Calculation of the optimal size of an inspection hole in a garage for a passenger car: width and depth, photo

Today we’ll talk about how to make a viewing hole in the garage. For many car enthusiasts, this is a necessary element of a garage building, so many of us try to save money, which is why we carry out some preventive maintenance work related to the car ourselves. It should be noted right away that despite the apparent simplicity of the design of the inspection pit, it is not so easy to build it. Therefore, most garage owners prefer to invite experienced craftsmen to ensure a guaranteed high quality of the final result. But in order for the guarantee to be one hundred percent, you need to know the technology of constructing a garage pit yourself. Therefore, read the article, remember everything, and this will be a guarantee that the experts will not deceive you.

Inspection hole in the garage Source drive2.ru

Garage floor removal and excavation work

First, it is necessary to clear the garage space of foreign objects so as not to interfere with the construction process.
A section of the floor is marked according to predetermined dimensions, pegs are driven into the corners of the future pit and the string is stretched. When digging a pit, the soil is carried outside. The clay should not be removed too far. It will be useful for sealing the walls. After reaching the required level in depth, the walls are trimmed until the profile is completely straight and vertical.

The bottom is carefully leveled, and a cushion is poured from layers of crushed stone (up to ten centimeters) and sand (five centimeters). The sand is compacted until maximum density is achieved, with the addition of water. Then a waterproofing film is laid.

Wall and floor finishing

The floor must be poured with concrete after the walls have been constructed. A metal mesh or wire-tied reinforcement is pre-laid. The frame must be completely covered with mortar.

To improve the appearance of the pit, the brick walls are plastered or covered with ceramic tiles. It is important to provide niches in the walls for tools; this will ensure the convenience of working in the pit.

The floor is carefully leveled and finished in the same way. If you decide to lay tiles on the floor, non-slip materials are selected to ensure safety.

To prevent the car's wheels from accidentally sliding into the pit, wheel guards are made from a metal corner and installed taking into account the vehicle's track width.

How to make a viewing hole: step-by-step instructions

To equip an inspection pit in a garage, it is not necessary to have a builder’s diploma. Just follow the step-by-step instructions.

Marking and forming a pit

The first thing to do is mark and dig a pit.

For this purpose:

• measure the width and length of the pit according to the established dimensions;
• drive stakes into all 4 corners and pull the fishing line;
• dig a pit strictly according to the marked markings;
• level the walls;
• fill the bottom with 2 layers of crushed stone of any fraction (height 5 cm), compacting it each time;
• covered with a layer of construction sand (5 cm) and also compacted.

Waterproofing

To protect the inspection pit from groundwater, waterproofing is necessary. It comes in 2 types:

Outdoor

During its implementation, the pit is covered with waterproof material. Each subsequent layer should cover the previous one by no less than 15 cm. The edges of the film extend 20–25 cm onto the garage floor. For greater strength, the joints are glued with double-sided tape.

External insulation is done exclusively during the construction of the pit. Some people neglect it, citing the deep occurrence of groundwater, that is, the minimal risk of it entering the pit. However, the possibility of its increase always exists. For this reason, it is better not to neglect this type of protection such as external waterproofing.

Internal

This type of waterproofing involves treating the walls and bottom of the pit with special compounds that reduce the hygroscopicity of the building material. Ideally, choose a special composition designed for treating swimming pools. It looks more attractive and provides better protection.

Another way to prevent excess moisture from getting into the pit is to equip a caisson, which is a metal box that is installed in the pit itself. To prevent the device from being squeezed out by water, metal rods about 1 m long are welded to its sides and driven into the ground.

When groundwater seeps into a pit after its construction, you can get rid of it using the so-called pit - made in one place of the pit and a recess secured with concrete. This will make it possible to collect moisture in one place and make it easier to work in the pit itself.

Interior finishing of the pit

Since the car has to be repaired even in the cool season, it is recommended to insulate the inspection hole. For this purpose, extruded polystyrene foam is often used, which is laid on the walls and floor between the waterproofing coating and the internal lining.

A reinforcing mesh is placed on the insulation and the floor is filled with concrete (5 cm). You can make concrete with your own hands by combining 1 hour of M 400 cement, 3 hours of sand and 5 hours of crushed stone.

After the concrete has hardened (1–2 weeks), the walls are laid out. For this it is recommended to use:

• brick (preferably moisture-resistant ceramic). A do-it-yourself inspection hole in a garage is usually made of brick, half a brick;
• building blocks;
• reinforced concrete (grade M 250). For reinforcement, a special reinforcing mesh or reinforcement is used. The thickness of the concrete wall is about 20 cm.

If facing walls with bricks or building blocks is not particularly difficult, then pouring walls with concrete will require more tinkering. Before pouring them, you need to make wooden formwork.

After laying out the walls, install a metal fence around the entrance to the pit, which should rise approximately 20 cm above the level of the garage floor.

Bottom design

The bottom of the inspection hole can be earthen or poured concrete. In turn, concrete is covered with tiles, rubber or wood (boards, ladders).

What materials are they made from?

The inspection pit in the garage (its walls) is lined with bricks, heavy building blocks, and made of monolithic concrete. If we talk about bricks, it is better to use ceramic bricks: they are not afraid of moisture. The walls are made of half a brick or brick. The wall thickness, depending on the laying method, is 12 cm or 25 cm. This must be taken into account when marking the pit.

Brick can be used on dry, dense soils. The groundwater level must be low. If the water comes up high, it is better to make the walls of the pit from reinforced concrete.

Brick inspection hole in the garage

Building blocks also need to be selected those that are not afraid of high humidity. These are concrete blocks. The rest, if used, must require external waterproofing, and this is not a guarantee that they will not crumble, especially if groundwater is located close.

