Diy project questions
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Hawaii04
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2016 11:46 am
- Location: Kent
Hi. Still planning my first block paving driveway, sloped 19 metre by 3 metre running along side the house with garage at the end. I am going to put a channel drain along the garage threshold connected to a soakaway and initially was going to also put channel drains along the house wall but i'm starting to think this is a waste as the driveway is sloped so hopefully all the rain will run down into the garage drain, Any input or ideas on this would be appreciated. My other question is : i'm trying to keep costs down and doing as much as possible myself so was planning to hire a breaker and break up the current concrete drive myself and maybe dispose by either skip or grab truck. Speaking to a neighbour, he advised that it may be more cost effective to hire a digger and driver as it would be done in a quicker time. Again, any ideas on this from anyone would be great. Thanks. John
John
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r896neo
- Posts: 521
- Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 9:38 pm
The man and machine deal might be best. One man on the 14lb sledge hammer and one on the digger should make sort work of it and he will be apply to manoeuvere and stack the concrete ready to grab. Also he may be able to load in some of the hardcore and roughly spread it while he is there.
Also a driveway has lots of expensive things buried just ready to be hoiked up by a novice operator.
No need for an aco drain along house wall, just slightly ramp up the last couple of blocks to fall away from the wall and miss chimneys etc.
Also a driveway has lots of expensive things buried just ready to be hoiked up by a novice operator.
No need for an aco drain along house wall, just slightly ramp up the last couple of blocks to fall away from the wall and miss chimneys etc.
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Tony McC
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Breaking up 57m² of concrete on your own will seriously test your willpower and commitment.
It'd certainly be worth asking a local contractor to give you a price for breaking out, cart away and putting down the sub-base while the machine is on site. Then, you can weigh up whether what they want is worth it. It's often this initial 'donkey work' that destroys the DIYer's aspirations. Unless you are familiar with damned hard graft, the sudden realisation that you've spent an entire Saturday breaking out and shifting 5m² is enough to cause many to 'park' the idea of doing it themselves.
It'd certainly be worth asking a local contractor to give you a price for breaking out, cart away and putting down the sub-base while the machine is on site. Then, you can weigh up whether what they want is worth it. It's often this initial 'donkey work' that destroys the DIYer's aspirations. Unless you are familiar with damned hard graft, the sudden realisation that you've spent an entire Saturday breaking out and shifting 5m² is enough to cause many to 'park' the idea of doing it themselves.
Site Agent - Pavingexpert
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Hawaii04
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2016 11:46 am
- Location: Kent
Hi and thanks for your reply. I guess I'll get a price for a digger & driver but will say I'm not afraid of a bit of hard work. I've just cleaned up and jet washed 3500 second hand blocks & stacked them ready for laying so I'm 100 % committed as a diy'er but if the experts say 57 m is a lot for one person to break up, I'll take that advice. Thanks and hopefully I'll have some pictures of my drive early next year. More questions to come.
John