Dig out my basement

[arkydog]

just thinking out loud. if basement isn't finished, y not knock a hole in basement side an dig into side you want to open up? might be really bad or really good idea. this y I'm from arkansas

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Build two bins that are each 1'x2'x8'. It will fit through your window and two of them will fit in the back of your pickup. Build a ramp that goes out the window that you can back you truck up to. Buy a Harbor Freight electric winch, if you feel like splurging get the one with remote control. Fill the bins with dirt, winch them up the ramp and into the back of the pickup truck.

Wheels on the bins would probably be a good idea!

Each bin holds 16 cubic feet, which is 1600 pounds plus or minus depending on your dirt. Together that's 3200 pounds which sounds like a good pickup load to me. If the area you're trying to dig out is 460 by 8 that's 3680 cubic feet, or 115 loads of 32 cubic feet. If you do two loads a week you can do it in a year!

You haven't talked about what you're doing with the dirt once you get it into the pickup. That may affect your strategy. You could probably use the winch to lift one end of the bins to dump them.

 

[farm boy00]

Build two bins that are each 1'x2'x8'. It will fit through your window and two of them will fit in the back of your pickup. Build a ramp that goes out the window that you can back you truck up to. Buy a Harbor Freight electric winch, if you feel like splurging get the one with remote control. Fill the bins with dirt, winch them up the ramp and into the back of the pickup truck.

Wheels on the bins would probably be a good idea!

Each bin holds 16 cubic feet, which is 1600 pounds plus or minus depending on your dirt. Together that's 3200 pounds which sounds like a good pickup load to me. If the area you're trying to dig out is 460 by 8 that's 3680 cubic feet, or 115 loads of 32 cubic feet. If you do two loads a week you can do it in a year!

You haven't talked about what you're doing with the dirt once you get it into the pickup. That may affect your strategy. You could probably use the winch to lift one end of the bins to dump them.

This actually sounds like a really great idea for the OP.


I also say if this^^ I idea wouldn't work use a small tractor like a steiner, dingo.

Here is my mini loader. It's kinda like a Steiner but from the sounds a Steiner is 4ft, but this one is smaller



Ignore my over loading and tipping it. Really need to get the rear weight bracket built

 

[dstig1]

I made a ramp and used my BX to haul material... worked well but I needed a fan to force fresh air in and I wore a good respirator...

While the respirator will protect you from the diesel particulate, and potentially the smell - depending on what you have for filters/cartridges - it will do nothing for carbon monoxide. You can get yourself into a false sense of security here... There are very few things that can take out CO, and no common respirators, so typically people have to use supplied air (fresh air pumped in by compressor from outside, or self contained tank like the firefighters use) in those cases.

This is a very serious risk in a small enclosed area with internal combustion engines running. Don't take it lightly!

 

[4570Man]

While the respirator will protect you from the diesel particulate, and potentially the smell - depending on what you have for filters/cartridges - it will do nothing for carbon monoxide. You can get yourself into a false sense of security here... There are very few things that can take out CO, and no common respirators, so typically people have to use supplied air (fresh air pumped in by compressor from outside, or self contained tank like the firefighters use) in those cases. This is a very serious risk in a small enclosed area with internal combustion engines running. Don't take it lightly!

Use a fan to force in fresh air and limit digging to about 10 minutes every hour. A BX can still move more dirt in 10 minutes then an old guy with a shovel in an hour. Plus the BX is a heck of a lot easier. If renting a sub compact SS it might be possible to rent a propane powered one. Lots of people have used a machine to dig a basement and haven't died.

 

[crazyal]

Seen a guy do it once with a power wheel barrow. Did like several people said, made a small opening on the foundation and just filled it with a shovel and drove it to where he wanted it and dumped. The foundation was blocks, not poured so it was pretty easy to remove the blocks needed. Then he put the first row of blocks back and thenhad a cement truck pour through the opening for the floor. It can be done.

 

[ultrarunner]

While the respirator will protect you from the diesel particulate, and potentially the smell - depending on what you have for filters/cartridges - it will do nothing for carbon monoxide. You can get yourself into a false sense of security here... There are very few things that can take out CO, and no common respirators, so typically people have to use supplied air (fresh air pumped in by compressor from outside, or self contained tank like the firefighters use) in those cases.

This is a very serious risk in a small enclosed area with internal combustion engines running. Don't take it lightly!

I used two industrial fans at the far end pushing air in... the mask was very helpful with the dust that it kicked up...

In and out was probably 45 seconds and then 4 minutes to the back part of the property and 4 minutes back.

We hired a excavation contractor to do something similar at work... had to for through a 36 inch door... he had a back hoe that would break down into components and it was hydraulic with a power pack in the parking lot... boy could it did... needed a second person whose only job was to keep the hoses out of harms way and 6 guy with wheel barrows.

