Written by Chris Smith · Illustrative case study
The situation
An owner-builder at a property in Worongary was three months into a renovation and the side passage had become a tip. Inspection was due and the certifier needed clear access, but there were brick and block rubble, broken concrete and slab pieces and roof and floor tiles everywhere.
Why the customer needed help
Their main worry wasn't the cost. It was not knowing what could legally go where, and not wanting to damage the house getting it all out. Both of those are part of the job for us.
What was at the property
By my count there were brick and block rubble, broken concrete and slab pieces and roof and floor tiles, along with the usual loose odds and ends that build up around a job like this. It's typical of what we see from landscapers removing old paving.
Working in Worongary
Worongary is a semi-rural area of acreage homes and tree-lined blocks. Worongary properties are often larger blocks with sheds, paddocks and lots of trees, so green waste, shed clear-outs and scrap metal are common jobs. Long driveways and gravel tracks are fine; we check gates, slopes and wet ground before backing in.
The initial assessment
I arrived at the property and the first thing I noticed was the access. Before I look at the pile, I walk the route it has to travel: doorways, steps, the driveway slope, overhead wires, where the truck can park. For this job I paced it out and worked out we'd need about two-thirds of the tipper.
How the job was planned
I gave them a fixed price there and then, based on volume, and explained what was included: heavy inert material handling, weight-appropriate truck loads and clean fill and rubble separation. They said yes on the spot, so we planned to load in one visit rather than two.
Preparation
We checked the weather, laid out the straps and blankets for anything worth saving, and agreed a hand signal for "stop" because the truck was right on the road.
Step 1
Step one was triage. We pulled everything into three groups: donate, recycle and dispose. It takes longer at the start, but it means the truck gets loaded in the right order and nothing good goes to landfill.
Step 2
Step two was the loose material. Bags, boxes and odds and ends went into the truck in layers, packed tight into the gaps around the furniture so we weren't carting air to the tip.
Step 3
Step three was loading the donation pile carefully, strapping it separately at the front of the tray so it would arrive at the charity in one piece.
Removal, sorting and loading
On the truck, heavy and flat things go on the bottom, long things go along the sides, and anything fragile for donation rides at the front where there's less bounce. Recycling stays in its own section so it can come straight off at the transfer station.
From the truck it went to a licensed transfer station, where recyclables were dropped off separately, and anything usable went to a local op shop before the tip run.
Challenges we ran into
Nails and screws were sticking out of most of the timber, and some offcuts had been mixed with good materials the builder still needed.
How we handled them
We knocked over the nails as we went and asked the builder to mark anything he wanted kept with tape. Nothing good went to the tip.
Completion and final result
When the last load was strapped down, the space was empty and swept. The customer walked through with me, signed off, and paid the price we'd agreed at the start, not a dollar more.
What I learned
What stuck with me was how much of it could be reused. People expect building Waste Removal to mean everything goes to landfill. On this job, close to a third of it went somewhere useful.