Removing the hydraulic lifts

We knew that almost every auto garage has a hydraulic lift. What we didn't know was just how big of a project these things are to remove. Our lift was buried about 10 feet in the ground underneath 4.5 inches of reinforced concrete.

Fortunately, the excavator made quick work out of the job

Followed by a little more work by hand to make sure we didn't rupture the hydraulic system and risk contaminating the soil

Within about an hour we were finally ready to lift the systems cylinder out of the ground and check the area for hydraulic leaks.

Finally, after about 2 weeks, we got the soil results back showing no leaking from the hydraulic system.

This meant that we could then return to the site and fill in the massive hole we'd made. We felt relieved to know that nothing had leaked and that we could finally move forward with our renovation plans without the lingering doubt of potential contamination underneath the building.