Excavation!!!

This is currently the state of our back garden! If I could say we are not pleased that would be an understatement.

This all started as part of the national requirement to upgrade the mains gas pipes. It turns out that all the houses in our little cul-de-sac are supplied via our back gardens. Not a problem. They promised to put back the gardens to how they were found and at the end of the day the work needs to be done. So on Tuesday a team of sub-contractors to a contracted company (are you following) came and dug up 5 gardens. Only then did they realise there was a problem as some of the gardens were inaccessible for the work that needed to be done. Me thinks this should have been established before they started connecting spade with soil.....

Anyhow, the guys seemed OK, we made them tea and biccies and arranged for hubby to stay home Thursday so that they could do the final part of our connection to the house. Bearing in mind we knew none of the problems that they had already encountered. Thursday came and went and no sign of a workman. No surprise there I guess given the state of this country since privatisation of public utilities came into being.

8am Friday morning and a truck with a workman arrived on site. I noticed he was filling in next door's garden and didn't think any more of it. However a while later I noticed our garden was still as you see it in the piccie, and the workman had left!!! So I spoke to my neighbour to be told they had filled in the other 4 gardens but couldn't fill mine in cos there was a leak!!!!!  A WHAT!!!!!

This had obviously been discovered on Tuesday and not only had I not been told but neither had it been reported to the Gas Board. I can't believe how irresponsible their behaviour has been. Also for me to find out from a neighbour. So, as you can imagine I was on that phone pretty quick sharp to the Contractors. 2 hours later and I still hadn't been called back so I called again. 5 minutes later the site manager phoned to say he believed I wasn't happy with the state of my garden (I have to say apart from the obvious problem the mess is appalling) and he would arrange to get someone down asap to tidy it up. I then had to interrupt him to ask him about the leak. THE WHAT!!! Nobody had told him either.

Within 15 minutes the Gas Board were here to confirm there was a leak. Then the site manager arrived, highly embarrassed, as they had sub-contracted out the work and he hadn't been made aware. 30 minutes later a team from the Gas Board arrived to make a temporary repair. I was then given reassurance by the manager that the repair would be finalised on Monday, garden put back in place Tuesday, jet washing of paths etc Wednesday. That seemed all OK until hubby got home.

Well, the more we thought about what was going on the more we grew concerned. We had had grand-daugher sleeping over. There are nightly fireworks at the moment as the area celebrates Diwalhi, one of which could have landed in our leaking hole. Anything could have happened. So with the weekend ahead we decided that come Monday we will be taking action.

But....there's more to come......

This morning the Gas Board arrived again, I wasn't expecting them, to re-check the leak. Apparently this is done on a daily basis until the full repair is done especially given THE CLOSE PROXIMITY TO OUR HOUSE !!!!! So not only did I accidentally find out about a leak yesterday, it had clearly been discovered on Tuesday and the Gas Board are concerned enough to now check on it daily because its so close to our house.

All I can say is its a good job our life insurance is up to date.....