Digging out crawl space, anyone done it?

So now that I’m working from home in my basement I look at this 16x30 deep crawl space(it was an addition) and am like “ If I carried up 2 buckets of dirt every time I go upstairs to get coffee or go to the bathroom......hummmmm

I’ve done the calculations of about how many buckets it would take about 2100 buckets. I would do it during the time change which is 4 months.

The plan is a Michigan style basement/benching style. It would give me about a 12x20 of actual floor space. Leaving me a 4’ bench perimeter 4’ tall.

Now that I have a truck and a father-in-laws trailer I have away to get rid of the dirt.

My only choice is to pump the concrete it’s not horrible.

I have a plan for the drainage,footer bench /floor, I have a Bosch sds demo hammer for the hard clay.

Any other advice?

I KNOW this sounds crazy but I really like competitive challenges.

 

Are you subject to any permitting authorities? An old Viet Nam vet in Austin excavated a "man space" under his house. His was more like an unfinished underground bunker. City inspectors condemned his house, and filled his man cave with concrete.

 

I did one. started with a wheelbarrow tub (just tub,no handles, wheels) it would hold 5-6 buckets. I would fill then drag out with a garden tractor. Then I found a small conveyor belt for sale in a junk yard. much easier.

 

There are often good reasons for getting a Permit for this kind of work.

Usually they are so that you will consult an Engineer before doing this on your own for what I would hope are obvious reasons?!

 

Yes I’m expected to pull a permit and I already have an engineer lined up.

Just curious @Cidertom how big of a space did you do out and how long did it take you?

 

about 18x20 ft about 4-5 ft deep. it took a month, but didn't work full time at it. It was originally going to be a basement, so the house was built with that in mind, so the span was open.

 

Oh wow that’s really close to my scenario.

I was going to bucket it all because I want a workout and don’t really want to tear up any of my yard again.

 

Work outs are great. lifting bucket after bucket and carrying them to outside was too time consuming and too hard on my back. And I was much younger then... The conveyor belt was the best 250 I spent. especially since I sold it for 500.

 

I have been on many jobs where they were either digging the basement out like you are planning or just to make an existing basement taller to make it into a finished and useful space and even one where they dug an entire basement out from under an enourmous mansion for reasons I still really can not understand.

I also have a friend who dug a decent sized swimming pool in his backyard by hand for some reason?!

In the end it just depends on every detail how long it might take.

All I know for sure is that it is too much work for me to take on!

 

Hummmm, ya I’ll check Craigslist and FB marketplace for a conveyor belt.

oh I would use equipment if it was logistically possible, I would have to knock out some blocks in the house because I do t have a window big enough.

I’m cracking up about the swimming pool!
I read online about the diy cinder block pools but dig by hand?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Erm4MDu05LA

 

Why wouldn’t that poor operator fashion some kind of stick or handle onto the end of that hose so he’s not hunched down all day in the dirt?