Digging an inspection pit

[bashbarnard]

Raising the roof won't cost much, only some 2x4s, ply and felt. Gotta be cheaper than digging an 8ft deep hole and filling it with a few cubic meters of concrete plus reinforcing.

What is the sub soil like by you and how deep is the top soil?
Have you considered the cost of removing all this soil? For a decent pit you can stand in and work on both ends of a car your looking at at least 10 cubic meters of dirt.

You can get a 2 post ramp brand new for under £1200 delivered http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-POST-LIFT-CA...Swqu9U2ie4
Second hand they are much less.

Erm the hole digging etc will be free. As in i have a digger to do it and fit in the garage. well not me personally but my brother does. who is also doing the digging As i cant due to my back. The top soil is very thin round here its almost straight to clay. annoying as hell. The current workshop is actually made out of old sleepers from a house that burnt down by the old owner and im not sure on planning. Its something i may be able to discuss with brother again as his in the know. The ramp cost is a lot though. £1200 vs a few hundred on blocking reinforcing etc. But then again i dont KNOW the cost. it is currently being costed for me. again this is not my forte when it comes to doing ill just do what im told and learn.  

also check online... I remember there being a company selling pre-moulded fibreglass pits that you dropped into a hole you dig out ??    waterproof and had sides/steps moulded in...

Yeah there are a few of these. I have actually looked at them. I dont like the idea though of not building for what i want though and having someone else do it. Again im a sucker for punishment and i like learning new skills etc which this will teach me one way or another. you never know i might end doing a pit for someone else one day at which point ill know how to do it and where i f*cked up. which will happen.