Widening Driveway...

Discussion in 'Renovation & Home Improvement' started by rooster123, 3rd Sep, 2015.

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  1. rooster123

    rooster123 Well-Known Member

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    We are looking to widen an existing driveway. This will include moving some brick walls in the process. I have a link here showing a picture of the job so that you can see what I need to do.

    20141013_141805.jpeg 20141013_141848.jpeg


    So looking at this job, I posted this adv on serviceseek but response I get is ridiculous...some gave quotes of $27k, $6k $10k etc.
    This job seems to need a bricklayer and concreter - can you guys please help me to decide where and how should I post my adv for tradie?
    DO you have any recommendation for tradie to do this job (im in sydney)?
     
  2. willair

    willair Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    Only my simple opinion but you will need several Trades,apart from someone to bin all the rubbish,aPlumber to reset the storm water or supply lines ,,Bricklayer- Steel-fixer Concreter ,local council plans costs,6k will not do this ,between 10k-20k maybe would be in the price range,plus looking at the driveway and the load that has been put on that section,maybe just buy a smaller car ..imho..
     
  3. Ace in the Hole

    Ace in the Hole Well-Known Member

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    If you do get a good quote to go ahead, allow some time and expense for the council approval to come though for the crossover, levels, etc.
     
  4. Brian84

    Brian84 Well-Known Member

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    where in Sydney are you located
     
  5. Azazel

    Azazel Well-Known Member

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    That's a big difference. Did any of them come out to look at it or just Google St View?
     
  6. WestOz

    WestOz Well-Known Member

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    That retainer on the left is holding allot of weight.

    From pics I'd say the water services run up the right side of the property, can't see any storm/kerb pipe so perhaps also right side out of shot.

    Are you going to replace all the drive concrete or just add to it and paint/resurface.

    If your not afraid of a bit of DIY;
    Hire a saw and cut the brick at the desired width.
    Hire a Large skipbin (may need two depending on above Q)
    Hire a bobcat with operator, get him to cut out enough dirt and rubble (into skipbin) level to allow a total of 2.6 car width then slope the remaining .4 to end up with level 2 car width surface ready for concrete (or pavers) + small retainer (~300mm) from cut brick wall to front boundary to support new sloped embankment for landscaping, letter box etc.

    Main costs will be bobcat and granos which I have no idea on cost for local demands
    Check the local community paper, ask local hardware/trade suppliers if they can recommend anyone, get min 3 quotes for each.

    I wouldn't need Council approval for this in my area, your local maybe different.
    However if I did any damage to the footpath I'd have to fix it, there's also safety traffic/pedestrian management considerations.
     
    bob shovel likes this.
  7. bob shovel

    bob shovel Well-Known Member

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    Did you use those 2 photos? The first photo looks like the driveway is mega steep but from the front its pretty much flat. And the garden doesnt look like much and isnt a great deal to cut. Call a few landscapers, a good one will do the lot, pretty straight forward.
    you could even follow on from @WestOz and hire a dingo
     
  8. WestOz

    WestOz Well-Known Member

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    Trouble with "noob" DIY dingo's is the time and frustration getting it too/from site, learning its erratic operations, potential damage/injury etc etc.

    I've had quite a bit of employed Bobcat, dingo, various heavy earth-moving equipment experience, everyone one I've operated has had different characteristics/temperaments etc, takes time to learn them, especially when requiring final trim.

    Considering you could be tackling other simple tasks whilst someone with extensive experience in his own machine could knock it over in a couple of hours, ultimately its $'s well spent that even I pay for.
     
  9. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    Step 1 - engage an engineer to design the retai ing wall as it requires plans and a DA.

    Step 2 - call a few quotes based on plans not some airy fairy wishlist which keeps changing every time that you speak to a contractor.

    As others have pointed out, there's alot of soil to be retained, trees to be removed, drainage, footings, stormwater, brickwork, ag line, driveway widening.

    You should be able to do all of that for less than a grand. ;)
     
  10. Azazel

    Azazel Well-Known Member

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    Just start demolishing it yourself, way less than a grand.
     
  11. Ace in the Hole

    Ace in the Hole Well-Known Member

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    Is that the current mailbox strategically placed in the middle of the garden bed?
     
    Bran likes this.
  12. jins13

    jins13 Well-Known Member

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    Def recommend it. I have a friend who did the work in Blacktown for his place and it really makes the place look better. Before he could only fit one care in the driveway but now can fit multiple number of cars and his driveway as well.
     
  13. WestOz

    WestOz Well-Known Member

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    Happy Fathers Day to the PC Dads

    What's the max height you can go with a retaining wall in Syd before requiring all that?
    It's 300mm where I am which looking at the sandstone along the front could be done along the side if enough is taken out to slope down to it.

    Personally if it where mine Id rip the front out and contour/concrete the lot for parking, its the ding in me.
     
  14. PJ1

    PJ1 Well-Known Member

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    Here in Newcastle driveways are a grey area, council doesn't approve a driveway however there are rules which aren't really policed unless you notify them that you are going to lay a drive way. I learnt this the hard way.
    They state a standard width for single garages and another for double. I thought I'd do the right thing and informed council who sent out an info pack and the guy came out to inspect the job ,me knocked me back over 400mm extra width above the standard single driveway. There are no parking issues in the street and it would have meant I could fit two cars rather than one ,no matter how I explained this he fell back to the rules. Actually made me fit a flat section in case there was ever a foot path put in down the track.
    The concreter had to pull up form work and rework. He later told me the guy is young and wants yo make a name for himself, he achieved that alright...

    My advice is if you don't need council approval why complicate things.
     
    bob shovel likes this.
  15. bob shovel

    bob shovel Well-Known Member

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    You don't need a ginger beer till it's >1200mm
    And i wouldn't notify council. They just want to know the opening to the street like @PJ1 said, but given you have a double garage already it's unlikely it would get noticed
    I think if there were a few more photos of the wall in question it might make it clearer for everyone. I think it's a bit hard to work out with those photos. Hey some from the neighbors looking at the wall plus from in the garden
     
  16. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    @bob shovel - usually 1.0m afaik https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&...aWcBQ4&usg=AFQjCNEkn_uPZFQplfO5yT3wAnNi6VbKUw

    It may vary between LGAs but the AS is the minimum requirement.

    Retaining walls are structural and could have liability issues if not designed or built to the Australian Standards.

    Landscapers are generally able to build walls below this height based on standard plans. (Hint: grade your garden so there's less than 1m of soil to be retained. An undersized retaining wall will not fail overnight but it may take 30+ years for the pressures to build to the point of failure and longer to collapse).
     
    Last edited: 6th Sep, 2015
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  17. Agent99

    Agent99 Well-Known Member

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    Go straight to Bobcat operator, spread soil over crossover and footpath so no damage, remove driveway to width required and simply grade the right hand side to the top at a level suitable for a mower. Too easy. If your on a budget dont bother with crossover and Please do not damage the footpath !!
    By sloping RH side No retaining wall needed and makes it look much wider than it is.