed, 27 May 2026 09:30:39 GMT]]>@otherryn I actually have a friend with a drone who'd probably be delighted to have an excuse to play with it

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.coop/users/afewbugs/statuses/116645838143122272https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.coop/users/afewbugs/statuses/116645838143122272Wed, 27 May 2026 09:30:39 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Hit me with your #depaving tips Mastodon! on Wed, 27 May 2026 09:29:11 GMT]]>@TimWardCam @afewbugs "we bury stuff and just Don't Know" is the traditional British approach to civic infrastructure (and now coding).

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://typo.social/users/drj/statuses/116645832421985430https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://typo.social/users/drj/statuses/116645832421985430Wed, 27 May 2026 09:29:11 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Hit me with your #depaving tips Mastodon! on Wed, 27 May 2026 09:28:46 GMT]]>@afewbugs If you can borrow a drone from someone (or if you have one), after the lines are marked, get a top down photo and keep it for future stuff. You'll also probably need to call for cable/phone line placement as well if it's not coming off of above ground power lines.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://sunny.garden/users/otherryn/statuses/116645830783798325https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://sunny.garden/users/otherryn/statuses/116645830783798325Wed, 27 May 2026 09:28:46 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Hit me with your #depaving tips Mastodon! on Wed, 27 May 2026 09:26:22 GMT]]>@otherryn yes I think contacting various utility companies might be the most sensible first step to take right now, thanks!

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.coop/users/afewbugs/statuses/116645821304443750https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.coop/users/afewbugs/statuses/116645821304443750Wed, 27 May 2026 09:26:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Hit me with your #depaving tips Mastodon! on Wed, 27 May 2026 09:25:18 GMT]]>@afewbugs I'd be more worried if you were surrounded by clay soil at the moment.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://fedi.duckduckpigeon.co.uk/users/jamesb/statuses/01KSMC1BG6K07JQJQHHPK2V4E1https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://fedi.duckduckpigeon.co.uk/users/jamesb/statuses/01KSMC1BG6K07JQJQHHPK2V4E1Wed, 27 May 2026 09:25:18 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Hit me with your #depaving tips Mastodon! on Wed, 27 May 2026 09:21:49 GMT]]>@afewbugs If you're built on the flat, you're fine. If you're built on a hill with substantial grade, it'd be worth getting someone in to do an inspection and assessment.

Based on what I'm seeing, the biggest risk is not knowing where things are underneath it. Can you call the water and power companies (or council) to get a line marking so you know where to remove with care?

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://sunny.garden/users/otherryn/statuses/116645803401978132https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://sunny.garden/users/otherryn/statuses/116645803401978132Wed, 27 May 2026 09:21:49 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Hit me with your #depaving tips Mastodon! on Wed, 27 May 2026 09:18:24 GMT]]>Also, if there has been hardcore underneath since the place was built, and we take that out to replace it with real soil, there's no risk it'll destabilise the foundations and the house will fall down is there?

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.coop/users/afewbugs/statuses/116645789985163640https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.coop/users/afewbugs/statuses/116645789985163640Wed, 27 May 2026 09:18:24 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Hit me with your #depaving tips Mastodon! on Wed, 27 May 2026 09:09:09 GMT]]>@yvan @afewbugs
Yep.
If you can have one person prying up at an edge, a second person can smack the tarmac in the now hollow centre, with a sledge hammer, and it should break up.
If on your own, pry up an edge and kick some rocks under to hold it up.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://cupoftea.social/users/Maker_of_Things/statuses/116645753639068646https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://cupoftea.social/users/Maker_of_Things/statuses/116645753639068646Wed, 27 May 2026 09:09:09 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Hit me with your #depaving tips Mastodon! on Wed, 27 May 2026 09:02:27 GMT]]>@afewbugs One of my residents once wanted to know where the sewer pipes were across his land. Nobody could tell him. I went to the planning department in the hope that they had the original plans for the buildings. After some time: "no, sorry Councillor, those plans must have been lost in the fire in 1936", which was officer speak for "we ain't gonna spend any more time looking for them".

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://c.im/users/TimWardCam/statuses/116645727254795524https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://c.im/users/TimWardCam/statuses/116645727254795524Wed, 27 May 2026 09:02:27 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Hit me with your #depaving tips Mastodon! on Wed, 27 May 2026 09:01:58 GMT]]>@afewbugs hm... is the crowbar a lever without the fulcrum? Or does it need a fulcrum for the whole machine to thus be a lever?

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://toot.ale.gd/users/yvan/statuses/116645725398560961https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://toot.ale.gd/users/yvan/statuses/116645725398560961Wed, 27 May 2026 09:01:58 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Hit me with your #depaving tips Mastodon! on Wed, 27 May 2026 09:01:38 GMT]]>@yvan don't we all. I've already spilled half of mine down my chest in a pale green top. It's too fucking hot to human today

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.coop/users/afewbugs/statuses/116645724078026720https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://social.coop/users/afewbugs/statuses/116645724078026720Wed, 27 May 2026 09:01:38 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Hit me with your #depaving tips Mastodon! on Wed, 27 May 2026 09:00:02 GMT]]>@afewbugs "fulcrum", I mean... the damn crowbar is the lever of course.

Need more ☕ in me.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://toot.ale.gd/users/yvan/statuses/116645717780974366https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://toot.ale.gd/users/yvan/statuses/116645717780974366Wed, 27 May 2026 09:00:02 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Hit me with your #depaving tips Mastodon! on Wed, 27 May 2026 08:57:55 GMT]]>@afewbugs If you own it you should have had a drainage survey during the searches, that should tell you where the main sewage pipes are. You can them work out where the others are from the direction of your own shitpipes.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://fedi.duckduckpigeon.co.uk/users/jamesb/statuses/01KSMAF729QJ0R934DP6JSB884https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://fedi.duckduckpigeon.co.uk/users/jamesb/statuses/01KSMAF729QJ0R934DP6JSB884Wed, 27 May 2026 08:57:55 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Hit me with your #depaving tips Mastodon! on Wed, 27 May 2026 08:54:53 GMT]]>@afewbugs this is a job for: paying someone else to do it! 😂

If you were closer you could borrow my jackhammer — risk to sewage pipes entirely your own.

The "gentle" way is a long crowbar, a block as lever, a lump/sledge hammer... and find and edge and start levering it up. Chip away at it this way over time, or have a BBQ, invite everyone over to take up a bit of tarmac, they can take a souvenir piece home even... kinda backyard Berlin Wall style.

If it has a big layer of compacted hardcore under it... good luck... you'll need that jackhammer, and then maybe you'll want to go Beth Chatto style on the garden.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://toot.ale.gd/users/yvan/statuses/116645697505997238https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://toot.ale.gd/users/yvan/statuses/116645697505997238Wed, 27 May 2026 08:54:53 GMT