How hard is it to rent some sort of bobcat or whatever and dig out a sloped
yard to add terracing bricks and make flat spots separated by a wall or two?

On Tue, 26 Jun 2007 08:00:08 -0400, jeffc wrote:

How hard is it to rent some sort of bobcat or whatever and dig out a sloped
yard to add terracing bricks and make flat spots separated by a wall or two?

Good day Jeffc,
Is it hard... um, no. Is it hard work... um, yes! I would not suggest that
this is work that you should take on yourself. Using a Bobcat on a slope
is not an easy task to master. Flipping the machine is a real outcome.

As stated before by Stubby, it's very likly that you will need to have the
wall inspected. Depending on where you live, you may need footers for
your walls. The walls will have to have the proper amount of drainage
behind them.

Depending on the size of your job, this could cost $5,000 at the least. I
would suggest that you have a hardscaping company come and look at what
you have. Generaly a free bid from a few companies will clue you into the
amount of work your looking at.

Good luck,
Timothy

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Look in your local newspaper. I see lots of ads. $185 per day from a
local guy. $200 from Taylor. Etc. You'll need a truck and trailer
to move them.

jeffc wrote:
How hard is it to rent some sort of bobcat or whatever and dig out a sloped
yard to add terracing bricks and make flat spots separated by a wall or two?

You should also check with your local building inspector. Sometimes
walls need to be "engineered". That is have supports or slope a
certain way. The Inspector can make you change it -- best to do it in
the design phase rather than after you build it.

jeffc wrote:
How hard is it to rent some sort of bobcat or whatever and dig out a sloped
yard to add terracing bricks and make flat spots separated by a wall or two?

"jeffc" wrote in message
...
How hard is it to rent some sort of bobcat or whatever and dig out a
sloped yard to add terracing bricks and make flat spots separated by a
wall or two?
I didn't have any experience with a bobcat and was able to add good topsoil
to a side-yard, creating a gentle slope that became a garden. It was
terraced to the extent that I used a manufactured "Castle-wall" product to
make a 2-high "wall" define the edges of the garden and beginning of the
turf area. I had the fill dirt delivered and dumped, and I didn't find the
Bobcat hard to learn. In this area (countryside) permits and inspections
weren't an issue.

If the design had been more complex, required footings, etc., I would have
contracted it out. -- Regards

"jeffc" wrote in message
...
How hard is it to rent some sort of bobcat or whatever and dig out a
sloped yard to add terracing bricks and make flat spots separated by a
wall or two?


Will address you question head-on, rather than presenting other plans of
attack.

The bobcat will follow the angle of the ground if attacking the attempted
dig 90 degrees from the angle of the slope of the soil. It also presents a
problem with possible tip over of the bobcat.

Starting at the top of the elevation, you can attack the dig with the slope
pointing the bobcat uphill. This takes alot of experience. It also is
limited in the amount of level area of each terrace. Not much. If you can
level enough area, you can use the bobcat on the level area, and slowly work
in more level area up the slope. This takes alot of experience and
patience.

The subsoil type is also a matter of concern while doing this. For example,
loose subsoil vs. stratified limestone vs. solid rock.
Dave

"Dave" wrote in message
ink.net...
The bobcat will follow the angle of the ground if attacking the attempted
dig 90 degrees from the angle of the slope of the soil. It also presents
a problem with possible tip over of the bobcat.

Starting at the top of the elevation, you can attack the dig with the
slope pointing the bobcat uphill. This takes alot of experience. It also
is limited in the amount of level area of each terrace. Not much. If you
can level enough area, you can use the bobcat on the level area, and
slowly work in more level area up the slope. This takes alot of
experience and patience.

The subsoil type is also a matter of concern while doing this. For
example, loose subsoil vs. stratified limestone vs. solid rock.

Subsoil is clay. I see your point.