How to remove flower beds?

etmomoabc

I want to remove the flower beds in front of my house. (the place marked in red), reason 1 is that it blocks part of the garage entrance, and it is very difficult to park two cars. Reason 2 is that it has no drainage holes, it damages the building foundation.

There's a post supporting the deck above, and it's only about half sit on the flower beds. I want to remove the flower beds and have this post sit on the ground. 645mm from the ground. Any ideas for this?

Dave-1

Good Afternoon @etmomoabc

Definently frustrating having a garden bed blocking easy acess to a garage. 😕 Have you dug down in the garden bed? As it seems to be sitting on a concrete slab and if so it could be a pain to remove it? The brickwork continues into the main wall so making it a tidy cut would be high on my list when you remove the garden bed.

For that support post, is it attached to the brickwork via bolts? You may need to support the deck while pulling up the garden bed area.

Id be replacing the post once you have removed the garden bed. Using a stirrup of some kind Post Anchor or Bolt down Anchor to keep the base off the ground so it wont rot.

Looking forward to seeing the project unfold.

Dave

etmomoabc

Yes. The post is attached to the brickwork via bolts.

My thinking is that after removing the flower beds, use Stirrups. But I can't find one that is as long as 645mm.

Dave-1

@etmomoabc

Mmm if that is the only way that post is attached to the wall and its sitting on the brickwork Id be looking into it a little deeper (I was thinking more of bolts through the timber into the brickwork, not just straps). Is the post just supporting a handrail? The weight of the deck above is what I am thinking about.

Dave

etmomoabc

I checked under the deck and it looks like the deck is sitting on a building wall. The post below is just supporting the garage roof. I'm guessing it was installed after the garage and it very unstable. Adding two wall brackets should temporarily support the garage roof while the flower beds are being removed. so time to add a stirrup

Dave-1

@etmomoabc

So the deck is sitting on the wall, the post looks like its supporting the carport roof to some degree?

I was just looking at your first pic that shows the post and the area above the carport area.

The slab at the base continues under the brickwork.

It may be supporting the brick wall.

This is what is attached to that white post.

I would be hesitant in removing that post until you know more about the slab (As in does it continue under the garden bed to the base of the brick wall) I dont think two more brackets would really hold the roof if all that weight is on the post. Its a downward force. I would be using a jack of some kind to support if you did.

Thinking cautious footsteps

Dave

EricL

Hello @etmomoabc

Thanks for sharing your question about removing your brick flower bed. It's great that you've received sound advice from @Dave-1. Just to add to the suggestions made, I recommend engaging the services of a builder. They'll be able to determine how the post can be reconfigured to continue to your cement slab. They'll also be able to devise a proper support for your deck or roof while the post is being fixed.

You can still do the majority of the work in removing the flower bed. But I suggest getting the builder to fix your post. This means that it will be built to code, and should it ever get inspected you can refer to your builder to answer the questions.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

etmomoabc

After several weekends of work, most of the project is nearing completion. I have some concerns about pouring concrete because the sand fill got wet after the rain. Do I need to wait for it to dry? Is it surface dry or deep dry?

Dave-1

Good Morning @etmomoabc

I am not sure about the area you are concreting?

Is it just the wet sand area or are you concreting all that excavated part?

Could you supply a photo that shows more of the area so we can see what you are working towards?

Dave

etmomoabc

I am concreting all that excavated part