With a concrete inspection hole, everything is simpler: concrete is not afraid of moisture, it only makes it stronger. To fill the walls, concrete grade M 250 is used; for the floor, M 200 is sufficient. Why is this so? Because during winter heaving the main load falls on the walls. To prevent them from “collapsing”, a margin of safety is required, which is achieved by reinforcement and the use of high-strength concrete. By the way, to avoid heaving of the soil under the garage, you need to make a good blind area so that the water leaves and does not soak into the soil.

The wall thickness when filling the inspection hole with concrete is from 15 cm. Stacks must be reinforced. To do this, use a ready-made mesh with a wire thickness of 5-6 mm and a pitch of 150 mm (if the groundwater is deep) or knit a frame from reinforcement with a diameter of 10-12 mm. The reinforcement installation step is 20 cm. For greater strength, you can make a single rod for the bottom and walls, bending it accordingly.

Waterproofing

There are several ways to waterproof an inspection hole in a garage. Each of them has certain advantages. For example, external waterproofing of an inspection pit is created only at the construction stage. The internal one can be mounted after creating a full inspection hole. Before work, it is better to create a full-fledged drawing, which will indicate all the materials from which the structure is made.

Protection of the inspection pit from the outside

If at the site where the garage is being built, the soil waters lie very deep, for example, below 2.5 m, waterproofing the inspection pit may not be necessary.

It is important to check the soil water level in the spring. If even during a flood it does not rise above the specified indicator, you don’t have to worry about waterproofing

However, the geological situation may change. In a dry place, water can easily appear after a few years. If there is already an inspection hole, it should be equipped from the inside. For this purpose, special impregnations are used. They penetrate deeply into the structure of the stone and perfectly protect the inspection hole from water penetration.

A variety of films are used for external waterproofing of inspection pits. The pit is covered with such products from one ridge to another. In this case, it is necessary to release 15 cm on each side. The panels must be laid overlapping. The joints are connected with double-sided tape. The film should adhere well to the walls. To do this, it needs to be straightened. During installation work, you need to carefully monitor the integrity of the film.

Internal waterproofing of inspection pit

A special impregnation is used as internal waterproofing of the inspection pit. This type of waterproofing is called coating. The inspection hole in the garage can be coated with a special composition for swimming pools. When using such material, a waterproof film appears on the surface of the walls, which in external parameters and characteristics resembles rubber. It is usually painted blue and is easy to clean once it hardens. When using this composition, treatment should be carried out at least 2 times.

Another option for protecting the inspection pit from water is to use a cement-based primer. It contains polymer particles that can reliably block small channels that allow moisture to pass through. When performing one of these measures, the hygroscopicity of the walls is significantly reduced. If water constantly appears in the pit, the treatment should be carried out 2 times.

Installation of a caisson in an inspection hole

To ensure that the inspection hole in the garage is reliably protected from moisture, you can make a caisson. To do this, a box is welded from metal sheets and installed in a pit. It must be treated with anti-corrosion agents. If the welds are made airtight, water will not penetrate into the pit. If there is too much water, the caisson may “float”.

To eliminate this situation, corners should be welded to the caisson, extending 1.5 m into the ground. In order not to carry out large-scale excavation work, before installing the caisson, you should hammer the corners into the ground and leave their ends outside. They are welded to the caisson after it is placed in the pit. In this case, the pit will have to be made in a large size. The advantage of this solution is that the corners will be driven into denser soil and the caisson will be held better.

There is another way to avoid raising the caisson in the inspection hole under the influence of groundwater. At a certain height it is necessary to make a hole. Through it, water will flow into the caisson as it rises. It is subsequently pumped out. Such an inspection hole can last for more than 20 years until the metal rusts.

Pit for catchment in inspection hole

If there is already a finished hole, water can still penetrate into it. Sometimes coating waterproofing does not help from this. In this case, you will have to build a drainage system. It can be located around the entire garage. You can also make a special hole in which excess moisture will collect. A pit is made in the corner of the pit. The accumulated water is subsequently pumped out of the pit with a pump. The system can work automatically. To do this, install a water level sensor in the pit.

Formwork should be made under the pit, and then concrete should be poured into it. After this, it is necessary to waterproof the pit. It is usually carried out together with waterproofing work carried out throughout the inspection pit.

With such waterproofing, it is impossible to completely get rid of dampness, so boards are laid on the floor. They can be protected from rotting using special treatment. You can buy a special impregnation for wood that comes into contact with the ground.

What state standards and regulations exist for inspection pits?

Regulatory documents regarding the equipment of the inspection pit apply exclusively to enterprises involved in the inspection of automotive equipment. They assume that this structure is part of the technical base, and therefore is subject to appropriate registration, in full compliance with existing GOSTs.

There are only a few such documents. The regulations are more concerned with the rules regarding lighting and ventilation schemes, safety, rather than dimensions. If the structure is not equipped for the purpose of conducting commercial activities, compliance with the requirements of these documents is not required. Otherwise, it is necessary to study the relevant regulatory framework.

The absence of the need to register a garage with an inspection pit does not mean that it can be erected in any order. There are certain standards on which the safety and ease of operation of the structure depends. An important factor is deciding which vehicles are supposed to be serviced - cars and/or trucks. This determines the dimensions of the future structure.

Dimensions of inspection pit for servicing large vehicles

The construction of a pit, which is supposed to be used for servicing trucks, requires slightly different dimensions. The distance between the wheels of cars in this category varies significantly from model to model. This greatly complicates the design of the structure. There are two calculation options. The first involves taking the indicators of your own vehicles as a “reference” value and subtracting 300-400 millimeters from it. If the calculations are incorrect, it will be difficult to get to the necessary nodes. The second option implies that the pit is equipped with a universal one, averaging the parameters, that is, it is made with a width of 1000 mm, which allows you to inspect a car with both a base of 120 and a base of 80 cm.

Peculiarities

If you have a small plot of land next to your house, you can do a lot of interesting things with it. The main thing is to make full use of every free square meter. In a small area, you can create with your own hands a place where you will have a pleasant time both alone and in a noisy company of friends. Even a small square of land can be arranged in such a way that there will be something to do on it for both small children and experienced gardeners.

