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February 11, 2008
Concrete Front Yard
Moving to a place where the front yard has been fully covered with concrete- anyone have experience with removing some but not all of it to create planting beds? Did you hire a GC or are there people who specialize in chopping the stuff out? Could I just rent a diamond concrete saw and go to town?
Comments
Yes, a concrete saw or a jackhammer (there are electric ones) would do the trick. I had Chuck from Dig landscape my front and back yards and they did just that for me...they used a concrete saw. It was included in the whole price so you'd have to get a quote from him. They did a nice job and added the soil.
www.gardendig.com
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at February 11, 2008 5:44 PM
I have to do the same thing. Any idea about costs...however vague? Are we talking about 4 or 5 figures??? Thanks
Posted by: guest at February 12, 2008 9:03 AM
I used Galway Bay Construction, I think the guys name is Jim Lally if I remember correctly.
Really great work, neat, professional, top notch across the board.
Posted by: Bklyn Fire Alarm Guy at February 12, 2008 9:52 AM
Thanks guys- anyone out there have experience doing this cutting themselves? Long term, we'd look to get it all pulled out and replae with a nice brick walkway. Short term, I'd just want to cut a tree pit and planting bed out of the existing concrete...
Posted by: Park Place at February 12, 2008 11:49 AM
You should call my husband's company. They do thats sort of thing all over the slope and the city. Outside Space NYC -718-622-2927.
As far as I know In any case I highly recommend hiring some one. If you want to do it yourself the problem is what you do with the concrete after, you’ll have to hire a special trash container to remove it since you can't just dump it into trash. Also you don't know what's underneath it all. If you are lucky it could be some sort of soil or it could poured on metal rebar support then removing it yourself will make your life a bit complicated or there could be some serious bedrock underneath the concrete.
I think the price depends on the size. If it is the front yard then I believe it is in 4 figures.
Posted by: guest at February 12, 2008 12:02 PM
I should have mentioned I tried to DIY this project and fractured an ankle in the process. Prior to that I was tempted to call in the pros anyway because it really is backbreaking labor and there is no convenient place left in the city to take the rubble. Just my luck, the backyard was about 6" thick and poured w/ rebar throughout.
Posted by: Bklyn Fire Alarm Guy at February 12, 2008 12:02 PM
Exactly, fire alarm guy. You don't know who build it and how and for what purpose.
I forgot to mention that my husband does landscaping so I've heard horror stories of what looms from underneath innocent looking concrete. It is not as easy as it looks.
Posted by: guest at February 12, 2008 12:21 PM
Forgot to mention that when Dig did mine the cut the perometer with the saw but the concrete was too thick to bust out with a sledge hammer. They had to bring in the jackhammers
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at February 12, 2008 3:24 PM
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