As an excavating business, sometimes we are lucky enough to literally “dig up the past” on a job. Our most common finds are glass bottles which are usually found one to two feet below ground level. We have found everything from milk and beverage jugs to fruit jars and apothecary bottles. After doing some research, we found that these are not uncommon finds at all: “Most homes had a privy or in modern terms an outdoor restroom. This was one way people would dispose of their garbage or they would just dig a hole in their yard and dispose of it that way. Many privies could be in the back yard. As one would get filled up, another would get dug.” (http://www.bottlepickers.com/digging_bottles.htm) 
Antique bottle collecting is a hobby of many at the Jersey Shore. These bottles provide a glimpse into the lives of those living at the shore during the late 19th and 20th centuries. For more information on bottle collecting, you can visit the following sites:

http://www.bottlepickers.com/index.htm
http://www.newjerseyantiquebottleclub.com/
http://njbottles.com/

The Ortley Beach family whose home was the topic of one of our earlier blog posts (see "Helping an Ortley Beach Family Back Into Their Home") contacted us recently to complete the next phase of their Hurricane Sandy repair. During the storm, more than 6 feet of earth was swept out from underneath the home leaving the pilings visible and important electrical and plumbing components exposed and open to damage. 
Joe and his team recently returned to the home with 3 large truckloads of sand to fill the crawl space which would allow the homeowners to finish other important utility repairs. The first step in the process was to cut a hole to make an entry where workers could shovel sand down into the space to a waiting worker with a wheel barrel. The worker then transported the sand to areas throughout the space where he leveled it off, smoothed it out, and brought the depth of the space from 6 feet to only 3. 
Joe and his  team also brought in more sand to fill in around the outside of the home.