True, before you start designing a summer cottage, you need to take into account all its features. If you have never gardened and know nothing about working with the soil, then it is best to immediately seek help from professionals.

Do-it-yourself inspection hole on the street for a car. Construction stages

In order to understand how to make an inspection hole on the street, not to get into trouble and not to alter or complete the finished structure, it is worth carefully considering all the requirements that an inspection hole on the street for a car must meet.

Size calculation

For convenient work, the length of the inspection hole should not be less than two meters. To this size it is necessary to add the dimensions of the structure for descent - a staircase with steps or a welded stepladder.

The depth of the pit is selected in accordance with the height of the person who will use it, plus 20 cm to the top of the pit. To this size, 10 cm is added for filling the floor with crushed stone and pouring concrete. If it is assumed that people of different heights will use the inspection pit, the depth should be designed for the tallest person. It is better to place a special stand under your feet than to work bent over.

The width of the trench for constructing an inspection hole is selected depending on the distance between the wheels of the vehicle being serviced (30 - 40 cm less). To this size it is necessary to add the double thickness of the walls of the pit itself.

Operating procedure

When making an inspection hole with your own hands on the street, it is very important to thoroughly carry out all the construction stages provided for by the technology. In a pit dug in accordance with the selected dimensions, a layer of crushed stone is placed on the floor and thoroughly compacted using a tamper

In a pit dug in accordance with the selected dimensions, a layer of crushed stone is placed on the floor and thoroughly compacted using a tamper.

The presence of water will not allow you to comfortably use the inspection hole, so it is very important to make reliable waterproofing. It can be made from several layers of polyethylene or bitumen-based materials, insulating the floor and walls from the possibility of moisture penetration

The installation of waterproofing sheets is done so that at the joints they overlap each other by an arc of 15 - 20 cm and the edges extend out of the pit onto the ground by at least 25 - 50 cm.

The next stage, with a thickness of 7 - 10 cm, using a reinforcing mesh, is poured into the floor with concrete mortar and after the mortar has hardened, the walls are erected.

On dry soils, bricks can be used for walls, but if groundwater is close, then only monolithic reinforced concrete is used.

When laying the walls of the pit, it would be useful to arrange small niches in them for tools, fasteners or spare parts.

When the required height of the pit walls is reached (slightly above the ground level), a frame welded from a metal angle (with the corner inward) is attached on top of them to lay boards that protect against accidental falling into the pit when it is not in use. For this, boards with a thickness of at least 50mm are suitable. The wood must be treated with any composition that protects against rotting and fungus or painted over with waste oil.

A concrete blind area is poured around the finished inspection pit. In addition, the best solution is to install a canopy over the pit to protect it from precipitation. If this is not possible, then an additional waterproof cover is required, at least 50 cm longer and wider in size than the constructed inspection hole on the street.

Do-it-yourself inspection hole in the garage: process and recommendations

To make it easier for a good owner to carry out preventive maintenance and repairs, the garage is usually equipped with an inspection hole. This is not surprising - the mentality of most of our men is such that almost every car enthusiast prefers to monitor the condition of the car himself, and, if necessary, to repair it. Having invested in such arrangement of the garage once, in the future you can save a decent amount on service maintenance, since you can carry out such simple but necessary procedures as changing the oil or coating the bottom with an anti-corrosion compound, as well as a number of other works related to the bottom or suspension of the car. will be on its own.

DIY inspection hole in the garage

However, it should immediately be noted that the optimal location of the inspection pit is considered to be a place under a canopy next to the garage, or in the garage, but next to the area intended for parking the car, since wet vapors accumulating between the bottom of the car and the bottom of the pit often contribute to activation of corrosion processes. But, as you know, most often space in the garage is limited, so the inspection hole is installed in the middle part of the room. Based on this circumstance, we will further consider how an inspection hole can be made in a garage with your own hands, with the provision of reliable waterproofing, ventilation and the use of various materials for the construction of walls.

When and how to plan the construction of an inspection pit?

General planning guidelines

The best option would be to build a pit before the construction of the garage walls begins, in the place planned for it, in parallel with the creation of the foundation and floor. It is clear that in a ready-made building you may encounter a number of restrictions that significantly complicate the work.

It is most convenient to tear off the foundation pit for a pit at the stage of preparatory work, before pouring the floor and erecting walls

For example, the same pit laid in an open space can be dug quickly and accurately using special equipment. In a finished garage, you will have to dig it exclusively by hand, and this work is quite labor-intensive, since you will have to not only loosen it, but also remove several cubes of soil from a fairly large depth, and then also organize its removal from the garage and further removal from the territory.

When planning to dig a pit, it is recommended to obtain information in advance about the location of groundwater at the construction site in order to protect the building from its penetration into the pit, otherwise it will become unsuitable for work, and over time it will begin to collapse. In this case, you will have to “save” the garage, bring soil and dig a hole. Therefore, it is best to think through all the nuances of its arrangement in advance and obtain all the information necessary for this, otherwise the work may be done in vain.

Materials for constructing a pit

To build a viewing hole, you will need quite a lot of different materials, which need to be purchased with a small supply. Typically, professional builders advise increasing their number by 10÷15%.

So, to create a full-fledged inspection hole, you may need the following materials:

• Sand, gravel or crushed stone. Sand and gravel are needed for masonry or filler mortar, and to create a cushion at the bottom of the pit, in addition to these materials, crushed stone will be required. Cement is required for mixing all types of mortars.
• Beam with a cross-section of 30×30 or 40×40 mm, boards 25 mm or plywood 10÷15 mm thick - for the manufacture of formwork, and well-processed boards 40÷45 mm thick - for the pit cover.
• Reinforcing rod with a diameter of 6÷8 mm for knitting a reinforcing lattice when strengthening walls and floors.
• Waterproofing materials – thick polyethylene film, roofing felt and mastic. More modern materials can be used for waterproofing, but they have a higher price.
• Metal corner measuring 50x50 mm to secure the perimeter of the pit at floor level. Often a corner is also used to make a wheel guard.
• Steel wire with a cross-section of 1.5÷2 mm - for twisting the reinforcing mesh.
• Plastic pipes with a diameter of 100 mm - for arranging the ventilation system of the pit.
• Brick or foam blocks, if you plan to build pit walls from them.

