Alan Ambrose Posted June 30, 2023 Share Posted June 30, 2023 My build is off a single track road, with entrance to the plot through a farm gate sized entrance. I'm trying to figure out how much space on site I need for truck unloading / turning. Anyone have a rule-of-thumb? Ta, Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redoctober Posted June 30, 2023 Share Posted June 30, 2023 You will be surprised by what some of these drivers can manage in such tight spaces - We too are on a single track lane and the entrance to the plot was nothing more than a "farmers" entrance to his field - no gate at the time. As you will see from the photos - we removed a small section of the hedgerow to open up the gap when the time came. The gap remained the same width throughout the build thereafter. Not sure of the measurements but the finished gates, may give you an idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Ambrose Posted June 30, 2023 Author Share Posted June 30, 2023 Thanks for taking the time to post those. Bit tricky to see what space is needed tho. I even googled gate and a bit sizes - and found out they'll make you what ever you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelvin Posted June 30, 2023 Share Posted June 30, 2023 Our site had no space to turn so I instructed all the deliveries on large vehicles or heavy vehicles to come from east side of the road and reverse onto the site. I created a large off-loading area. This was big enough for everything bar artics. They had to park on the road and we used the tele-handler to off-load. If you want them to be able to turn on-site you’ll need a huge amount of space Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted June 30, 2023 Share Posted June 30, 2023 3 minutes ago, Kelvin said: you’ll need a huge amount of space From memory...it is a 23m circle, or a bellmouth equivalent... huge. In any case, artic drivers don't like sites and may still decline to enter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelvin Posted June 30, 2023 Share Posted June 30, 2023 The other thing to think about is how much hard standing to put down. Any soft ground will get destroyed especially if it’s wet. Same with verges on the road. I put a lot of hardstanding down right around the house so we don’t have a muddy bog that gets trailed everywhere and into the house. The downside is I’ll need to do something with all of this come landscaping time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelvin Posted June 30, 2023 Share Posted June 30, 2023 19 minutes ago, saveasteading said: From memory...it is a 23m circle, or a bellmouth equivalent... huge. In any case, artic drivers don't like sites and may still decline to enter. The I tested our site was to try and turn my Jimny and trailer around in the off-loading space and quickly realised it wasn’t near impossible. Reversing in and driving out is easier on the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelvin Posted June 30, 2023 Share Posted June 30, 2023 I’ll say that again but in English! I tested how big my offloading space was for turning using my Jimny and trailer and quickly realised it was pretty much impossible to turn around long vehicles without having to make multiple incremental turns. It would have quickly wrecked the surface. It already got churning up just with the tele-hanlder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Ambrose Posted July 1, 2023 Author Share Posted July 1, 2023 OK thanks - I have a space about 20x20m in from of the house. FYI I'm seeing numbers like: + 7.5T - 8.35x2.5m - 12m turning circle + 26T 6m^3 concrete truck - 8.7x2.55m - 16m turning circle + 32T 8m^3 concrete truck - 9.2x2.55m - 22m turning circle Viz https://www.hanson.co.uk/en/ready-mixed-concrete/technical-information/truck-information https://www.cemex.co.uk/documents/45807659/46067062/Readymix H&S leaflet_2019_Latest.pdf/ I'll have to get out the protractor... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markc Posted July 1, 2023 Share Posted July 1, 2023 (edited) 54 minutes ago, Alan Ambrose said: OK thanks - I have a space about 20x20m in from of the house. FYI I'm seeing numbers like: + 7.5T - 8.35x2.5m - 12m turning circle + 26T 6m^3 concrete truck - 8.7x2.55m - 16m turning circle + 32T 8m^3 concrete truck - 9.2x2.55m - 22m turning circle Viz https://www.hanson.co.uk/en/ready-mixed-concrete/technical-information/truck-information https://www.cemex.co.uk/documents/45807659/46067062/Readymix H&S leaflet_2019_Latest.pdf/ I'll have to get out the protractor... A decent driver will get into places many would struggle to get a car, the turning circles are space needed without shunting so forget these Edited July 1, 2023 by markc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Ambrose Posted July 3, 2023 Author Share Posted July 3, 2023 >>> A decent driver will get into places many would struggle to get a car, the turning circles are space needed without shunting so forget these That's not really helping. You're telling me I'm wrong without giving me a clue what the right answer is . Surely somebody here has some rules of thumb for what the dimensions required are for (a) absolute minimum and (b) reasonably comfortable access? I'm trying to figure out whether I can build a garage to the front of the property early on or whether I really need that space for access. