Written by Chris Smith · Illustrative case study
The situation
After a week of heavy rain, a homeowner at a property in Benowa found his back fence line buried under clay and fill, turf offcuts and old potting mix. His green bin takes about a wheelbarrow at a time, and the council bin day was a fortnight away.
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 clay and fill, turf offcuts and old potting mix, along with the usual loose odds and ends that build up around a job like this. It's typical of what we see from homeowners regrading garden beds.
Working in Benowa
Benowa is an established suburb of large family homes and quiet streets. Benowa mixes established homes, units and local businesses, so jobs range from single items to full house and office cleanouts. We plan around driveways, unit car parks and loading zones so the truck is close to the load.
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: hand and shovel loading, weight-appropriate load sizes and clean fill 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 the bulky stuff. My offsider and I took the largest items out first, tilting them through the door frames rather than forcing them. With clay and fill, turf offcuts and old potting mix in the mix, there was no point clearing small things while the big ones were still blocking the way.
Step 2
Step two was the heavy lifting. Anything over about forty kilos went on the trolley or got a two-person lift with straps. No hero stuff. A strained back on the first job of the day ruins the week.
Step 3
Step three was the final check. I went back through every room and corner with the customer, picked up the small stuff the big items had hidden, and swept up.
Removal, sorting and loading
We loaded by destination rather than by size. Metal on one side for the scrap yard, green waste kept clean, cardboard flattened and bundled, and general rubbish packed into whatever space was left.
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
The ground was boggy from the rain, and the truck couldn't get anywhere near the back of the block without sinking.
How we handled them
We parked on the street and barrowed it out in short runs along boards, which kept the lawn from getting torn up.
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 soil & Dirt Removal to mean everything goes to landfill. On this job, close to a third of it went somewhere useful.