"Mathew Newton" wrote in message
...
I would welcome some thoughts and ideas from the panel...

I am planning on replacing our lean-to conservatory with a proper
(regs-compliant) extension and knocking through from the house. To keep
costs down, and avoid unnecessary duplication of work, I am wondering if
some aspects of the conservatory could be retained.

One such aspect is the cavity side wall seen he

http://www.newtonnet.co.uk/permanent...ysidewall1.jpg

If building a new wall building regulations would, I believe, require
footings 60cm wide and 1m deep.

I dont believe that on the 1m deep.

According to the copy of the quote I have for the conservatory
(built before we purchased the house) this is exactly what this
wall was meant to have.

You dont have to show that existing stuff meets current requirements.

I am assuming that the building inspector would not be satisfied by
the claim on a piece of paper and, to be honest, neither am I. I am
therefore wondering how best to inspect what's actually there.

Digging a hole is obviously required

I dont believe that.

but, as the following photo shows, access is limited
(I've got around 30cm from the wall to the fence):

A post hole digger will work fine in that space.

http://www.newtonnet.co.uk/permanent...ysidewall2.jpg

I could remove the fence for better access but nevertheless I'm
wondering what's the easiest way to do dig this hole would be?

Post hole digger, but I dont believe that you have to prove
that its foundations are what a new wall would have to have.

I'm thinking that if I could bore a hole of, say, 10-15cm wide
(and upto 1m deep) I could lower a camera to inspect the base.

Thats fine for the depth of the foundations.

It could even be narrower - indeed I did think of just hammering
down an iron rod to see if I could detect the depth of the footings

Dont see how it could do that.

as I don't expect the surrounding earth to be necessarily hard to get
through.

Yeah, a post hole digger should be fine unless its very stony ground.

If the results are promising then I'd be quite happy to
dig a bigger hole to show the inspector if required.

I dont believe any inspector would want to check the existing foundations.

What I don't want to do is pass off this opportunity, knock the wall down,
dig foundations and then find out I had everything I needed already there!

Any ideas how to do DIY this at minimum cost, hassle, risk(!) etc?

Post hole digger.
Mathew