Thread: Leveling with Dingo, pls advise

Originally Posted by addo

Mirz, you can't "level" that yard.

I'm not sure how literally you meant that description of intended works, but you need to preserve two details - one is the height around your fence - or it may fall over in wind due to insufficient anchoring. Second reason is the comparatively low floor level in your house.

You don't want an insurance company declining a claim on the basis that substandard works in the yard that have contributed to the problem.

Whichever way you end up going, make sure there is adequate drainage for extreme rainfall, and any termite barriers or dampcourses are not breached.

Regards, Adam.


p.s. For earthworks in a yard that size, I would use a small tracked excavator (with rubber tracks).

thanks Adam for your reply.

i am planning to make a garden bed of bit less than a meter wide and about 50cm high with retaining wall of those Big Boral or C&M stones walls. which will give a very good support to rear fence fence on both sides is not much of issue, as they are on ground level and would be better to keep those sides clear from any garden beds.

in my backyard there are 4 points to collect storm water which takes that to main storm water line.

also have plan to lay agri pipe behind retaining wall to take all water to storm water pipe.

main purpose to level this backyard is that (ex owners) distributed this small backyard into 4 different Zones, all have different levels and different purposes.

Zone 1: lawn with grass
Zone 2: garden bed for plants with retaining walls about 40cms higer than lawn.
Zone 3: Vegie garden, very uneven and had not much sun
Zone 4: Shed for 4 dogs and to store bottles (divided into half in middle) was built in very bodgy way. even used old tables topes in it as floor and they were wet and giving bad smell.

it was their liking, and i have no objection on that. i want bit open space with hardy grass, and hardy plant behind my retaining wall. so kids can run around a bit and play.

$55 - $65 per hour for a dingo, many will charge travel as well, min of 4 hours is usual, kennards charge about $190 for 4 hrs hire for a dingo (just to give you an idea)

Bobcat about $85ph (again with min 4 hrs)

As previously mentioned, a bobcat is overkill for your job, ever thought of a BBQ working bee ?

Mirz,
Have a chat to Ollie at Craigieburn "Shady Gum" nursery, just up the road.

He did a job with me and organised the bloke to remove a lot of soil from my place. (Poor extension to the house, by previous owners, meant a lot of work to get drainage right).

Ollie had a bloke with a dump truck, dingo and tracked excavator combo come in and sort it out. The hire on that was about same as the hourly hire of a dingo, but the excavator was quicker so it worked out far cheaper.
Sorted out the soil dumping problem as well.

Hope you are thinking of the fall to the stormwater.... that area is clay and waterlogs in winter. Then you get water building up in low spots and creating havoc if thats near the house.

I've always thought that no-one can level with [Wild] Dingo, because no-one can understand a word the silly old bugger writes.

The guys who havent seen a dingo work would be surprised as to what work it can do. On a few of my larger jobs I have also got in a bobcat and my dingo has done more work in smaller places and gone up steeper inclines than a bobcat, obviously doesnt have the SWL of a bobby nor can hold as much though. Getting those posts out with a 4 in 1 bucket will be a sinch with a bit of persuasion.


Looking at the photo's you posted Mirz a retaining wall will be a good idea. When you level the yard keep in mind heights of finished levels, and how much you will need to excavate below them.

Pity I was not closer to you.
That job would be a breeze for "Tonka Toy" although I would probably wipe out the Sat antennae

Originally Posted by Planned LScape

The guys who havent seen a dingo work would be surprised as to what work it can do. On a few of my larger jobs I have also got in a bobcat and my dingo has done more work in smaller places and gone up steeper inclines than a bobcat, obviously doesnt have the SWL of a bobby nor can hold as much though. Getting those posts out with a 4 in 1 bucket will be a sinch with a bit of persuasion.


Looking at the photo's you posted Mirz a retaining wall will be a good idea. When you level the yard keep in mind heights of finished levels, and how much you will need to excavate below them.

i have used Dingo about a month ago, and i was very impressed with its functionality. i just could not take those sleepers and posts out of ground with it. though i hired it with trencher and 4in1 bucket. ( i will call it just lack of practice to use it ) plus those posts are bit deep in ground and i could not catch them in 4in1 bucket otherwise, dingo had enough power to pull them out.


what do you guys think, if i hire this following Post Hole Digger plus a Dingo for 2 days (weekend), and dig holes around posts and take them out. and then try leveling soil all around with dingo.

http://www.kennards.com.au/library/1...diggersLRG.jpg


are these post holes digger any good for hard soil?

Originally Posted by DavidG

Pity I was not closer to you.
That job would be a breeze for "Tonka Toy" although I would probably wipe out the Sat antennae

Thanks DavidG for offer but it would be too big for my place. anyway i have already moved that satellite antenna from there, and got rid of concrete underneath it.

stand for satellite antenna is now surving no purpose and if someone need that let me know.

i have installed satellite antenna on a new pole with side wall to gain max space in backyard.

another guy just quoted me $330 for half day and then $66 per hour.

this one sound better than first deal which was $280 for first 2 hours and then $80 per hour.

What is his defination of "half day"?

Originally Posted by Wood Butcher

What is his defination of "half day"?

i assumed it would be 4 hours, and now can feel my mistake. should have confirmed it with him.

and my assumption does not mean what he meant by half day

thanks for pointing this out.

I reckon there's way too much double handling potential here.

First I'd lay out the retaining walls/planter/callemwhatyouwill.

Then set posts (assuming they're to be backed with treated pine half-rounds), and build up, making sure to start a little below FGL. I'd also make sure that water could leave from behind the new retaining walls - whether using drill holes and geotex, or ag line, or some other means.

Next, I'd do the remaining earthworks. Now there will be less dirt to shuffle, and much of it can go into the planters which already exist. No point scooping old stuff out the ground if it's not going to interfere - just becomes another hole to fill, that will later sink down with time... Cut old posts off 150 below FGL and you're good.

The post hole digger - a mate and I used one with extensions, to sink 1800 deep holes in clay. Yes, you read right! Sticking was a regular occurrence. You grip the shank above the auger with your Stillsons, and then pry with a crowbar against them to pull the auger straight up like uncorking a bottle - DO NOT TWIST IT. For 600 deep holes, it would be OK but really it's a two-man job and can be tough (like when it gets stuck!).

No point making it too hard.

Cheers, Adam.

Mirz if you want I can give you the number of a couple of local dingo guys within 15 minutes of you, and charge at same or lower rates than you have gotten so far. Although I have my own machine I use it to supplement landscaping works I do full time and the next few weeks will be most likely 6 or 7 days a week.

It might pay to see what works you need done, what you need moved, what you need taken away, dug out etc and get a guy in for a half or full day to do the lot- it'll mean less work and pain for you and the job will be done quickerm and you can move on to the next stage of your project over chissy

Send a PM if you want their numbers

btw... as for the auger- western suburbs including Roxburgh Park is all volcanic rock hard black clay, an auger won't make light work of a hole in most instances. You may need to break the bottom of the hole up with a crowbar and fill with a bit of water to get the auger teeth to bite otherwise it just polishes the bottom, and causes much frustration

PM sent. thanks Planned LScape, will wait for your reply.

last night two bobcat guys promised to appear to give me quotes for this job, but no one bother to even call me to tell that they can not make it. is this normal here?

i found it very non-professional. only good part was that i did not take time off from work for these guys.