 

[Ed of all trades]

I dug a basement under an existing house with a tracked skid loader and it took a while. You can't just dig out the whole thing at once you have to hold up the house so we did it in sections. Propped the house up with two 2 x 6's screwed together like a T and it worked well. The problem is with equipment is there is so little room to move around. It is very doable to do it by hand and likely safer. When we started that job my boss tried digging a footer and smacked a brace with the bucket. It stayed in place but he was never around after that when digging had to be done.
I would dig out 6' of wall and pour a new footer and wall and then do 6' again instead of trying to do large amounts at a time. Go at it and have fun. Take your time and before you know it you will have done the job. Ed

 

[Sprinklerman]

This actually sounds like a really great idea for the OP.


I also say if this^^ I idea wouldn't work use a small tractor like a steiner, dingo.

Here is my mini loader. It's kinda like a Steiner but from the sounds a Steiner is 4ft, but this one is smaller

View attachment 451096

Ignore my over loading and tipping it. Really need to get the rear weight bracket built

That looks like an old burkeen or vermeer vibratory plow

 

[Sprinklerman]

This actually sounds like a really great idea for the OP.


I also say if this^^ I idea wouldn't work use a small tractor like a steiner, dingo.

Here is my mini loader. It's kinda like a Steiner but from the sounds a Steiner is 4ft, but this one is smaller

View attachment 451096

Ignore my over loading and tipping it. Really need to get the rear weight bracket built

That looks like an old burkeen or vermeer vibratory plow

 

[ray66v]

The ground was solid hard clay, which was firm, and stable under the house we did. So, we left the original footings, and walls in place.

We dug 2' inside of them, and put in additional footings and block walls, that came up 4'. This resulted in a 24" wide ledge all the way around the basement, at about 4' above the floor.

No jacking, or bracing was done. The house never settled, or moved as a result.

The basement was large. So, the 2' of floor space was not needed. And, the ledge actually made a good storage area.

It also made the job a lot easier.

 

[Ralco]

I don't know if I will build a full basement, if there was a 4' crawl space than I would have a enough room to get in there to do the pumbing, electrical, and furnace ducts.

Ralph

 

[Everhard]

Well you have to decide if you're going 4 or 8 feet as that makes a big difference. (One of your early posts you said 8 feet.) If you're only going 4 I'd check how deep the current footings are. If they are at 4 feet already then it's just a matter of manual labor and dig the basement out. Pick your poison on which version you want to go with.
Me I'd go with the open one section of wall option so that I could get any number of suggested bit of machinery to simplify/speed up the job. If it was an option I'd go with one of the "short" sides so that you would work down the whole length assuming it's a rectangular space.

Also if your footings go to 4' and that's what you decide you're happy with then at least you're saving that major cost of redoing your whole foundation.

Frankly I have to ask if you're not interested in going the full depth then I have to assume you're not planning on really "using" that space so why go to the bother in the first place? If it's only to simplify access for running wiring or plumbing I'd suggest instead of putting the time and money into digging out the basement I'd instead on those rare occasions that you're needing wiring or plumbing done pay some one else to do that under the existing space. I think you said you have 18" of clearance? that's enough for any good plumber or electrician to work with.

E.

 

[Ralco]

I thought of that to, I do have a 6' x 14' addition added to existing structure on the side that has plumbing and electrical I want to get back in there it needs to get insulated better. I have to be home most of time so I might as as well keep myself busy.
Ralph

 

[farm boy00]

That looks like an old burkeen or vermeer vibratory plow

All I know it is a ex-trencher. I'm sure it was a walk behind/along because its top speed is walking speed. But it beats a shovel in the hard clay ground I'm in

 

[Wild Bill the 2nd]

I thought of that to, I do have a 6' x 14' addition added to existing structure on the side that has plumbing and electrical I want to get back in there it needs to get insulated better. I have to be home most of time so I might as as well keep myself busy.
Ralph

I just can't imagine trying to dig that much out while laying down / on your knees / hunched over. 4' is really low.
More power to you but for me that would get old quick.

I think some kind of grain elevator with paddles would be in order but I don't know how the chain would deal with the dirt.

 

[Ralco]

there is a open block wall by stairway I will knock out than I will put a door in later all digging will be standing.
Ralph

 

[ultrarunner]

I had a crawl space of maybe 15" under the floor joists in one home and it made everything problematic...

One summer paid some neighborhood kids to dig it out... they did a great job and I think it was $400 to get 32" all around... everyday I would dump my trailer and bring it back empty...

I doubt kids would do this today... they all had plenty of better dust masks and small pick/mattocks.

 

[ultrarunner]

I had a crawl space of maybe 15" under the floor joists in one home and it made everything problematic...

One summer paid some neighborhood kids to dig it out... they did a great job and I think it was $400 to get 32" all around... everyday I would dump my trailer and bring it back empty...

I doubt kids would do this today... they all had plenty of better dust masks and small pick/mattocks.

 

[Cord]

I've excavated several basement and crawl spaces and the best method that I've found is to use a hydroexcavation. Typically we use a dry method so it's less messy. Basically the truck is a massive vacuum cleaner and you just suck the material out. Shop around because the rates can get expensive with the union guys. The owner-operators will sometimes reduce their rates for a home owner. If not, ask them to refer you to someone. Using this method I found the guy that I use. The last project took 1.5 days to remove 3' of material and cost us $1,500.