Royboy Posted April 26, 2016 Report Share Posted April 26, 2016 Hello PW ! I'm going to attempt to lay a new drive soon, it's one big concrete slab and a grassed part, I've started digging the grass but it's going to take me ages so was thinking of hiring a mini digger, is it something that's easily got the hang of and will a mini digger pull up concrete ? What's the average day rate I should be paying ?? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dob Posted April 26, 2016 Report Share Posted April 26, 2016 We hire ours out at 150 per week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted April 26, 2016 Report Share Posted April 26, 2016 Go and rent one great fun for the whole family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royboy Posted April 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2016 We hire ours out at 150 per weekThat sounds cheap enough, a weeks hire on Google is £250 ishGo and rent one great fun for the whole family.Not sure if that's a sarcastic comment !! HaOne thing that does worry me is putting the bucket through the side of the house ha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AberFowl Posted April 26, 2016 Report Share Posted April 26, 2016 (edited) If you are just scraping off the surface you will be fine, just beware when digging deeper, I have to have a banksman at all times on my job and thank the lord I do as there are so many old pipes and cables underground with no sand or tape around them, I have been lucky so far and only hit one fibre optic cable which was a costly one. Check and double check whoever you hire from has the correct Insurance that covers you! A mini digger can cope with alot, I am often found ripping up driveways and shed pads with ours. Edited April 26, 2016 by AberFowl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted April 26, 2016 Report Share Posted April 26, 2016 Before you start work it is as well to research the project. Go into Google and type "hardcore" and "slag" into the search box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royboy Posted April 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2016 Mines a 50s house so dont think there will be and fiber optic wires ha, How deep are old pipes normaly ? I need to dig down about 6 inches, I think once I've pull the concrete up that should be the right level for the type 1 to go down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVB Posted April 26, 2016 Report Share Posted April 26, 2016 I have a long gravel drive that has some bad potholes in places. Would a mini digger + man be the right equipment to scrape out and fill the holes before topping up with fresh gravel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckandswing Posted April 26, 2016 Report Share Posted April 26, 2016 If you're taking off topsoil just use a grading bucket. Toothed bucket under the existing slab and give it a little dink. Might be worth disk cutting the concrete to get a nice edge before pulling it up. Plus it'll lift smaller sections easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royboy Posted April 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2016 Yeah that's what I was thinking, cutting it into sections first 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger Posted April 26, 2016 Report Share Posted April 26, 2016 Cat scan the area. Then scan again.If it's a mini digger slow and steady or you will bounce around like mad. Best bet is park it away from anything and have a go til you understand what each lever does. Don't track with the blade down and don't ever think that you won't hit services just because you are only grading. Go through any main and best case is a fair few £ getting it repaired. Get a zero tail swing and never let anyone inside your swing area. Lastly the red lever is only meant to be down when your bum is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millrace Posted April 26, 2016 Report Share Posted April 26, 2016 lift any manhole around your house this will give you rough idea depth of pipes,,, check with older neighbours who may have ceen house built or other drives dug up the old ones are a wealth of info before you start to dig and most just love to tell you what they know have a good look around you may have overhead electric and bt lines coming to the house this again tells you they aint below the ground look for any cuts or patches in the concrete these may show previous works.... at the depth your thinking id be surprised if anything is there but have found all sorts just below surface so get someone to do lookout for you go slow and youll have great fun and prob a sore neck,,,,,,and best bit if you have young kids get them in it where you have loads of room they will love it......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royboy Posted April 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2016 Great advise fellas cheers, I'll have a ring around today, there I a gas pipe that runs from the house with different coloured concrete over it so I might be best digging that by hand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djrwood Posted April 27, 2016 Report Share Posted April 27, 2016 Before you start work it is as well to research the project. Go into Google and type "hardcore" and "slag" into the search box. Tried this and brings up useful info. Need another few hours research me thinks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted April 27, 2016 Report Share Posted April 27, 2016 That sounds cheap enough, a weeks hire on Google is £250 ish Not sure if that's a sarcastic comment !! Ha One thing that does worry me is putting the bucket through the side of the house ha No not sarcastic, after half an hour you will be dreaming up lots of other jobs to do with a digger. Drainage trench, cesspit, ironing, washing the car the list goes on and on. It is a lot of fun, if a little scary to start with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royboy Posted April 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2016 What a great idea ! I might offer to wash next doors car and all ha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linny Posted April 27, 2016 Report Share Posted April 27, 2016 be careful we did a drive a few years back and there was a gas pipe just under the old path 6'' down lucky it was spotted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonmick Posted April 27, 2016 Report Share Posted April 27, 2016 If you have never driven one then I would advise you get a driver with it.a 1.5 ton machine will bounce about a three ton machine is much more stable.remember they may be small but can in the wrong hands be very dangerous. Also if you hit electric or gas you can look forward to a bill of maybe about a thousand.i have known services to be anything from 100mm to 1mtr.also a cat scanner will not pick up water or gas unless you have a Gennys with it and like everything you need to know how to use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted April 27, 2016 Report Share Posted April 27, 2016 If you do it yourself make sure that you have adequate insurance cover. Going through a service pipe could cost many thousands to repair. The best option might be to hire a man and his digger for the day. He can dig and you can instruct and look out for the services. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted April 27, 2016 Report Share Posted April 27, 2016 There is a service called "dial before you dig"................maybe that is relevant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sako751sg Posted April 27, 2016 Report Share Posted April 27, 2016 When i dug the pond it was £80 a day for the 5 tonner but with delivery,fuel and a cleaning charge it took it up a fair bit but still great value for money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shotguneddy Posted April 27, 2016 Report Share Posted April 27, 2016 Great advise fellas cheers, I'll have a ring around today, there I a gas pipe that runs from the house with different coloured concrete over it so I might be best digging that by hand Yeah any pipes, dig around by hand alot safer and have somebody watching when on the digger keeping an eye out for electrics etc. Regardless to the concrete slab like someone said chop it up in manageable lumps using disc cutter or floor saw, depending on the thickness of the concrete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royboy Posted April 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2016 I've found a company, £50 for first day then £45 any other day, I don't think I'll need it a week and that's with insurance. I'm looking forward to putting the spanners down for a week and starting my new project Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonmick Posted April 27, 2016 Report Share Posted April 27, 2016 I've found a company, £50 for first day then £45 any other day, I don't think I'll need it a week and that's with insurance. I'm looking forward to putting the spanners down for a week and starting my new project You may find the insurance is only for damage to or theft of the machine.it will not cover the cost of repairing any damaged services.you could need public liability also as any interruption of any service to others is claimable against yourself.when you add it all up the cost of Man and machine is not expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger Posted April 27, 2016 Report Share Posted April 27, 2016 Another thing - never forget where the blade is when the cab is directly over the tracks. So many people swing 180 degrees then push the levers the wrong way. Could be nothing, could cause damage or worse. Please keep the kids outside the radius, it's fun but it's not a giant toy 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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