Pool excavation ?

[briann532]

Stupidly, I promised the wife and kids a pool.............

All go, contracts signed etc etc, but I am responsible for the excavation as the pool company's contractor wanted 2 kidneys, my firstborn, my house, and ongoing payments for life.......

Problem is, the excavator who I got (work with him regularly - regrettably) keeps promising to come and doesn't.
Now I have done the research and yes it is still illegal to shoot people, and I still wont have a hole dug.

Pool company can do it, but at over $10K to dig a 7 x 4 hole and take dirt away, its a bit steep.
He even acknowledges he's dear, but its a take it or leave it type deal.
The guy I had lined up was going to dig and take away the dirt and fix the sewer and stormwater pipes that have to be rerouted for $3500.00 cash.

I'm happy to pay a reasonable price, but not get ripped off.

Now though after 6 weeks of waiting and broken promises I'm at wits end.

Does any myswagger know anyone who can dig pools and get rid of dirt in Sydneys north west.
I'm not after freebies or discounts, I just don't want to be ripped off.

Hoping to get some help

Brian

[baldheadedgit]

ok pm me with more details,,, what company you using for the pool. etc,, who's the guy digging the hole.?


Steve BHG

[dazzler]

ok pm me with more details,,, what company you using for the pool. etc,, who's the guy digging the hole.?


Steve BHG

You off to belt them?

[BrisVegasGolfer]

Good luck with it mate.  I don't know anyone in Sydney to help you out, sorry.  I put a 9x4.2 fibreglass pool in at my place 3 years ago and it was a fantastic process.  Such a relief after the painful home building process we'd been through.  My excavation costs were included in the contract price.  All I had to pay for was disposal fees if the soil had to go offsite to a tip.  I found a bloke in the neighbourhood who needed fill on his block and was happy to take anything I needed to dump.  In the end, the majority of the soil was spread around my back yard to level things off and build the yard up slightly.  I was able to get my coping and large paved (on slab) area to be at the same height right to the back door.  Came up a treat. 

As I said, hope it goes well.  It'll transform your yard!

P.S. And despite our best efforts, we clipped the storm & sewer pipes twice!  Not a big deal really, just grabbed a couple of elbows and some blue pipe glue stuff. 

[Bird]

Now though after 6 weeks of waiting and broken promises I'm at wits end.

take it as an omen.. Pools are money pits, lke boats..
awesome when you first have them, then they just sit there and become a PITA.

Put a shed up instead, I did 9mtr x 9mtr...

[hainess]

take it as an omen.. Pools are money pits, lke boats..
awesome when you first have them, then they just sit there and become a PITA.

Put a shed up instead, I did 9mtr x 9mtr...

Totally agree.
Like the boat. Anything that needs to be done or fixed is 4 figure sum to start with.

A hole in the ground you pour money into.


Rod
.

[xcvator]

No plant hire agencies up there ? 5 ton excavator & truck should be about $120  $150 ph + tip fees. Stick a sign up at the end of your street for free fill, you might get lucky. Unless it's in rock any more than $1500-$1700 and you are getting shafted. If in rock, buy a lottery ticket good ljuck

[terravista]

Sorry, can't help with the excavation. but there is a website you can advertise for people who need fill to take it rather than pay disposal fees.

http://www.fillwanted.com.au/

Cheers

[cruisindub]

Should he over in WA.

(South west WA,not the Northwest)

Was quoted minimum $2000, though could be more, (see the 'is this typically Australian's thread on Dodgy quotes/tradesmen)
To take away 100m2 x 10cm of sand (10 cubic m) in prep for a proposed concrete driveway to my side gates of my house.ground is flat, sand,just skim the top give some depth for the concrete pour. That's without a gravel backfill or anything.

Maybe 'xcvator' would like a weekend job.?

[Bird]

No plant hire agencies up there ? 5 ton excavator & truck should be about $120  $150 ph + tip fees. Stick a sign up at the end of your street for free fill, you might get lucky. Unless it's in rock any more than $1500-$1700 and you are getting shafted. If in rock, buy a lottery ticket good ljuck

U have this gear?? need my back yard flattened out and stuff if your keen...

[WilSurf]

C'mon guys, grab a shovel and help him out.
 

When we had our pool installed, the digging was included in the price. The soil was carted to some builder who could use it within 10kms away for free.

[Beachman]

I’ve just excavated 600 cubic meters of dirt as part of a renovation. If the dirt can go straight from the excavator to the truck then your looking about $120 per hour. But if you need a separate bobcat the move the dirt from the excavator to the truck then your looking at another $95 per hour. Then trucks are about $90 per hour each.

In Brisbane the cheapest pay site I could was about $100 per truck which was very close. I was also lucky enough to find a couple of free sites close by, but you have to weigh up the cost to dump at a pay place compared to paying a truck driver by the hour to dump somewhere free further away. You also have to remember they dirt increases 3 fold when dug up as it’s no longer compacted. So 10 square meters of nice hard compacted dirt suddenly turns into 3 trucks loads to dump.

