# Mini Excavator and basement dig



## fhdesign

If the machine and bucket are in decent shape it should easily have enough power to dig at that depth. Moving the material with that small of a trailer will be the slowest or most challenging part of the job. If it's decent material we try to keep the backfill material as close to the excavation as possible, graded off flat so you drive on or over it. If it's wet material or something that you can't drive over or work on when it gets wet then we would stockpile it out of the way.


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## dayexco

per the OP...i think you'd be money ahead and time ahead....to get a 2nd job delivering pizza and hiring somebody with the proper equipment to do this job. you're going to be so sick of that hole by the time you're done you're gonna scream.


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## cleveman

3' of overdig? Do you guys want that much fill bearing on the walls? Why not just overdig by 8', then you could drive around the basement in a utility tractor to do your waterproofing and what not?


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## e21pilot

dayexco: Hire someone else; deliver pizzas??? That's not rising to the challenge. Besides, I know of several guys who would love to jump into the Kubota and start digging just for the fun of it. I have to include myself in that crowd. It's not often I get a nice piece of equipment like this to play with. Now that I have a plan to go about the dig, I can't wait to get the permit to get started. 

After I have a good day of digging, then I'll eat the pizza!


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## MikeyJP1980

cleveman said:


> 3' of overdig? Do you guys want that much fill bearing on the walls? Why not just overdig by 8', then you could drive around the basement in a utility tractor to do your waterproofing and what not?


I like 3' over dig although that is about the limit. It is tough to excavate footers, waterproof walls, lay pipe, or fight 100 lb. wall forms in anything much less. Less is definitely better when it comes to disturbing earth. With a solid wall and good clean washed rock for backfill no one should have any trouble. I prefer to work smarter not harder so I will stick with the extra room next time we excavate a basement.


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## rino1494

cleveman said:


> 3' of overdig? Do you guys want that much fill bearing on the walls? Why not just overdig by 8', then you could drive around the basement in a utility tractor to do your waterproofing and what not?


If the foundation is constructed properly, the bearing effects of the over dig will not matter. I backfill 9' high 10" poured walls with no weight on them and use my plate tamper on my backhoe and pound away on her like a virgin on prom night.


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