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crispy_wafer Posted July 3, 2023 Share Posted July 3, 2023 our driveway is 12-13ft, delivery drivers reversed in and drove out. as long as there is room to swing the front round as they line up to reverse then jobs a goodun. Our lane is single track too( really old pic for refence) The only two I had issues with was insulation as that came on a curtainsider but they had a nifty little forklift gadget, and insulation from seconds and co, as that too came on a curtainsider, and handballed off. Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted July 3, 2023 Share Posted July 3, 2023 50 minutes ago, Alan Ambrose said: somebody here has some rules of thumb for what the dimensions required are for (a) absolute minimum and (b) reasonably comfortable access? I thought I had. 23m turning circle, or bellmouth shapes using that radius. Anyway, you will find that bm lorries are chosen to get on construction sites, and the drivers well used to it. But they are road going vehicles with normal tyres. If the site doesn't look solid enough, flat enough or big enough they won't risk it and you will have the stuff offloaded at roadside. With other lorries, esp artics, they are even more particular. It can be very expensive to prep the site for lorries. If you do it half baked then you will need to keep putting more stone on top. Of you have a favoured bm, perhaps ask the rep to visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redoctober Posted July 3, 2023 Share Posted July 3, 2023 1 hour ago, Alan Ambrose said: I'm trying to figure out whether I can build a garage to the front of the property early on or whether I really need that space for access. This is exactly what we did. The carport and shed structure shown in above photos was built first. Therefore it was in situ before we started to take delivery of all other materials etc. I have measured the distances for you in the hope that they will give you confidence that most trucks etc will get in and out, albeit reversing in and driving out - again as demonstrated in two of the photos above. So the distance from the gate to the car port structure is 19 metres. If you were to include the bellmouth [driveway approach] and the width of single lane thereafter, the 19 metres becomes 25 metres. Honestly, more than enough room - the crane managed it as well as cement lorries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted July 3, 2023 Share Posted July 3, 2023 4 hours ago, Redoctober said: more than enough room - the crane managed it as well as cement Cranes have multiple axles, and put down jacks on sleepers. They tend to be on the more relaxed side a drivers being used to construction. Ditto concrete wagons but both will refuse to enter at all if they fear getting stuck. Then you have problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Ambrose Posted July 3, 2023 Author Share Posted July 3, 2023 >>> It can be very expensive to prep the site for lorries. If you do it half baked then you will need to keep putting more stone on top. Yes, that's why I was trying to get it right. It'll mostly be driveway, so it'll also be advance driveway prep. >>> I have measured the distances for you in the hope that they will give you confidence ... So the distance from the gate to the car port structure is 19 metres. If you were to include the bellmouth [driveway approach] and the width of single lane thereafter, the 19 metres becomes 25 metres. Thanks, super useful. Never underestimate how helpful BH members will be Let me lay that out on my plot and I'll report back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelvin Posted July 3, 2023 Share Posted July 3, 2023 You also need to be mindful of how wide the road is and how straight it is. Is there a ditch on the opposite side etc Are the verges to the road soft? Our road is single track, straight and had a running water ditch opposite. The ditch was collapsed by the scot loo driver. Despite a wide belmouth I had to make it wider still. The hardcore surface is no use for pallet trucks even the powered ones. I’ve has to handball loads of stuff off the wagons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted July 3, 2023 Share Posted July 3, 2023 I had one job where the running surave stone just kept disappearing despite being thick and on a membrane. The local stone haulage company suggested a particular rubble for the bottom, and another mix above, All from crushed concrete....and it worked. So I suggest a chat with your local haulage company. As for the membrane. This is essential between the ground and the stone, and will pay itself many times over. I find that non-woven works much better than woven. It looks like felt or plate scourers rather than cloth. Shop around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Ambrose Posted July 6, 2023 Author Share Posted July 6, 2023 Ah thanks, very interesting info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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