What is the best way to remove large amounts of rubble from a backyard with narrow access (1.2 m wide) and a steep (30 degree) driveway?

Question

I have been removing around 30 cubic meters of dirt and broken rock that I have excavated manually from our backyard using a jackhammer. The access to the backyard is limited through a narrow corridor of only 1.2 meters wide and I have to carry the rubble down a steep driveway (about 30 degrees) to dump in the front yard around 60 meters away. I have removed almost half of the rubble using a garden cart but it is taking forever and I am exhausted.

What equipment/machine would you suggest me to use to make the job easier and faster considering the narrow access and steep slope?

Answer 1

A wheelbarrow or cart is pretty standard.

You may be able to rent a powered wheelbarrow or cart that will fit. You'll want one with excellent brakes, given your steep driveway.

Impractical (expensive, specialized, not commonly available for rental) but belt systems are also used for transporting dirt in narrow spaces. With the addition of water, sluices are also used for downhill transport.

Answer 2

Depending on where you live, you might be able to rent a conveyor. This is a Miniveyor, available in the UK.

I considered this for a similar job in my back yard, but I only had about 12 cubic yards of debris. I removed a fence panel and brought in an excavator

Answer 3

Look into renting a small excavator, front loader or bucket loader.

Your local tool/machinery rental store will have a lot of options. You bring the description of your working conditions (maximum width, slope) and they'll tell you what machinery they have that will fit the bill.

Based on the general browsing I've done at rental stores in the US^*, it could cost anywhere from $100-$500 per day for a rental of equipment like this, so you'll have to weight out the cost/benefit/safety analysis for yourself.

^*Your use of meters indicates you're not in the US, so availability of rental equipment and rules on who may use it may vary based on the country you're in.

Answer 4

One method I have heard of being used is craning a skip over the house!

This was done where there was no access to the rear (except through the house). A mini digger was placed in the skip and craned over the house. Once the work had been done, the full skip was craned back over. Obviously this requires a skilled crane operator who knows what they are doing.

Answer 5

This may sound crazy but you could rig up a really cheap zip line with 1/4 or 1/2 inch braided steel cable.

Buy a dozen buckets from the hardware store and thread the cable through the handles. Tie one end to a tree in the yard and tie the other end to a tree downhill.

Then you just need to push the buckets uphill, fill them up and let them slide down one at a time. Walk down, turn them upside down to empty them and then push them back up. Repeat. Probably cost you around $100 but would take some trial and error.