Determining the dimensions of the inspection hole

Work on planning and arranging an inspection pit usually begins with determining its dimensions. It is recommended to immediately record all parameters for further drawing up a project in which it is necessary to show the location of the hole in the garage, its width, length and depth. These values ​​primarily depend on the base of the car, that is, the distance between the wheels along the length and width of the car, as well as on the height of the garage owner. Correct determination of these parameters is important for ensuring safety, comfortable work, and ease of parking the car in the garage.

The dimensions of the pit must meet the requirements of safety and ease of use

• The width of the pit should be 300÷350 mm larger than the intended size of the inspection hole, and its finished width should be 200 mm less than the distance between the wheels of the car on the same axle (with the measurement between the inner surfaces of the tires). At the same time, the pit should be comfortable for a person to be inside. When planning an inspection hole, you should not take the exact dimensions between the wheels of a particular passenger car, since you may want to replace it with a new one over time. Therefore, it is recommended to take the average distance for different car options.

The generally accepted, most convenient pit parameter is a width of 800÷850 mm.

Recommended dimensions of the inspection hole

• The length of the pit can be different, and this depends on the wishes of the car owner, taking into account, of course, the length of the garage space. The standard length of the pit should be equal to the length of the car plus 1000 mm, but in some cases it is necessary to make it smaller. Therefore, this parameter can vary from 2000 to 6000 mm.

When planning an inspection pit, it is necessary to take into account the possibility of descending into it while the car is parked in the garage.
When making calculations, you also need to take into account the place for descending into the pit while the car is parked in the garage. The descent must be equipped with an extension or step ladder. Usually a ladder is chosen as it takes up significantly less space.

copper cable

• The depth of the hole is determined by the height of the garage owner. It should be such that a person, standing at the bottom, can freely reach any mechanism of the car that goes to its lower part and requires maintenance or repair.

It should be noted that it will be better if the pit is dug a little deeper than required, since the required depth can be compensated by raising the floor, increasing its thickness. Usually the depth of the pit is equal to the height of the owner plus 100÷200 mm and is approximately 1800÷1900 mm.

In addition to the above parameters, when digging a pit, you need to take into account the distance for waterproofing, laying or filling the walls, as well as for backfilling clay around the inspection hole, a layer of which will become an additional waterproofing. If the walls are laid out of brick or filled with concrete, then the pit should be increased in width in each direction by 120÷150 mm, for gas silicate blocks by 200 mm, for arranging a concrete floor the depth should be increased by 200 mm. If a drainage or waterproofing layer is installed around the pit, the pit will increase in width by another 150÷170 mm.

As mentioned above, it is necessary to obtain information about the depth of groundwater. These data must be indicated in the report, which is given after surveying the site before constructing the garage.

The proximity of groundwater can lead to such consequences

The level of groundwater plays an important role in the construction of any building, be it a residential building or a garage. If it extends higher than 2500 mm, then digging an inspection hole in the garage or making a cellar under the house will be difficult, since they will fill with water, even if high-quality waterproofing is done.

In some cases, there is a way out - to avoid this unpleasant situation, a drainage system is made around the perimeter of the entire pit to the height of its walls and under the concrete floor, which will help drain water into the sewer well.

Provided the groundwater is located below the level indicated above, there are no restrictions on the construction of an inspection pit.

A clearly visible niche for placing the necessary tools

Almost always, when installing a viewing hole, garage owners prefer to make niches in its walls, placing them in the upper or middle part of the side walls.

A well-written sketch of the future pit - everything has been thought out

The depth and width of such “windows” must be calculated in such a way that it is convenient to put a tool in them during work, from small to fairly large. These niches must also be calculated and included in the construction plan.

Work on creating an inspection hole in the garage yourself

Marking the inspection hole and digging a pit

The marking of the inspection pit is carried out in different ways, since it can be installed in a ready-made garage or before its construction.

Planning and arrangement of ventilation of the inspection pit

Despite the measures taken to protect the pit from moisture, over time, one way or another, an unpleasant smell of mustiness, gasoline and used engine oil may appear in it, so installing ventilation in it is simply mandatory. It is equipped according to the same principle as the basement ventilation system.

Arrangement of the floor and walls of the inspection pit

Now, having understood in general terms the issues of ventilation of the inspection pit, let’s return to general construction work - in the dug pit it’s time to work on the floor and walls.

There are special requirements for garage floors

It is important that the coating is durable, wear-resistant, and not afraid of exposure to fuels and lubricants or other aggressive technical fluids. Detailed information on how to properly make a garage floor with your own hands and what kind of coating to choose for it can be obtained in a special article on our portal.

As a “bonus”, below is a calculator that will help you quickly and accurately determine the required amount of concrete of grade M300 strength for pouring a garage floor. In the options of this mini-application it is possible to take into account the amount of mortar that is required if the walls of the pit are also poured from concrete.

If we are talking only about a hole, without taking into account the garage floor (for example, the screed has already been poured earlier), then in the first group of value entry fields you can specify not the length and width of the garage, but the corresponding parameters of the hole itself. In this case, the calculation will be made only for the screed on the floor of the pit, which will be required in any case.

You can also take into account the entrance ramp in the calculations, if it is also planned to be concrete - when you select this calculation path, additional fields for entering the relevant data will open.

The final result will be given, first of all, in the total volume of concrete solution - this is convenient if it is ordered from a specialized enterprise. And for those who are going to make the solution themselves, the quantity of necessary ingredients is given. Moreover, it will be shown both in weight and volumetric measurements, since various trade organizations can sell, for example, sand or gravel both by weight and by cubic meters.

