Earthmoving Quiz - Find the problem

[Squizzy246B]

I posted this on another site and some of the members wives PM'd me too say they wanted to now why their husbands where rolling around on the floor in fits of laughter: So here it is

Oldest Earthmovers trick in book:

Client wants site cleaned and house pad prepped. No probs, 1 load green waste away, cut with trash rake and 1 load grass and roots away.
No problemo!

[Squizzy246B]

Then Old trick:

Too much organic matter in topsoil for house pad - solution??load it all out and then bring in truck loads of clean builders sand...No No. ..we are smarter than your average bear...and had good trainer

Dig big hole outside building envelope and mine good clean sand. Push all crap in hole and bury...Whalla!
No problemo!

[Squizzy246B]

and here is where it all went wrong...can you guess (Hint - Murphy's Law)

now don't laugh too much when you work it out

[Steve Frazier]

My guess is the sides collapsed in on you and there you sit.

You're creating a landscapers nightmare though, I have far too many clients that had builders who did the same thing. Instead of hauling the debris away, they dug a similar pit and buried it, only to have it become a sinkhole in the yard. I have one account where the hole has sunk nearly 2 feet below the yard surface. I've filled it once, but it continues to sink.

For the few bucks it would add to the cost of the house, you'd actually be doing the new homeowner a favor by hauling the debris away rather than burying it. If you can find an out of the way place to do it, then it doesn't matter, but within the parameters of the future yard it creates a long term problem.

I've gone to the extreme of digging up the debris and removing it, then backfilling the hole and tamping to make the yard level again.

[Squizzy246B]

My guess is the sides collapsed in on you and there you sit.

You're creating a landscapers nightmare though, I have far too many clients that had builders who did the same thing. Instead of hauling the debris away, they dug a similar pit and buried it, only to have it become a sinkhole in the yard. I have one account where the hole has sunk nearly 2 feet below the yard surface. I've filled it once, but it continues to sink.

For the few bucks it would add to the cost of the house, you'd actually be doing the new homeowner a favor by hauling the debris away rather than burying it. If you can find an out of the way place to do it, then it doesn't matter, but within the parameters of the future yard it creates a long term problem.

I've gone to the extreme of digging up the debris and removing it, then backfilling the hole and tamping to make the yard level again.

Nope, but I've come close to being stuck in a swimming pool once or twice.

There is no debris as such when we do this, it all went to the dump second load. You have to remember that its all sand, no clay, gravel or rubble. Even though its outside the building envelope I will still have a 1600lb plate compactor on it tomorrow. Next week I will be asking the engineer for a compaction certificate.

I too have dug up all the crap that some creton has buried on site but what we do here in our coastal sands is common practice and quite legit. We build retaining walls and nothing irks me more than digging my way through a pile of rubble for hours when it should have taken minutes.

Our builders have gone way overboard looking for excuses to delay building because they are so far behind.(housing boom) The sand in the pic's above had cooch grass roots in it. These guys will use any excuse but its gone from best practice to ridiculous. Next they will wanting us to homogenise and pasteurise the dirt before they build on it.

Everyday thousands of tonnes of sand gets moved all around the metro area. We dig it out, send it away to get buried and dig up other stuff and haul it in...

[JimBruce42]

I'm probably wrong, but my first guess is that you hit water... :beatsme hopefuly not in the form of a pipe, but more like a perched aquafer or spring. Dang Murphy's Law :rolleyes:

NO, Wait, I know... you were using a Cat instead of a Deere! :drinkup :lmao

[bigbucket]

:drinkup Did he bury the debris where the septic system, or some other utility must go?

[Squizzy246B]

I'm probably wrong, but my first guess is that you hit water... :beatsme hopefuly not in the form of a pipe, but more like a perched aquafer or spring. Dang Murphy's Law :rolleyes:

NO, Wait, I know... you were using a Cat instead of a Deere! :drinkup :lmao

Lol, Jim's very very close :bouncegri Here's the next hint: "I'm always in it, only the depth varies" and even more of a hint...we don't have backyard septic systems here.

[544D10]

Here's the next hint: "I'm always in it, only the depth varies" and even more of a hint...we don't have backyard septic systems here.

My guess: Deep XXXX :bouncegri

[Squizzy246B]

My guess: Deep XXXX :bouncegri

Winner

:crying :crying :crying

[Jeff D.]

Squizzy,now I know why your so anxious to get that new skid steer!!

It also explains the "smellopics" you'de mention in the other post too!!

We don't want no smellopics of that. :)

How far did it end up going on your Cat.Only ankle deep(if your standing on the rops)??

[Squizzy246B]

Squizzy,now I know why your so anxious to get that new skid steer!!

It also explains the "smellopics" you'de mention in the other post too!!

We don't want no smellopics of that. :)

How far did it end up going on your Cat.Only ankle deep(if your standing on the rops)??

Jeff, it wasn't too bad but its amazing how fast that thing will go backwards out of a ditch when needed!. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: