How easy/hard to break up concrete path?

[JP_]

Concrete path goes up to damp course in places, covers one air brick completely, partially covers others. Have been dealing with rot inside, need to get rid of that path.

Had a quote of £400 just to break it up, £500 to also take it away.

Can weekend hire a 30kg breaker for £55 - https://www.hss.com/hire/p/medium-duty-breaker-hilti-te2000

Will this get through my path? I guess it's about 20cm of concrete in places, but probably less in other places ... sounds hollow in some areas, but looks thick around the drainage areas.

 

[selfbuildextension]

I'm pretty sure that will do the job, as a comparison I bought this for £99 and it went through 12" concrete like butter, it made the job so easy.

https://www.aldi.co.uk/1700w-demolition-breaker/p/066252060198700

I'm sure you can find similar elsewhere. 3 year warranty and it's yours to keep for less than two weekends hire charge.

 

[JP_]

Tempting, although hope to not need one again!
I bought a cheap SDS hammer drill, and it was great, until it stopped hammering after about a month. Katsu.
Will have a look though. Will mean I can take my time!

 

[selfbuildextension]

I have a lot more work to do so it made sense for me. I'd have had to hire 5 or 6 times over a few months.

It will take you longer to move the material than break it, try to break it in largish pieces, much faster to move then.

Enjoy!

 

[JohnD]

looks thick around the drainage areas.

this often happens when old clay drains have cracked and leaked, so excavate cautiously round your gulley and its trap

Don't forget your Ear Defenders.

Ear Defenders.

I said Ear Defenders. EAR DEFENDERS! What's the matter, are you... Oh. Sorry.

 

[JP_]

Cheers. Got a pair somewhere, can't remember what I did with them though!

 

[^woody^]

This is one for Neil Sedaka.

 

[footprints]

Avoiding the drain positions, once you have a start good thumps with a sledge hammer about a foot from the broken edge often does the trick.

 

[JP_]

yeah, I broke up the garden path at the back with sledge hammer, but this does seem more solid, plus next to neighbours drive, so don't want to send chunks flying too far. I did whack it a few times with the hammer, but that was when I decided I might need a better tool!

This is one for Neil Sedaka

I don't get it! A whacker?

 

[footprints]

I don't get it! A whacker?

i think it starts, dum a dum a down do doby do down down!

 

[VDubDan]

Definitely do it yourself - that's an expensive quote. That breaker should go through fine - I've done a whole bunch with a Titan job from Screwfix (15kg). Not the most fun you'll ever have, but it is what it is.

Recommend a grab wagon to get rid of it - book in advance, shift the broken concrete to your drive and let them come and pick it all up for you. Should be £2-250 I'd have thought.

 

[noseall]

it went through 12" concrete like butter

Lol. It must have been summat the Paddies mixed in the early 1970's then. Nothing in the medium/heavy range will touch decent gear thicker than half that, especially not an Aldi special.

 

[JP_]

Definitely do it yourself

Builder sent another text today, saying he thinks he overestimated and will charge 275.
That might be more reasonable ...

After looking at HSS hire it seems that I will also need to pay for bits, power cables, transformers .... so maybe closer to £100 to hire something. Does that sound about right?

 

[^woody^]

i think it starts, dum a dum a down do doby do down down!

Get that wacker serviced.

 

[VDubDan]

Builder sent another text today, saying he thinks he overestimated and will charge 275.
That might be more reasonable ...

After looking at HSS hire it seems that I will also need to pay for bits, power cables, transformers .... so maybe closer to £100 to hire something. Does that sound about right?

I've found HSS to be very hit and miss, that feels expensive but it's been a few years since I hired one. Maybe try Jewsons - they can spin a deal sometimes. Remember you really only need it for one day, so you can cut costs there - but again, sometimes they do good weekend discounts