Calculator for calculating M300 concrete mortar for the floor and inspection pit in the garage

Go to calculations

Lighting of the inspection pit

To work comfortably in an inspection pit, it is difficult to do without lighting. Some car enthusiasts make do with a headlamp, others use portable lighting devices, but even if you use them, general illumination of the pit will still be useful.

ventilation

A good owner will definitely think through the issue of a stationary lighting system for the inspection pit

To carry out work related to electricity, you must have appropriate training or at least certain skills and knowledge in drawing up electrical diagrams and correctly installing wiring and electrical appliances on site. If there are none, then it is better to invite a specialist for this work. But even in order to be able to check whether the task is being performed correctly, you need to understand some nuances:

• The lighting system must be made in accordance with SNiP standards, which indicate that voltage only up to 36 volts is used inside the inspection pit. It is forbidden to use 220 volts inside the pit, as it is dangerous to life.

In addition, all switches and sockets, regardless of voltage, should be located only outside the pit, for example, in a panel on the wall of the garage.

led lamps

• The cable must have reliable double insulation, and in addition, it is advisable to place it in a metal grounded corrugated pipe, and at a height below 2 meters from the garage floor, the cable must have similar mechanical protection.

Cabling must be protected from mechanical damage

• To illuminate the pit, low-voltage lamps of 12 or 36 volts are used. These can be ordinary incandescent lamps (you should remember their explosion hazard) or more modern LED lamps. To supply reduced voltage, an appropriate transformer must be installed next to the panel or directly in it.

In addition, you need to consider some other points when arranging the pit:

• Lighting fixtures must be distributed evenly along the walls of the pit, only then can even and high-quality lighting be achieved.
• It is recommended to recess the lamps into the wall, otherwise they will interfere during work, or they may be accidentally damaged.

The light tone of the walls and niches will have a positive effect on the overall illumination of the inspection pit

• If niches were not provided for the lamps, then it is necessary to choose lighting fixtures with the most flat and impact-resistant housing. To prevent lamps from being negatively affected by dampness, it is recommended to use lamps with a housing protection rating of IP44.
• To make the pit lighter, it is recommended to cover its walls and niches for lamps with white or light gray, or trim them with ceramic tiles in light shades.

Instead of a conclusion - the advantages of having a viewing hole

In conclusion, I would like to once again emphasize the advantages of having an inspection hole in the garage:

• As mentioned above, this is an opportunity to independently carry out repair and maintenance work on a car, for example, it is easy to carry out regular oil changes.
• An inspection hole significantly increases the market value of the garage itself. This is especially important in the case where the garage is not located on private property, but, for example, in a garage association, and over time it may have to be sold.
• If you have experience in car repairs, then a properly equipped garage will make it possible to organize a small workshop that will generate income and quickly recoup all costs.
• Many car owners extend the inspection hole by arranging it in the shape of an “G”. If you separate the additional room from the inspection hole with a door, then this “nook” can be used as a basement for home food preparations. In addition, it is also suitable for a small workshop, in which it will be comfortable to work in the summer heat, since the pit always remains cool.

These significant advantages also need to be taken into account if it has not yet been decided whether an inspection hole is needed in the garage, or whether you can do without it.

The video presented at the end of the publication shows the entire process of creating an inspection pit with concrete walls.

Video: sharing experiences - do-it-yourself inspection hole

Purpose and features of the inspection pit

To close the inspection hole, it is necessary to make a hatch from durable materials

The design makes the room more functional and saves time and money. The owner will not need to travel to the service center frequently: it is more convenient to carry out repair operations in a garage equipped with a pit. In addition, it can be used as a warehouse.

The pit can be equipped at the initial stages of building a garage or in an already used room. If possible, it is better to provide for it at the design stage before the start of construction. In this case, labor and time costs will be less and there will be no interference during soil removal

In this case, it is also important to take care in advance of the drainage system, which includes pipes connected to the collector. This will help remove excess moisture in a timely manner and reduce the concentration of vapors in the air, which helps to increase the service life of the garage

If the pit is organized in an already used garage, labor costs will be higher. But this option also has an advantage: the construction site is closed. The roof protects the pit from being washed out by rain. The floor in the room, as a rule, is a thick reinforced screed. When arranging a pit in this case, markings are created and then the concrete is crushed. Reinforcement tails are cut around the perimeter. Soil and a cushion of sand and gravel are removed from the resulting pit. For this operation, ordinary shovels are used. To make the process go faster, it is worth inviting an assistant. The bottom and walls of the pit need to be leveled as much as possible.

Ventilation and light

Good ventilation will help prevent mold and dampness.

It happens:

• exhaust, for which a pipe with exit to the outside is installed in the last row of bricks;
• supply and exhaust, in which another pipe is installed with an exit to the outside, but only almost near the floor.

For lighting, during the process of arranging niches, an electric wire in a protective rubber sheath is supplied. This will help provide lighting in the pit and make the master’s work easier.

Advice! It is better to entrust lighting installation to a professional electrician.

The entrance steps can be made of brick. For small pits, it will be more convenient to use a regular ladder, which is made of wood or metal corners.

For convenience, it makes sense to equip the dug pit with a wooden ladder or a durable stool.

A do-it-yourself inspection hole in the garage will make it easier to repair your car and help you save on the services of professional builders.

Standard sizes

There are no standard sizes that this design must comply with. Dimensions are selected based on the size of the machine and are:

the minimum width of free space is at least eight hundred millimeters

It is important to correctly calculate the distance and width of the ditch when laying the hole. The final width dimensions should be two hundred millimeters less than the vehicle track size (if we take the distance between the internal planes of the running wheels)

The width of the ditch is made three hundred millimeters larger than the final dimensions to ensure strengthening of the walls; the length is determined by the dimensions of the room where the work is performed and must exceed the corresponding dimensions of the machine by at least five hundred millimeters in each direction. Taking into account the above circumstances, this size ranges from two to six meters. It is also necessary to take into account the construction of a ladder for descending into the pit. It is performed in an attached or stepped version. The attached option will save space, but is less safe and convenient; the depth parameter depends on the height of the car owner. Initially, the pit is dug up to two meters, so that the finished height is about eighty meters or a little more. When choosing the depth, it is necessary to start from the level of groundwater.

