Site preparation prior to extension works

[Footsoldier888]

An extension novice here, looking to save time and hopefully cash by getting the site organised before any builders come in.

It is a rear extension and at the back there is 5m x 4m of 45cm patio flags on top of a bed of a concrete and hardcore mix that is solid and about 12cm deep.

In the front is a similar sized patch of grass I will need to gravel over to create another parking space. While I would like to reuse this 'concrete' if I could, is it more practical to skip it and use MOT type 1 hardcore for the front? That way the back would be clear and I could get the front scraped when the foundations are being dug.

Partly behind the house is an 8m by 3m 'Thorprcrete' garage with bolted concrete panels and a wrinkly tin roof. As the panels are good and it has power and light I would like to shrink it to about 5m if I can, is this doable and fairly straightforward say?

 

[noseall]

We'd prolly use the (broken up) slabs in a soakaway, so these could be dug up and stored.

The remaining hard standing beneath the slabs may be a curse or a boon depending upon ground conditions. We have used the hard core from a demolished building to support the digger and dumper when working on poor ground, whilst digging the trenches, particularly in winter. A good digger driver can use materials at hand to form a digging platform and a dumper run if he needs too. You then dig off the oversite (and foundation trenches) as you retreat - either stacking hard stuff behind you or dropping it straight into the dumper.

It wouldn't hurt to break up the concrete though. If you want to do a real favour then break a strip of concrete along where it abuts the building - about 450mm.

I'd leave the front as it is and let it become a dumping ground for the spoil. We often dig a slops hole for the mixer waste too. You do this then fill it with rough concrete harvested from the rear break-up jobby.

I'm pretty certain you could modify the garage as long as you remove complete panels and that you don't compromise the integrity of the roof via the angle iron truss bars etc.