Removing Soil from Front Garden

[Leon125]

Hi,

Looking at the pic - if you imagine the left hand side as driveway and the right hand side as what was a load of bushes before I removed them, so its now soil with some stones in between. I'd basically like to clear the soil away. No plans for any further bushes/plants etc. Just want something tidy and easy to manage.

Any suggestions on the easiest/simplest way of removing the soil would be appreciated. I tentatively got a spade but worked out quickly that it wasn't going to be an option to remove all the soil, we're looking at about 2m by 1.5m and it appears to go down deep.

For something like this - is my only option to contact professional help. I'm not even sure if (under the soil) there is hard concrete like the driveway (crosses fingers) or simply loads and loads of soil so I'd have to pave over it sooner or later. Presumably its the latter - as the bushes were quite big so presumably had roots.

But in first instance, is there anything (chemical) which would remove the soil, or at least break it down making it more easy to remove ? I'm happy to get a skip and dispose it, but I'd welcome any thoughts as if this wasn't workable - best to get someone in.



thanks
Leon.

 

[sircerebus666]

You have a few options

1, do it yourself by hand , hard work , but good excercise.

2, bribe some mates with beer

3, hire a mini digger and ask the hire shop to show you how to use it

4, get in pro help and sip beer whilst watching them

 

[Notch7]

is there anything (chemical) which would remove the soil

no

 

[Leon125]

thanks sircerebus666 and Notch7 (knew it was a long shot)
Beer option sounds great - but I suspect it'll be option 1.
appreciate your help lads
Leon

 

[conny]

You can break it into smaller manageable chunks with the likes of a pickaxe depending how deep you are going to go.

 

[Tigercubrider]

What makes you think there is concrete under the soil?
You could dig a big test pit to see what's there, or get a load of bulk bags and slowly fill them. Then book a grab loader to lift them and take away.
But you'll end up with a massive hole

 

[Leon125]

Thanks conny and Tigercubrdier. Conny - yes that's probably the first thing I'll do - get a pick axe and just disturb as much of the soil as I can. It does seem to be packed quite hard.
Tigercubrider - It was more hope than expectation. The soil seems about 8-10cm above the adjacent concrete, and I was hoping the house initially came with a flat concrete driveway - and that the owner added the soil afterwards. I will get a pick axe and see how much I can fill slowly (as you suggest). I guess even if I have to get someone to lay the concrete in - it'd be a cheaper option for me to remove the soil in any case.
thanks
Leon

 

[SFK]

I'm happy to get a skip and dispose it

Cheaper option than a skip is "grabber lorry" (do a search for a local service).

You make a pile of the soil near the road (say on your drive) and the grabber lorry picks it up.
I have often got deals for smaller loads, by sending them a photo and allowing them to collect when it suits them when they do not have a full truck from a previous job.

sfk

 

[Old Salt]

May be easier to dig after a good downpour.

 

[sircerebus666]

Like I've just had here ! Could have bathed in it , it flooded that much

If you dig and clear wet soil , do not , I repeat , do not trasp said mud through the house

Well not unless you want to see actual steam come out your other halfs ears!

 

[Leon125]

Many thanks SFK, Old Salt and sircerebus666 (especially about not going round the house with muddy shoes !).
Old Salt, yeah I think I'm going to do that - would have got a pick axe were it not for the mad queue outside b&q. Going to wait for another great british downpour and make a start on this and start looking for grabber lorries.
thanks