Sod removal

[dullard]

Will anybody give any hints about sod removal? I need to get rid of ~700 sq ft of sod for garden / lanscape areas. That is far too much to do with a shovel.

Are the rental sod cutters difficult to use? How long does it take? If I have just an evening, will I be able to cut that much sod by myself with one of those?

Is this something that is better to pay someone for the job? If so, what are typical price ranges?

Edit: I just got a quote for $400, about typical for any professional for a day's job. I'd be happier with $300 if it truely was just 4 hours of work like Drako says.

 

[Drako]

You should be able to remove 700 sf in less than four hours. I did a patch in my back yard last year with one of these, only about 300 sf, and it took less than 2 hours.

http://www.homedepotrents.com/proTools/sod_cutter.asp

 

[ZOOYUKA]

Get up early tomorrow morning and drive to a McDonalds near the interstate. There should be someone there that would be willing to do that job for you.

 

[lsv]

Do not operate on hills exceeding 35% grade.

35 percent eh.

 

[drnickriviera]

Yea, sod cutter will do the job. I own that exact same bluebird one. In good conditions, it will cut at a slow walking pace

 

[dullard]

Yea, sod cutter will do the job. I own that exact same bluebird one. In good conditions, it will cut at a slow walking pace

Pretty much all the rental places around here rent that same Bluebird model. You might not be able to answer this, but can it cut through plastic? The sod was put in ~10 years ago with a thin plastic mesh underneath it. The plastic is still there.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

sod cutters are easy to use.

 

[Drako]

Pretty much all the rental places around here rent that same Bluebird model. You might not be able to answer this, but can it cut through plastic? The sod was put in ~10 years ago with a thin plastic mesh underneath it. The plastic is still there.

The mesh should be pretty deteriorated by now, so the cutter should be able to rip right through it.

 

[dullard]

The mesh should be pretty deteriorated by now, so the cutter should be able to rip right through it.

Thanks, I'll go to Home Depot tomorrow morning and rent the thing. At least they have a truck to rent at the same time at Home Depot.

 

[BoomerD]

I've rented sod cutters at Home Depot and United rentals over the years. Excellent results with both.