The optimal dimensions are determined by the characteristics of the room where the pit is installed, the height of the owner of the car and the size of the car. It is also necessary to foresee the location of the stairs in advance. The optimal solution is to place it at the back. But sometimes the size of the garage does not allow this, so the optimal solution is to locate the entrance on the side. Before starting construction, it is necessary to complete a drawing showing the actual dimensions of the room and pit.

Passenger car

For passenger cars, the pit dimensions will be slightly smaller, since this is determined by the dimensions of the vehicle. Also, less attention may be paid to strengthening the walls. The main dimensional parameters were discussed above.

Freight

The pit for trucks is made longer, but if work is expected to be done on it for both trucks and cars, the width is adjusted to the track of the car.

Considering the large weight of the truck and the increasing load on the floor, this must be taken into account when strengthening the walls.

What is it for?

An inspection hole is constructed in a garage or other room where the car is kept, or in a specialized room intended for its repair and maintenance. It is possible to construct a pit outdoors if, for some reason, it is not possible to do it indoors.

This way provides unobstructed and convenient access to components and parts located underneath the machine. This allows you to replace elements, lubricate, adjust, tighten mechanisms and other necessary operations.

Preparation

First of all, you will need to carry out comprehensive preparatory work. Now we will highlight all the most important points.

Groundwater

One risk factor is of great importance - the level of groundwater rise. The final success of the construction of the inspection pit largely depends on this. In some cases, it is necessary to abandon the construction of such a pit or cellar. You need to be prepared in advance for the fact that the water level will be critical.

Unfortunately, in some settlements there are no specialized geological services at all, where appropriate surveys are carried out. But you can independently determine the level of groundwater rise with fairly high accuracy. This is done as follows. You need to dig a hole 2.5 meters deep. Watch to what level the water rises. When the worst forecasts are confirmed, that is, the waters lie too close to ground level, it is better to abandon the construction of a viewing hole. Of course, purely theoretically, it is possible to ensure waterproofing even in such a situation, but then the pit will resemble more of a bunker, great effort and investment in construction will be required, and the danger of flooding will still remain.

Another option that will help cope with the natural risk factor is to arrange drainage. It happens that a car enthusiast works on his car professionally, he needs an inspection hole, but there is no opportunity to choose another area. In this case, high-quality drainage of groundwater should be done. A special drainage well is dug outside the garage, where the water is drained. But such work is labor-intensive and requires significant investments.

We correctly determine the dimensions of the inspection hole

It is very important to immediately accurately determine the optimal parameters of the inspection hole. It shouldn’t be too big, but it’s also inconvenient to work in tight spaces.

Everything must be selected correctly, of course, in accordance with the dimensions of the car.

Let us dwell on the methods for determining key parameters.

• Pit length. Consider the vehicle parameters. Typically, the standard length of an inspection pit for a passenger car is approximately 4-5 meters. To arrange a convenient descent with an extension or monolithic ladder, you need to add another meter. These are good parameters that are aimed at comfortable, rational use of the inspection pit. You will no longer need to regularly move the car during repair work, as happens if the hole is too small or short.
• Width. Here the distance between the wheels of the car plays a key role for you. The standard parameter for modern passenger cars is a pit with a width of 75-80 cm. This width will be quite sufficient, and it will not be too large.
• Depth. Everything here is strictly individual. Of course, they work standing in the inspection pit. Some dig shallow holes so as not to provoke pressure and flow of groundwater, but it is inconvenient to work while sitting on a stool. It is better to make a good deep inspection hole. Approximately 15 cm is added to the height of the car enthusiast. When any doubts arise about the depth (for example, when several people of different heights are planned to work in the pit), of course, it is better to make it larger. After all, if necessary, you can simply make a small platform under your feet.

When the parameters are determined, you need to make a drawing and write down all the exact dimensions on it. Then this diagram is transferred to the construction site, digging a pit.

Construction methods

The construction process will largely depend on the method of arranging the inspection pit. The best option is to lay the foundation right away, even at the stage of constructing the strip foundation and basement of the garage. In this case, the pit is also dug by an excavator. At the same time, work is underway to waterproof, ventilate and insulate the pit and the garage space as a whole.

But quite often you have to do construction after the garage box has been erected. Of course, then you have to dig the pit manually.

Please note one important point. You will need soil from the development, so that you can then fill the sinuses with it, as well as raise the floor level in the room

The fact is that the garage floor is made at a level higher than the road on which the car drives.

Dimensions of the inspection pit for an individual (private) garage

The width can be adjusted to suit the individual characteristics of the wheelbase, but this is not the best option, since cars sooner or later acquire new ones, which does not exclude the choice in favor of a model that is different from the old one. Its dimensions may be slightly different. The optimal option would be a width of 75-80 cm. This will eliminate any problems in the future and will allow inspection of even minicars.

It is not necessary to limit yourself to a length of “plus” 1 meter to the dimensions of the car. In individual construction, larger sizes can be taken. If the garage area allows, then they often equip a thorough and convenient descent with a good stationary staircase, rather than an attached one. Steps can be made in a short section if you choose an L-shape. This will lead to increased costs for materials, but will make the inspection hole as convenient as possible. A niche can be divided not only lengthwise, but also across.

There is no point in taking depth from average indicators. The owner must take his height and add 10-15 cm to it, or better yet 25 centimeters, taking into account the need to lay waterproofing, which can take away some of the depth. If the hole turns out to be deeper than necessary, the flooring is raised to the required height.

