The shallow area between the ground and the first floor of a house that is generally used to access pipes, architectural substructures or for storage is called a crawl space.

Crawl spaces were predominant in all houses built prior to the twentieth century. However they are still a common feature in some houses even today and use a thin plastic ground cover to act as a vapor barrier between the soil and the constructed house.

A shovel and a wheelbarrow or any other container can be used to effectively deepen a crawl space. Start by removing the plastic sheet or ground cover from the farthest wall and dig to remove dirt and debris if any.

Recover with the plastic ground cover as you go along. Wheel or carry out the dug out soil immediately ensuring that it is thrown out fast instead of left to pile for a long period.