How to concrete a small area using bags of premix?

[nonsibicunctis]

Hi, I'll start by saying that I'm a decrepit, unskilled and probably stupid individual who is past his use-by date and surviving on a pension of around $500 per week.  I tell you this as some explanation or mitigation for my tackling this job myself and doing what I've done.  Having, sought quotes for the job and received none under $1000 which I simply can't afford.

I live in an old house which had clay piping for the sewage pipe connecting the house to the main sewer.  After several blockages and continual payments to plumbers whose work cleared it for shorter and shorter periods, I finally had one who told me that there was almost certainly, if not definitely, a major block or breakage in that sewer pipe connection.

So, as he thought it was probably just a break at the closest underground trap to the house, I organised to have someone come and break the concrete and dig down to the pipe.  Sure enough, the pit soon was flooded and the pipe was broken.  However, an inspection also showed that it was also broken much further along.  The advice I was given - and which seemed sensible to me - was that I should replace the whole length of pipe and traps with pvc (or whatever the material is of modern pipes.  So, I did that, in the process virtually cleaning out my savings because all up the cost was amounted to approximately $4000.

At the end of all that, I was left with, as well as a garden of mud which my dog happily decided would be a comfortable replacement surface for my floors in the house, this hole in the ground, next to the house, where the concrete had had to be removed to install the new traps etc...

So, not being able to afford to have someone do the job, despite never having done any concreting in my 77 years, I thought, well, how hard can it be?  After all, I'm not doing something that has to be AAA perfect, simply relatively neat, flat (though the area slopes) and sufficiently well done that it will be both lasting and stable.

My solution, after reading and enquiries, was to purchase 25 bags of ready-mix from Bunnings and hope that I could do the job myself with a barrow or container for mixing and a wooden batten of some sort to tamp down and smooth out.

So - my apologies for the long background - but what I need to know is:

* Will I be able to mix this with an attachment on a hand drill?

* Could I mix, say 2 bags at a time with appropriate amount of water to reduce the number of pours?

* Will it be o.k. that it will take me longer, doing it this way, than a normal pumped concrete delivery would take?

* Can I get away without having to buy extra tools or, for a reasonable job, is there something I really should use, i.e. for tamping down, smoothing off or whatever that I'm not even aware of needing?

Lastly, is there any handyman guru there who can give me hints or tips about the best way to go about this or tell me that I've just made a huge mistake and shouldn't even attempt it, instead just counting my losses and filling the area with gravel or some such and hoping that either Bunnings will allow me to return the concrete or that I can sell it to someone else who may have a proper need for it, even if in smaller lots and some loss of funds?

Yes.  I know.  I'm a dope. I'm in a pickle.  I'd hoped I could find a handyman to do the job at a price I could afford but, despite extensive advertising, I couldn't.  So - can anyone help answer my questions or ignore them and advise me, please?

Please ignore the roll of fencing wire - it's only there to keep the dog from digging up the crusher dust and dirt.

[TedBear]

Hi @nonsibicunctis ,

just in case you change your mind and decide to give it a go...

Here are 2 possible methods.

Mixing wet concrete in a Barrow is something I do a lot for small jobs at home. Use a hoe, not a spade to mix it. That way you don't have to lift the concrete to mix. To join sections while still wet use a piece of metal at the end, held in place by tent pegs. That way you can slip the end piece out after a few shovels of concrete are added beyond the end piece and easily fill in the small gap left by the pegs and metal. This is a good place add "expansion joint" lines (or not). 

There is also a method which may be less stressful on your body (but no more so than having to take the bags back) callled Dry Pour. It would be good enough for a walkway (which you are making), but not a driveway. See video below.

https://m.youtube.com/shorts/prJ1T9Dpfms 

If doing it I'd recommend putting in half the required bags, spreading and wetting it before adding the extra to get the top level right (& dampening as per the video instructions).

I haven't done it, but I've heard that people have had satisfactory results from doing that. 

[Jewelleryrescue]

Hi @nonsibicunctis 

You  had a  bad run mate time to   get you over this  problem

Your thinking  concrete maybe it doesnt have to be concrete.

I ask  you to not to concrete as it is bloody hard work and costly. Super costly the pre mix bags  of cement and gravel.

A lot  cheaper to have sand and gravel  delivered then you mix it but still not  cheap. 

Lets  consider alternatives

Plan A

Instead use a  timber treated sleeper edge and  fill it will small pebble you can  half  fill the  void  with  dirt then buy a   few bags of fancy  pebble,

Or fill it with wood chips,  Use  some of that wire flat across the wood chips  or stones  just under the surface so your dog  cant dig it out.

Plan B 

Use two treated sleeper  rails  just sitting on the ground level and nail /screw treated  pine decking across it.  Cost you less than $100 and if that plumbing ever fails into the future  it is easy to  access.  

I might pop that mini deck up to the height of the first  step so the timber goes over the  plumbing mushrooms with out drama

I hope this  helps  you out with a new  way  of thinking.

[nonsibicunctis]

Thank you, I appreciate your kindness in offering me some alternatives.

[nonsibicunctis]

Thank you for taking the time and trouble to offer me some other alternatives.  I do appreciate it.

[nonsibicunctis]

Hi all,

To all of you who have offered me help and suggestions of alternatives, thank you.  I appreciate your kindness.  It says much about you all.

I'm o.k. and over it now.  I feel very foolish.

I apologise for polluting the forum with my problems - you've all been so very good to accept my untoward behaviour and respond kindly.

Thank you.

[Jewelleryrescue]

Hi @nonsibicunctis 

This  forum and workshop would not exist with out people needing  help  with there DIY problems.

When  we help you with your  problem others see that and feel safer  coming  forward and asking for help with there DIY problems

So its  us that should be thanking you @nonsibicunctis 

Have a  great  day.

[TedBear]

Hi @nonsibicunctis 

further to @Jewelleryrescue 's comment, we all have things we can't do just because we haven't done it before. Reading the responses from other people helps each of us to learn something new and to hear suggestions that we may never have thought of. I know that I enjoy reading with interest many of the posts, not necessarily contributing to them because I am learning how to solve those types of issues from other contributors on this forum. 

(I feel like I almost know some personally... like distant friends).

So, thanks for being part of it with this query & please feel free to post more questions, or to contribute options to other people's questions that you may know something about.