Inspection pit, what you need to know before construction

The presence of an inspection hole in the list of garage equipment not only makes the owner more independent in car maintenance, but also gives confidence that if the garage is sold, its value will immediately increase by a significant amount, because a properly equipped inspection hole is a significant bonus in garage equipment.

However, simply removing 1-2 cubic meters of soil from the floor, pouring the floor with concrete and leveling the walls with bricks is only a theory of construction, and not entirely correct, but in practice, equipping an inspection pit is a responsible and complex operation.

The first and most important issue in the construction of this structure is the issue of the depth of the aquifer. A groundwater horizon that is too raised to the surface threatens not only with flooding the pit, but also, under certain conditions, with the creation of conditions for fish breeding in it. It is not uncommon for an equipped pit to become a permanent pool, into which water constantly flows from the aquifer.

The second important point is safety. Regarding safety, here you need to remember the following points:

• Correct placement of the inspection hole;
• Equipping it with all necessary passive safety equipment;
• Dimensions for safe work in it;
• Availability of ventilation in the pit;
• Use only safe voltage for humans as lighting power supply.

The placement of the pit relative to the garage entrance gate, walls and the rest of the garage space requires that the vehicle be parked without additional maneuvers. This means that placing the car in the pit must be done the first time, when the car enters the garage.

Passive safety measures in this case include the mandatory presence of bumpers that prevent the car from sliding into a hole; it is best to equip bumpers with a height of 10-12 cm from a pipe or channel; this shape prevents the car from sliding into a hole. In addition, the pit must be equipped with fastenings for installing safety pallets in them, covering the pit while it is not in use.

The dimensions of the pit largely allow for comfortable work in it, however, for different types of pits these dimensions may differ slightly from each other:

• For a half-size pit, the depth and width are chosen so that you can be under the car on a special trolley, and you can freely reach the repair areas with your hand, without touching the bottom with your body, even when turning to one side.
• For a full-size pit, the depth is chosen taking into account that there is at least 15 cm of space above the head to the bottom.
• The width of the pit is usually selected within 1.0-1.1 meters.

The safety of the car and the protection of its body from rotting largely depends on properly equipped garage ventilation, in which the ventilation of the inspection pit plays an important role. Pit ventilation equipped in accordance with all the rules will allow you to avoid problems with high humidity in the garage and protect your car from corrosion and rotting.

When working under a car, it is necessary to properly organize the lighting; here it is possible to use both traditional portable lights on an extension cord and permanently installed waterproof lamps equipped with electrical wiring with a voltage of 36 or 12 volts DC.

However, as practice shows, this is far from a complete list of the necessary information for building a correct inspection hole; in each individual case, this list can be supplemented with other items, for example, an additional shelf for tools or two exits with a ladder for ease of work.

Difficulties you may encounter

The car owner needs to take into account the following problems that sometimes accompany the installation of an inspection hole:

• shallow groundwater - you will need to carry out thorough waterproofing, and if the problem cannot be completely eliminated, arrange a pit and drainage for accumulating moisture;
• insufficient area of ​​the room where the pit is installed - in this case, construction should be carried out in another place. In no case should the excavation damage the foundation of existing structures;
• inadequate quality of materials – when purchasing cement and other compounds, you should contact trusted retail outlets, since if the quality is insufficient, the work will be significantly delayed and will result in cost overruns.

The work must be pre-organized, the required volume of materials must be calculated, and tools and equipment must be prepared. Construction should be completed as quickly as possible to meet the appropriate temperature conditions of the season and ensure the quality of the work.

An inspection pit is a necessary element of any car enthusiast’s garage, but during its construction it is necessary to ensure that all requirements are met in terms of the selection of materials and project development.

This will ensure ease of maintenance and repair of the vehicle, while complying with safety requirements.

When and how to carry out excavation work

The main difficulties with building a pit arise when the groundwater level is high. This forces access to the back of the walls to perform waterproofing. There are many reasons to start excavation work and install an inspection hole at the stage of pouring the foundation, although this, in principle, can be done at any time, even after several years of operation. Simply installing a girdling hydraulic lock may require dismantling a significant part of the floor.

Therefore, we offer you an option with a two-layer wall cladding and a waterproofing device in the intermediate layer. Otherwise, the floor will have to be dismantled 25–30 cm wider than the pit box, and upon completion of the laying of the walls, the free space must be filled with crushed and moistened clay.

If the waterproofing is installed between layers of masonry, the internal profile of the pit is cut out in the floor, plus 50 mm on each side. Afterwards, the pit expands by 25 cm in each direction, thus the hard floor covering seems to “hang” over the walls and is preserved. Of course, if the floor is made of piece materials like bricks or paving slabs, it is much easier to re-lay the section of floor around the hole, but in the case of asphalt or concrete screed, it is recommended to preserve the covering.

The foundation pit is dug in the same way for both a garage under construction and one in use. With a net pit width of 80–85 cm, the pit will be 125–135 cm, the length corresponds to the size of the car, plus an additional one and a half meters for the entrance part. The depth of the pit is selected according to your own height plus 35–40 cm.

An extremely useful element of the inspection pit is the rotating part on the side, where the steps for descent are located. There is an opinion that the L-shaped pit should have been originally: a more convenient entrance and the ability to reduce the length of the pit in a small garage.

Design dimensions

The dimensions of the structure are calculated according to the following parameters:

1. The length is chosen so that you can safely go down and inspect the entire bottom. In other words, there must be a “gap” for unhindered lifting/lowering into the recess even when a machine is standing on top. To achieve this, the pit is made longer than the car by at least one meter.
2. The depth of the structure is 10 centimeters greater than human height. Here, either the average or the individual indicator is taken into account. It all depends on where the inspection hole is installed. It should be such that you don’t have to bend down or, conversely, reach up.
3. The width is calculated according to the parameters of the vehicle - the size of the wheelset. It is measured or made close to the class and type of machines that are planned to be inspected/repaired. This is due to the fact that the car may change in the future. In addition, service stations service dozens of different brands of cars.

