MOT type 1 - moisture and colour

[pilsbury]

Previously on smaller jobs I’ve bought bulk bags from merchants. So basically 850kg for £35.

Doing my drive at the minute and calculated I need about 36 tonnes for a 130mm base. I thought I’d get it in two 18 tonne loads so I can whacker down and set my edging stones before filling up with the other half.

I’m feeling a bit diddled..... Got an 18 tonne load for £420 (£23/tonne) which I’m assuming is reclaimed MOT as it’s very dark grey but recon I didn’t get nearly as much as I should of done because it was so wet. Probably paid for 5 tonne of water as I’ve barely covered an inch of my 130sqm area.

Is fresh quarried MOT light in colour? Apart from a different supplier, how can I ensure the stone isn’t saturated? Anyone know any decent places in the West Midlands who do good stone at a good price for full loads? If I’m getting similar loads again I’m gonna blow my budget on sub base!

Remember I’m tight as a gnats ar5e

 

[Brigade77]

First, how big was the lorry? Was it a 6 or 8 wheeler? Was the body full? Do you know what an 18 ton load looks like?

Second, what stone is the MOT? Pick out a stone & wash it. Check whether it's limestone or granite.

Third, is it saturated wet? Because to add 5ton to a 13 ton load of MOT it would have poured off the lorry like wet concrete.

Fourth, were you buying the bulk bags from a retail DIY shed or a builders merchants?

 

[scbk]

Round here a 'full load' on an 8 wheeler is 20ton.


Did they not give you a weight ticket?

 

[pilsbury]

1. Was a massive grab lorry. Took away 70 tonnes of soil in 4 loads. Can’t remember number of wheels, but I do know he mentioned one load of soil he took being 20 tonnes and overweight. do I know what 18 tonnes look like? Not really, only imagining 20 bulk bags. But my pile didn’t look that much. Assumed it was just cos it was loose and pile shaped
2. Limestone
3. It certainly didn’t come off like wet concrete! Still a pile of stone, so my 5 tonne water weight was simply me being daft to demonstrate how wet it was compared to what I’ve previously been used to.
4. Builders merchants.

5. Never got to see in the back. It’s a bloody tall vehicle. No weight ticket given. I was told 20tonnes is overweight hence 18tonne on a grab.

 

[^woody^]

See if TS Element are still going (based in Oldbury) if not Ricketts of Erdington.

Ask for "scalpings" - which are the ungraded cuts which don't pass the seive for MOT grade, but are perfectly OK for drives.

TBH, water has little effect in the amount you get.

 

[pilsbury]

Cheers woody. I shall give those places a bell. I shall also see how much cheaper scalpings are. I thought they were bits of crushed tarmac scalped off roads before they were relaid. You live and learn.

Seeing how much this supposed 18tonne disappeared into an inch, can’t help but think I need a proper 36 tonne still. Balls.

 

[^woody^]

IIRC you will pay extra per tonne for part loads, so order to the wagon size - 19 or 11 tonners or something like that. Ask about this to check.

Stone can be grey.

 

[pilsbury]

Just for the interest of others in the West Mids looking for MOT at a decent price, I tried both of Woody’s suggestions - T&S Elements doesn’t appear to be still going and while Ricketts is a decent price, they only have tippers to dump a full load. A grab costs an extra £150 on top.

However, there’s a company called McGowans who do “recycled MOT” which they say is crushed concrete but properly graded and certified to type 1 standards. That is delivered by grab on a 16 tonne load for £230. That’s £14.30/tonne.

Coming Tuesday morning. I shall report back what the quality is like.....

 

[Ian H]

Took away 70 tonnes of soil in 4 loads.

I hope you dug that out by hand and barrowed it to the curb rather than being a pussy and using a machine!!

 

[pilsbury]

I hope you dug that out by hand and barrowed it to the curb rather than being a pussy and using a machine!!

Sure did. Started with a shovel but that was too easy so changed to a teaspoon.






By a teaspoon I meant a mini digger.

 

[pilsbury]

Just a quick update. Got 16 tonne of crushed concrete same grade as MOT1. So much better. Think the first lot was lost compacting down into uneven ground, but this lot added a good 3” whackered down hard. a lot dryer too which made spreading easier.