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My daughter wants to take out a deck and put in a patio. So I'm looking for ideas/suggestions for removing the footings. Here in Minnesota they're 54-60" deep. A 10-12" circle of concrete, 50+" long must weight a ton. I thought if we dug down 1/2 way and used a 'come-a-long' on a tripod set up over the footing or She could hire someone with a Bobcat or ???

And that's my problem.

berry wrote:My daughter wants to take out a deck and put in a patio. So I'm looking for ideas/suggestions for removing the footings. Here in Minnesota they're 54-60" deep. A 10-12" circle of concrete, 50+" long must weight a ton. I thought if we dug down 1/2 way and used a 'come-a-long' on a tripod set up over the footing or She could hire someone with a Bobcat or ???

And that's my problem.

Jack Hammer:D

Why take 'em out? They're not going to move because they are below the frost line. Break 'em off about a foot below the grade and put the patio over them. As I said they ain't gonna move.
Bill V

Are they reinforced with rebar? If just concrete, a jack hammer is probably the easiest bet (you can rent electric versions at most rental yards so you don't have to have a huge compressor to run one). I'd chip away at it until it's adequately below the soil line and then bury the remains, assuming that approach works with your patio design. If they are reinforced, you can still use a jack hammer but it's work work and you'll need a sawzall with a metal blade to cut through the rebar as you encounter it.

Alternatively, you can remove them entirely but they will be very heavy, so either find someone you know with a tractor or backhoe or rent a bobcat. You'll need some way to attach a chain to the footings that you can hook to the bucket of the machine. You shouldn't need to dig them out anymore than is necessary to hook the chain to them…the heavy equipment should have no problem puling them out of the ground. Then you need to figure out where to get rid of them and what to haul them in, how to unload them when you get there etc. Around here our local public works folks will often take this stuff, as they regularly need such items for revetment at various locations…otherwise, the dump fee will kill you.

dgale wrote:Are they reinforced with rebar? If just concrete, a jack hammer is probably the easiest bet (you can rent electric versions at most rental yards so you don't have to have a huge compressor to run one). I'd chip away at it until it's adequately below the soil line and then bury the remains, assuming that approach works with your patio design. If they are reinforced, you can still use a jack hammer but it's work work and you'll need a sawzall with a metal blade to cut through the rebar as you encounter it.

Alternatively, you can remove them entirely but they will be very heavy, so either find someone you know with a tractor or backhoe or rent a bobcat. You'll need some way to attach a chain to the footings that you can hook to the bucket of the machine. You shouldn't need to dig them out anymore than is necessary to hook the chain to them…the heavy equipment should have no problem puling them out of the ground. Then you need to figure out where to get rid of them and what to haul them in, how to unload them when you get there etc. Around here our local public works folks will often take this stuff, as they regularly need such items for revetment at various locations…otherwise, the dump fee will kill you.

Dump fee???????:eek:

Great feedback. I'll rent a jackhammer and take it down a foot or so. The old deck and any other waste goes in a 'bagster'. Thanks!

berry wrote:Great feedback. I'll rent a jackhammer and take it down a foot or so. The old deck and any other waste goes in a 'bagster'. Thanks!

Bagster?????

What is the old deck made from?:rolleyes:

I rented a jackhammer at homedepot recently to take out a large walkway, it was not bad. You will burn some serious calories. As others have said just take it down as far as you need for the new work. Not necessary or desirable to make a hole deeper than necessary, then you would have to buy fill, compact, etc.

Dump fee,tipping fee, refuse surcharge fee are all extra fees for the privilage of depositing stuff in the pit that the taxpayer already owns!!!
Bagster: a soft sided dumpster that provides a place to put the aforementioned stuff temporarily unti the waste hauler removes it for an additional fee above the aforementioned fees.
Take it to the pit yourself and you have to show a government issued ID for the privilege of using the publicly owned pit and the privilege of being assessed the aforementioned fees.
If the deck is constructed of treated lumber there is an additional fee for hazardous waste removal.
Have fun
Bill V