Option for car repair

There are various options for inspection pits. You can find seated, standing, combined with a cellar. In the first case, work is carried out standing. In the second, they move using a seat equipped with rollers and running along guides. This saves the cost of arranging walls.

Before carrying out work, the following features must be taken into account:

Waterproofing is a mandatory design element that affects the entire room. If you refuse it, there is a possibility of turning a dry and warm garage into a damp room. In this case, the car standing above the pit will become damp and corroded. Installation of a power circuit around the perimeter of the structure. The reinforcement or table frame holds the trench walls, preventing collapse under static pressure. Additional reinforcements are installed in the wheel area. For ease of work, special niches are made in the structure

Standard dimensions are 300 x 200 x 450, respectively height, depth, length. The structure must be equipped with ventilation to eliminate the accumulation of oil and gasoline vapors. Attention should be paid to lighting. Power supply should not exceed 36 volts

If the voltage is high, there is a risk of fire. The cover for the structure is made of wood and serves to ensure safety.

Typically, such pits are slightly shifted towards one wall, leaving the other for storing auto parts and tools.

Preparation of material and tools

In preparation for construction, it is necessary to ensure that the upcoming work is completed by stocking up on the following materials:

• thirtieth or fortieth wooden beams, boards, formwork panels;
• concrete to strengthen the walls and fill the floor;
• brick - if the decision is made to make walls using these materials. It is possible to use cinder block or foam concrete;
• polymer film with a thickness of two millimeters for waterproofing;
• metal corner for outer edging;
• reinforcement and steel wire to make a frame for concreting;
• cement, sand or ready-made mixture for masonry.

From the tool you will need:

• construction level for performing stone work;
• concrete mixer to prepare concrete or mortar;
• Bulgarian;
• carpentry tools, nails - for formwork.

The required tools and materials must be prepared in advance so as not to delay the completion of the work.

We carry out excavation work

It is very important to carry out all excavation work correctly. You will have to remove about nine cubic meters of soil to build an inspection hole

Of course, this is not so simple, but it is quite doable. If you are still not confident in your abilities, or want to achieve results faster, you should resort to professional help from builders.

Remember important points.

• The soil should be partially left right next to the garage. The earth will still be useful to you, because then you will need to fill in the spaces left after arranging the walls of the inspection pit.
• Remember that the volume of loosened soil will exceed the volume of the pit by about a quarter.
• The soil at the bottom of the pit must be well leveled, compacted, and then further compacted with crushed stone.
• The crushed stone should be poured in a fairly even layer. Then they begin to compact. It is advisable to use a special tamper so that the work goes faster and the result is better.

Immediately provide storage areas for tools, equipment and spare parts. Make special niches in the walls of the inspection pit. This is best done at the excavation stage.

Walls and floors in the inspection pit

The walls in the inspection pit are usually made of brick or cast-in-place concrete. Forward-thinking car enthusiasts understand that concrete construction is stronger, more reliable and durable. If we talk about cost, then concrete is more economical here too. You can try to do the work yourself.

Let's look at the basic instructions.

First, a concrete base is made on the ground with already compacted crushed stone. The floor is reinforced with a metal mesh with reinforcement 5 mm thick. You can make concrete yourself: you will need 680 kg of sand, 300 kg of cement, 120 liters of water, and 1200 kg of crushed stone. Crushed stone should be taken in fractions 5-20. Make the walls 15 cm thick. For the walls you need different concrete: 210 liters of water, 1168 kg of crushed stone, 360 kg of cement and 670 kg of sand. The walls must be concreted in layers. Be sure to compact them using a narrow shovel. Make formwork from 12 mm OSB. When you are preparing to build walls, it is advisable to spend time on reinforcement. This way the whole structure will become much more reliable and stable. You can use metal mesh instead of reinforcement. The mesh must be installed gradually, in strips, so that it does not interfere with the process of pouring concrete. During the process of installing the formwork, you already need to arrange niches. The ceiling of the niches is immediately reinforced to ensure stability and stability. Embedded parts frame the inspection hole around the entire perimeter. They need to be welded from metal corners with a width of 60 cm

Fastening is carried out with anchors of suitable height. Remember: framing with embedded parts is very important. It is this that allows you to strengthen the walls of the inspection hole, and it is also needed as a kind of insurance

Thanks to this side, the car wheels will not be able to slide into the hole. Let the concrete dry thoroughly to avoid any movement later. When the last tier is completed, you should wait a week before backfilling the soil. Use loam when backfilling. It is necessary to fill it in layers, making a good compaction each time. There is interesting advice from experienced car enthusiasts. Garage workers do this as follows: when backfilling is done, the floor is not concreted. Instead, crushed stone is added to the desired height. When the car leaves and drives in, its wheels perform a good compaction of the soil in the sinus areas.

Finally, many note an important point: the inspection hole in the garage must be closed. You can use a rolled metal lid or a simple board for this. The main thing is to securely close the inspection hole.

Kitchen design 12 sq. m. with access to the balcony

Any housewife will be pleased with the additional space. The balcony is used as an extension of the kitchen. There is a dining table in it. If you can’t turn your idea into reality, you need to take care of decorating the exit using draperies and glass doors.

Kitchen design 12 sq. m. with a balcony are chosen after studying photos of projects. If you expand the useful space, then there will be more sunlight. To develop an original version, the partition is removed. This is not always feasible for technical reasons, so property owners require official permission for such redevelopment.

Design and construction

An inspection pit can be erected at any stage of garage construction. But the best solution would be to plan construction from scratch and lay the foundation for a garage with a pit. Otherwise you will have to put in more effort and spend more time.

If you are just starting to build a garage, it is strongly recommended to immediately create a drainage system . The pipes are connected to the collector. With this, the amount of humidity and fumes can be greatly reduced and damage to the car can be minimized.