# Best way not to destroy yard?



## dkillianjr (Aug 28, 2006)

Hey guys, do you have any tips on not chewing up a customers yard when you have to take a machine across it? Long story shot, after putting gutters on a customers house I need to remove the old downspouts from the sanitary sewer and dig a drainage pit for the new ones.The township gave me a plan of what they want.(don't worry no lisence is required in my area for storm sewer work lol) The township is dyetesting everyone and making them do so. I usually borrow a friend of mines mini backhoe every once in a while for these situations, I'm gonna be driving it across the front yard to get to the back. I was thinking to let the ground freeze real good before doing the job to help with the ruts and damage, what do you guys think? And also any tips on the drainage pit? I rarely get into jobs like this but the homeowner is a 90 yr old ladie who has been taken advantage of by other guys and practicly begged me to do the job.

Thanks, Dave 
P.S. sorry for the long post


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## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

Waiting till it freezes is good, but you don't want to be digging near a foundation when the ground is froze. You can lay some frost blankets down ahead of time until you are ready. 

If the ground is not frozen, you can lay down some plywood to drive on. You don't need alot of pieces, just some and you will have to keep shuttling plywood as you drive farther.

When digging drainage pits for downspouts, make sure that you are far enough from the house so the water doesn't flow back to the foundation. Dig the pit, line it with fabric, fill with gravel, install your pipes, and cover with with some more gravel, about 8"-12". Then cover with more fabric and backfill. 

Also, one thing to think about. What are you going to do with the excess dirt that you dig out ?? Can you waste it on-site or will you have to haul it out ?? You say that you are using a backhoe. You will prolly have to have a dumptruck out in the street or driveway and scoop up the dirt and carrying it out to the front to load the dumptruck. This is best to do, when the ground is frozen.


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## dkillianjr (Aug 28, 2006)

Thanks rino, The pit will be about 25' from the house, and the pipe will only be about a foot or so deep at the house. So I should be alright next to the foundation right since I am not going that deep right? The township engineer drew me up a plan that is exactly what you said:thumbup:, they are requiring a 6'x6'x5' deep pit with #3 stone. Well thats what I will do then I will just wait till the ground is real frozen then do it. As for the dirt, I'm still working on that one :laughing: although I think I have a landscaper buddy that needs some fill.

Thanks again, Dave


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## Cole (Aug 27, 2004)

I agree, they make mats specifically for ground disturbance but since you are just having to do these jobs once or twice a year, plywood will be fine.


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## dkillianjr (Aug 28, 2006)

Cole said:


> I agree, they make mats specifically for ground disturbance but since you are just having to do these jobs once or twice a year, plywood will be fine.



Yup thats what I was thinking too, a few sheets of plywood is well worth the money instead of subbing out a landscaper or fixing the yard myself.

Dave


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## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

Make sure that you install some cleanouts. Leaves can easily plug up the pipes. What you do is, at the end of the pipe in the stone, install a tee fitting so that you can extend a piece of pipe vertical to above grade.


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

rino1494 said:


> Waiting till it freezes is good, but you don't want to be digging near a foundation when the ground is froze. You can lay some frost blankets down ahead of time until you are ready.





dkillianjr said:


> Well thats what I will do then I will just wait till the ground is real frozen then do it.


Make sure you have the blankets down. As Rino said "You don't want to be digging next to the foundation once frost has set in". It is real easy to damage the wall when digging close in frozen ground.

A mini Excavator could be the ticket for digging this out.


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## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

just get a 450 deere excavator in there....spin some cookies here and there....then say, gee, sorry bout that pardner. but! i can fix that for you for a slight phenomenol fee


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## oldfrt (Oct 10, 2007)

We've used hay around footings to keep the frost out.Keeps the ground nice and warm.It can be reused after seeding .


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## dkillianjr (Aug 28, 2006)

Thanks guys, rino, yup I deffinetly plan on the cleanout. the township engineer is a real nice guy and drew me a real nice complete plan including everything. tgeb, yup I'm gonna take some hay over there this weekend its supposed to be almost 50 degress and get it all layed out. In the past I have rented a yanmar micro excavator it is only 33" wide with the tracks retracted, but I need a front loader to move the gravel and excess dirt too. So I will probly be borrowing my buddies Terimite mini backhoe. day, I like that deere 450 I think that would do the job with one bucketfull :laughing: I might have a hard time explaining all the damage and removing half the house to get back there though :laughing: oldfrt, Yup I'm deffinetly gonna use the hay its cheap and I don' have to worry about it until I get there.

Thanks, Dave


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## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

Take some pics. Too bad you didn't live closer. I'd come take a look at it for ya.


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## woodmagman (Feb 17, 2007)

I like the idea of tearing up the yard....:laughing: We do alot of existing foundation excavation and insulation, aswell egress excavation when basement are being developed as bedrooms. This means that the yard is full of excavated material and driving over it really packs it down. We cover the entire yard, sidewalk and drive with 3/4" plywood as a matt, butt end to end. Do not lap them you will regret it when it comes to putting the material back with a miniX or Skid steer. The lawn takes minor abuse but comes back fast. We usally clean up with a 36" smooth bucket on a miniX.


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## dkillianjr (Aug 28, 2006)

Thanks rino, I will deffinetly take some pics, you guys can cretique my excavation work :laughing: woodmagman, thats pretty cool laying plywood on the entire yard I have never seen that done. 
I do have one more question. All of the utilities enter in the front of the house water, gas, sewer, and the phone, cable, and electric are overhead. I will be digging in the back, but i am still gonna do a one call. My question is, This ladie has an underground sprinkler system although there are no heads or pipe were I am digging, I will have to cross a underground sprinkler pipe with the machine. Is there any risk of any damage to the sprinkler line? It appears to be around 15"-20" below grade.


Thanks, Dave


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

dkillianjr said:


> although there are no heads or pipe were I am digging, I will have to cross a underground sprinkler pipe with the machine. Is there any risk of any damage to the sprinkler line? It appears to be around 15"-20" below grade.


Hell yeah, there is risk of damage. I would make sure you have a line in your contract that you will not be held responsible for damage to the irrigation system. 
Sometimes you reach in and pull up a fist full of wires and the irrigation guys want 3 times what you're billing out to come and fix that crap.

Cover your butt, just running over those sprinkler heads can cause damage, especially when the ground is frozen.


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## dkillianjr (Aug 28, 2006)

tgeb, Ya thats deffinetly a good idea on the contract. Atleast I know where all the sprinkler heads are so I will be able to avoid them. Its just I will be driving over a spot where a sprinkler pipe is burried. I remember a excavator telling me a while back that he drove over a burried clay sewer line and crushed it .


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