Written by Chris Smith · Illustrative case study
The situation
A family at a property in Tallai were getting ready to put in a pool. Before the excavator could come, the whole back corner had to be cleared of sand and gravel, clay and fill and turf offcuts, and the pool builder needed it done by Monday.
Why the customer needed help
They'd rung a couple of other outfits and got vague answers about price. I told them I'd come and look, give them a figure on the spot, and they could decide from there.
What was at the property
By my count there were sand and gravel, clay and fill and turf offcuts, along with the usual loose odds and ends that build up around a job like this. It's typical of what we see from pool and excavation projects.
Working in Tallai
Tallai is a hilly acreage suburb with large homes and bushland. Tallai 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 did my usual lap. I check what's heavy, what's sharp, what's reusable and what might be hiding something underneath. A redback in the bottom of a pile isn't unusual on the Coast, so gloves and a torch come out before anyone reaches in.
How the job was planned
The plan was simple: protect the route, clear a path, then work from the far end back towards the truck so we never had to climb over what was left.
Preparation
We put drop sheets down through the hallway and taped corner guards on the door frames. It takes ten minutes and saves arguments about scuff marks.
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 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 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
The palm fronds were wet and full of spikes, and a lot of the cuttings were tangled with old wire and garden edging.
How we handled them
Heavy gloves, long sleeves and a lot of patience. We stripped the wire out first so the green waste could be recycled properly as mulch.
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
I came away reminded that a fixed price agreed up front takes all the stress out of the day, for them and for us. Nobody's watching the clock or arguing at the end.