How do I know if it is safe to dig into my backyard?

This article is provided by Jesse Hughes.

Digging in your backyard – is it safe?

Making the most of your outdoor space is often a good idea. You can build an extension to your property, a garden room or even just a workshop where you can go and spend some time away from the chaos that often comes with family life. It is not as simple as just starting to dig up the ground in your yard though. There are things that you need to think about before this happens. 

One of the most important things to consider is the safety aspect of digging in your outside space. If you do not think about this, you could be putting you and your family in danger. 

How do you know if digging in your yard is safe?

You may think that you know everything there is to know about your yard. It is easy to spot a tree or an old piece of fence that may present an obstacle to a building project. You can take these things into account and make sure that the structures you are planning are safely built around them. 

However, it is not as easy to deal with obstacles that may be hidden underground. You cannot see what is happening down there. As a result, there is a chance that you could hit a water pipe or a gas main. This could cause serious issues with your project and could also be dangerous. This is why you should have utility locating work carried out, to ensure that it is safe for you to continue as planned. 

What else do you need to think about?

It is not just safety that you need to think about when you are building on your property. There are other important factors that you need to take into account. 

Checking that you have any permission that is needed.

Depending on what type of structure you are building, you may require permission from the local council. You should always check to see if this is the case, before the digging starts. 

Making sure that you have a realistic budget in place.

There is no point in having the perfect workshop in your yard if all you do is worry about money because you have spent too much on its construction. You need to sit down and work out a realistic budget before the project starts. It is important to include a bit extra to the expected spend so that you can deal with any unexpected issues.

Hiring the right people for the job. 

If you want your building project to be successful, you need to make sure that you have the right people in place to do the work. It is worth taking time to hire a good contractor, so that you can be sure that you have made the right choice. 

You should never neglect the safety aspect when you are thinking of digging in your yard. Make sure that you know about any obstacles, above and below ground, so you can be safe and reduce the risk of unwanted costly surprises.