Info: I have a vinyl fence, 4’ feet high and about 24 sections long (8’ sections for about 192 feet of fencing). This fence surround my pool area, but not my entire yard.
I want to move the existing fence to my property line. Basically, it would run the entire length of my property line in my back yard, and be connected to my house, making for a ‘traditional’ back yard.
I’ll need some additional fencing, but not much since their is fence along my back property line which I’ll use as my back fence…and my house is most of the front fence line.
Here is my dilemma: I know the fence installer filled the center of every post with one bag of concrete when they installed it. Moving the fence could become an endless project if removing each post is as difficult as I imagine it will be, because at the bottom of all the posts is a block of concrete!
I am determined to relocate the fence, but have come to the conclusion that it might be best to cut each post just below ground level and cover them up. I would have to pony up a couple hundred bucks for new posts this way, but would basically save all the tear out effort and can get right down to installing the new fence posts and old sections along the property line.
Am I over estimating the effort in removing each post? I can just imagine a scenario where each one takes up to an hour to deal with!
And since you are in NJ, I assume the concrete is below the frost line. Don’t even think of digging and pulling them manually. Unless you like the backhoe idea.
Tho the fence is vinyl, are the posts galvanized steel? Not sure what would be your best bet to saw 24 posts as quickly and easily as possible. Gotta be able to rent something better than a hacksaw.
As far as I know, the posts are just stiff vinyl. When set up, they are fill inside with cement dry mix, then water is poured in. The cement isn’t near the surface, just at the post bottom. The posts are like 4/4’s , just rigid white vinyl. …buried about 18".
1 bag per post.
Now, the gate posts might be reinforced with metal.
I’m leaning towards digging around just below grade and using a reciprocating saw to cut them off. I’ll have to buy new posts, at a cost of a couple of hundred bucks. I can just cover the posts with soil.
Cutting them should be a breeze. I’ve cut 4/4’s with reciprocating saws, and it was a snap.
If I rent a backhoe, I’m looking at a hundred bucks plus aggravation. Right?
I’m questioning whether I am just overjustfying this in my own mind.
Sounds like you got a plan.
The backhoe would risk trashing your lawn.
I’m not familiar with hollow vinyl posts. What I was imagining was a post sunk in a hole of considerably greater diameter than the post, with the concrete poured into the hole around the post. So you have - in effect - a big, heavy, irregularly shaped “lollipop” at the bottom of the post. Moreover, in Chicago you wouldhave to go at least 2’ - 3 would be better, to prevent heaving.
With what you have - cement inside the post and only 18" deep - you might be able to dig down a foot or so and rock them out. Also, 1 bag per post is not that much. Heavy, but not impossible. The way I described could use 2-3. You are going to have to dig down anyway to ensure that your cut is below grade.
Are you putting in the new posts yourself? How you plan on digging the holes? That can be a job, given clay and the odd rock/root.
Funny this came up today. Over the weekend I significantly pruned back a euonymous which is heavily infested with scale. The previous owners had the individual plants held up with T-rebar. I pulled some, but not all of them, in previous years. Now I have another one. Quite deep. Tough to dig, as it is right in the middle of roots. And tough to rock without bending. At least they are not in concrete.
Could the use of a car jack be of assistance in extricating the pole and lollipop from below the surface? Seems like you could tie onto the post and slowly ratchet the sucker out.
Lieu, various jacks and crank devices can be used. I think there is a tool call a ‘come to’ that can be used. A tripod type frame would have to be built to winch up each post.
A jack can raise something 12" or so, but it looks like 18-24" of lift is needed.
Yes, I think they call them “come alongs” here. Maybe it would be possible to just tie onto two posts and let them pull against each other. Theoretically, you’d just be left with one in the ground at the end of the day.
As far as power augers are concerned, IME the 1- or 2-man ones can be a bear when digging through clay. If the bit binds up, the top starts to spin. Unless you have a big one mounted on a Bobcat or some such.
I recommend the old standby, 2-bladed manual posthole digger.
I rented a 2-man auger last summer to dig about 15 post holes. It was quite a job. At first I was working with my wife, but every time we hit a rock the thing would toss her like a pillow (she’s 115 lbs).
Later I had to dig one more hole and I borrowed the ol’ two-handled manual post-hole digger and it was much easier.
Cut 'em and buy new posts. A backhoe or other heavy equipment will tear up your yard. Then there’s the problem of disposing of 100 pound post/concrete objects that aren’t easy to stack, and filling the holes left by them.
If you can’t use the shaped charges (fun way!) then cut 'em.!
