Written by Chris Smith · Illustrative case study
The situation
A woman at a property in Bonogin had hired a gardener for a two-day overhaul of an overgrown block. The gardener was brilliant at cutting, but he didn't haul, and by Friday afternoon the driveway was hidden under soaked cardboard and stock, scattered yard debris and fallen branches and fronds.
Why the customer needed help
They'd tried doing it themselves the weekend before, got about a quarter of the way through and realised the rest needed a truck, two people and a plan. That's where storm Debris Removal comes in.
What was at the property
By my count there were soaked cardboard and stock, scattered yard debris and fallen branches and fronds, along with the usual loose odds and ends that build up around a job like this. It's typical of what we see from body corporates.
Working in Bonogin
Bonogin is a leafy valley of acreage homes behind Mudgeeraba. Bonogin 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
First look, it was bigger than described, which is normal. People size up their own clutter by memory, not by volume. I measured it roughly by truck-loads, checked for anything we can't take, like paint tins or gas bottles, and found two old cans tucked at the back that we left aside.
How the job was planned
I split the job into zones in my head: what could come straight out the front, what had to come through the house, and what would need two of us and a trolley. That way nobody was waiting on anybody.
Preparation
Before lifting anything, we moved the cars, opened every gate wide and propped the screen door. A clear route is half the job.
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 soaked cardboard and stock, scattered yard debris and fallen branches and fronds 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 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
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
It reinforced something I tell every new offsider: ask before you lift. Two minutes of questions at the start saves throwing out the one thing someone really wanted to keep.