I have put 2 pools in previous with past houses and both times the pool the pool company wouldn’t give a definite price, just an estimate.  First pool the dig was finished after 5 hours and came in $700 over the estimate. With the second pool we didn’t need the Bobcat so the total came in $500 under the estimate, Both times I was given invoices for machines, trucks & any dumping costs, so it’s not like the pool guy made any money on that. (They wait for steel/Concrete for that)

[briann532]

Thanks for the replies everyone, but now I'm just getting depressed...............


Yes its a big hole in the ground in which to pour money, but I chose to get married, so I figure its just another part of it
Brave when she can't see me......
I've done the whole boat thing, had a camper for 6 or so years, so its just another expense really. :'( :'( :'( :'

As far as getting someone to dig it, its easy to find people.
Not easy to find someone who can dig it and take the dirt away for a reasonable price.
I'm not being stingy or tight, but a few guys have told me they will dig it, then give the price.
Fat chance.
Other have told me they will give a rough idea, but never turn up.
One promised the world, then never came back.

I must have a bad aura or something. Nevertheless, I would have thought my money was as good as anybody elses.
I don't intend paying in Zimbabwe dollars. I've got good old aussie cash ready to go.

Its getting to the point, I'm considering buying a couple of new shovels.........................

Oh well, time will tell.
At least I have the camper to retain my sanity.

Brian

[Bird]

get one of these, no need for a hole




Once the dirt is gone, its $ to get it to fill in the hole in a couple of yrs when your over it

Much more fun and you can keep the pool in it during winter



FWIW, I had the same issues gettin tradeys to come out and do pool dekcing - all talked the world, 1 came with a price which was extortion... he just didnt want the work. Same with electricians, plumbers, concretors etc... They are all going broke, but nobody wants the work..

Now need a bobcat etfc to clean up the other side of the yard where the old shed is (soon to be was)...  No dirt to take away, we have a 4acre paddock out the back LOL!

[gowalkabout]

just sent you a pm

[hainess]

Should he over in WA.

(South west WA,not the Northwest)

Was quoted minimum $2000, though could be more, (see the 'is this typically Australian's thread on Dodgy quotes/tradesmen)
To take away 100m2 x 10cm of sand (10 cubic m) in prep for a proposed concrete driveway to my side gates of my house.ground is flat, sand,just skim the top give some depth for the concrete pour. That's without a gravel backfill or anything.

Maybe 'xcvator' would like a weekend job.?

I'm in the Redlands, SE of Brisbane.
To dump hardfill is $190 a tonne.

You work it out.

Rod

.

[Beachman]

Yes pools aren't cheap to build and they always cost ongoing money, but seeing I have 2 young kids it entertains them for hours upon hours and makes them sleep well at night. So there are some good points.

[ozbogwam]

A friend of mine when she was a kid pestered her grandpa that she wanted a pool. He said dig the hole and I'll put a pool in. Came home from work and thete was every kid from the neighbourhood in his backyard with a shovel digging a hole. They spent about 4 weeks digging the hole and moving the dirt down to his back forty.

Voila one new pool

[Variflex]

take it as an omen.. Pools are money pits, lke boats..
awesome when you first have them, then they just sit there and become a PITA.

Put a shed up instead, I did 9mtr x 9mtr...

I totally Disagree, providing you understand the pool and know how to look after it you will be looking around $200 per year in cemicals and maintenance, Just dont be one of those monkies that let their pool go green during winter

Good luck with the pool, once it's all in it will bring years of enjoyment and fond memories for you and the family

[Mumof3]

Putting a pool in a couple of years ago was the best $$ spent. The best entertainment for the kids. Never nagging me to take them out every day of the holidays now. Only this summer was a bit of a dud.

[cruisindub]

I'm in the Redlands, SE of Brisbane.
To dump hardfill is $190 a tonne.

You work it out.

Rod

.

So how much does 10 cubic metres weigh?

[rockman]

So how much does 10 cubic metres weigh?

Roughly 1 cubic meter is 1.3-1.4 tonne
Average size pool , you will pull out 45-60 meters
Have a look at this site , free to advertise www.fillsites.com.au ... look through it , people are always chasing dirt .

[dazzler]

Make up a 'free fill wanted' sign and put it down at the local park.

Then send your trucks there.

Apparently they want free fill down at the local park - or so the sign said. 

[BigJules]

Brian, there's all that landscaping going on down Hezlett Rd, and with the wet weather those guys might be looking for a cash job they can get struck into. I'd head around there and see if they can help, or recommend anyone.

[cruisindub]

Make up a 'free fill wanted' sign and put it down at the local park.

Then send your trucks there.

Apparently they want free fill down at the local park - or so the sign said. 

That's the sort of arrangement I like. You and I are on the same page.
Purely innocent.