Breaking concrete porch - renting mini excavator

[zenwhipper]

Folks-

I am doing some how remodeling (demo porch, remove old boulder retaining wall, build new wall, add deck) and am needing to remove my concrete front porch and move some rocks and dirt around. I rented a 110v electric jack hammer and went to town. After five hours I was toast. :moil: My front porch is two steps up and about 2.5 feet thick by six feet wide and three feet deep. I did make progress, but I have about 2/3rds of the durn thing remaining. I decided to rent a mini excavator. Something like this Bobcat 328.

My question is... is the bucket and power on this thing enough to break up concrete? I'd rather not rent another jack hammer to go with the Bobcat. I figure since I already peppered the porch with the jack hammer I should be able to use the bucket and chip away at the thing.

Any earth moving experts in the house?

Kind Thanks

Scott

 

[UweRoss]

Depends on the concrete. If that 2-1/2 foot thick concrete was a good mix, then I rather doubt it.

-Uwe-

 

[weekend rider]

Go rent a bobcat with a jack hammer attachment it will do the job or go rent a backhoe like a cat ofr john deere with a jacj hammer attachment. You will also have a bucket to move stuff rcks where you want them..

You may as well get a dump truck to load ahnd haul away..

Or this may work just hire some one that does that kind of work may be cheaper.

good sound advice :construction:

 

[mike_123]

chances are the porch has a form inside it and really isnt 2 and a half feet thick

unless there was a sale on concrete that day

however if youve allready found out it is actually 2 feet and better that bobcat isnt going to make much of that porch

for the rest of the work you describe thta machine is perfect but you may want to find one with a thumb on it aswell and a bigger bucket

an air powered hammer with a tow behind compressor would have made short work of that porch rather then the 110 volt hammer

i would get the bobcat and give it a try but keep it in the back of your mind you may need to run to the rental shop for the breaker attachement to get rid of that porch

 

[wfooshee]

How old is the concrete? That **** gets harder and harder the longer it sits. I've got many a ruined bit trying to set anchors to testify to that.

Maybe explosives are in order . . . .

 

[fjrchooser]

Maybe rent the Bobcat anyway if you have other projects it can handle ? It's tough being a big kid with money.

I agree with another poster about hiring it out. By the time you move the debris off the property , damage your foundation, break the bucket and strip off some siding in an oops moment... just sayin.

 

[Auburn]

If it is one piece and several steps, about all you will do with that is roll it out of the way. If you don't have much experience with one, you will be very challenged to make it do the work. You want to roll it away from the house before you take the breaker attachment to it.

 

[zenwhipper]

The porch is not solid concrete thanks be to God :fez: . I found that out when I worked through the middle and punched a hole and dirt started showing up in the debri. There is about four rebar connecting the porch to the house foundation. I have peppered that porch with hundreds of holes and millions of impacts - the bucket on the excavator should be fine I think at this point. But- I may just get one with an attached hammer. Also a thumb for grabbing things.

Thanks for the help.

Scott

 

[Auburn]

The porch is not solid concrete thanks be to God :fez: . I found that out when I worked through the middle and punched a hole and dirt started showing up in the debri. There is about four rebar connecting the porch to the house foundation. I have peppered that porch with hundreds of holes and millions of impacts - the bucket on the excavator should be fine I think at this point. But- I may just get one with an attached hammer. Also a thumb for grabbing things.
Thanks for the help.

Scott

With the thumb, it makes it easier to lift a corner and drop it, which should help break it up. Also make the clean up easier. Can you reach the rebar with a long blade on a sawzall?

 

[DonRed7]

Just call a demo company to come and haul it away the next time they are in the area. As the Bcat is prolly going to set you back $200 plus.

D

 

[zenwhipper]

Plan is in place. Renting a 7500lb class mini excavator with bucket thumb and just to be safe added a 65lb 110v jack hammer that I can jump out of the excavator and surgically address the trouble spots as I go along.

Cheers!

Scott