Concrete Footer Demo

[4570Man]

I pulled this one out of the ground in like an hour with my Kubota KX-040. Zero sawing, no hammer, zero manual labor. I can’t believe how much work you’re willing to go through to avoid getting the right tool.

 

[gstrom99]

I agree with most every respondent here. Rent/use an excavator, if you insist on the DIY route. I'm a die hard DIY'er too, but I have my limits...

 

[JM7500]

I pulled this one out of the ground in like an hour with my Kubota KX-040. Zero sawing, no hammer, zero manual labor. I can’t believe how much work you’re willing to go through to avoid getting the right tool. View attachment 722022

Did you break it up by hitting the top or dig underneath and pull up? If things don't go as planned this weekend, I'll take this route. Do you think a 10k mini-excavator is the right size for a 12" deep x 24" wide footer?

 

[4570Man]

Did you break it up by hitting the top or dig underneath and pull up? If things don't go as planned this weekend, I'll take this route. Do you think a 10k mini-excavator is the right size for a 12" deep x 24" wide footer?

I didn’t have any optimal sized rocks to drop and break it so I just dug under and pulled it out. As long as there’s no rebar they’re not that hard to break. My machine is around 10k. One size bigger would be optimal but it got the job done. I had to demo a sidewalk that had finished concrete on both sides. I paid a guy with another KX040 with a hammer to come chip that up and he made quick work of that as well. But I doubt you need a hammer unless there’s rebar or you want the footer in little easier to dispose of pieces.

 

[JJT]

Can you simply move your build site a few feet and avoid the entire mess?

 

[JM7500]

I could move it forward about 15' to avoid removing the front footer now, but the trade off moving it is the front of the house on a severe slope with 2 additional courses of block on the front. Moving to the left or right would also require additional site prep and courses of blocks. I only need to remove the front and half the sides for the current location. I want to remove all of it. Somehow I know if I leave it there, someday in the future I will need to remove it for some reason, so do it now without the house in the way. In my job, I deal with a lot of equipment, pipe, conduit, etc. that is "abandoned in place" and causes issues down the line. If I don't make significant progress this weekend, I'll probably do as 4570man suggests and rent a mini excavator.

 

[4570Man]

What are you doing for putting in the new footer? If you’re hiring it out I’d just let them pull it out while they’re at it.

 

[xrjohndeere]

In the location where we will put our new house was an old double wide trailer. I got it removed and found a footer for a house that was one the site in the 1950s or 1960s. I have to remove it so the new footer can be poured. Any suggestions on the best way to remove a footer. It's 12"x24" in most areas. I have a small jack hammer that I've been using to break it up. It's back breaking and slow. I would prefer not to have to hire a skid steer or excavator with a hydraulic breaker, but would rather do it myself. It has a little #8 rebar, but it's on the bottom of the footer and some is below the footer and not in the concrete.

Rent a big diesel air compressor and 80lb jackhammer. It will make short work of the concrete. Big rental yard should have one. You pull them with a truck. Don‘t mess with electric hammers. They are too slow.

 

[JM7500]

Can you simply move your build site a few feet and avoid the entire mess?

After several days with very little progress, this is the option we are going with. It’s moving the house about 250’ back and 25’ higher elevation . Now I’ve got a lot more trees to clear and more driveway to cut. Trees and dirt are much easier to deal with than concrete. I appreciate all the suggestions and advice from this forum.

 

[4570Man]

You might want to check the cost of building 250’ of driveway and running utilities 250 foot vs the cost of renting an excavator with a hammer if needed. $500 would solve the concrete problem. Moving back that far will cost tens of thousands.