Would I be CF...

[dancingelephants]

Recently (before all the rain we had) we started work on our garden. This included digging foundations for a garden room/office. We weren't able to complete the foundations because we had so much rain the hole became a pond. Fine. It is was it is. Waited for weather to clear up.

Have been out many times, emptied some buckets (50+ some days) of water down the drain. Couldn't ever completely empty said hole due to size. So still waiting on the weather to help with drying it up.

But.. everyday since it stopped raining my neighbours have been watering their grass. Sometimes for hours and hours. This then leads to the hole becoming a pond again.. (can literally see it filling up!)

Would it be unreasonable of me to ask them to not water their grass, so we can empty the "pond" and complete the foundations this week. So we can get on with finishing the work we have started? My OH has said he wouldn't be happy for neighbours to tell us not to water our grass. But I don't see how we will ever get the work done with them watering the grass everyday.

I wouldn't tell them not to water their grass. But if you approached them reasonably, explained the problem and asked if they minded then that's different.

They might be oblivious and would be happy to accommodate. Or they might say it's not their problem which will obviously lead to a soured relationship...

I suppose it depends if you want to take that chance?

I'd ask nicely and hopefully they will stop.
However someone who is so ignorant of the environment that they would water their grass for hours every day is probably not going to help or care.

I think it depends on your neighbours, but I would just ask very nicely and see how you get on. It's a bit of an ask but it's not a massively reasonable request given that they're watering their garden to the point where it's flooding yours. It's not CFery to ask them to hold off until you sort out the bit that's flooding.

It's not a massively unreasonable request, that is!

Well there's no harm in asking politely. However, it doesn't bode well for you're construction if it's flooded... Perhaps consider digging a sump/drainage pit?

They really don't need to be watering grass at the moment anyway. I would definitely ask and put a time limit on your request, e.g. for a week.

I hope your neighbours aren't on a meter cos their bill will be horrendous.

But if it's filling up your foundations what do you think will happen in the winter?

People shouldn't really be watering grass!!! Such a waste of water - grass is so resilient, it just comes back.

If the hole is filling up when they water their grass, then you will likely have issues with the foundations unless you properly tank them. I assume the water is seeping through the ground rather than over the top.

Stick down a tarpaulin and see what happens.

They may be willing to help, but they aren't the only source of the problem. If you're in the part of the country that's expecting mostly clear skies for a week then I'd second the suggestion of putting a tarp down and asking expert help. It may be that starting to fill it would be the most practical solution. Building the ground up so it's less of a pool to start with.

I'd ask them if they'd mind holding off, maybe they can use up the buckets of water from your hole if they really think the grass needs it. Grass can die off and come back very quickly so it shouldn't be an issue.

Hire a submersible pump while youre doing the groundworks?

God watering grass so much that it drains off is ridiculous.

Can't you just empty your pond onto their grass? Surely that's a win-win because they spend less on water and you get rid of it. If you use a watering can it will be just the same as their sprinkler.