Break up the compacted construction road after new construction - How do I get through there?

My wife also said that we (meaning me) could dig the hole for the infiltration trench ourselves with dimensions of 3*9m. That was until she saw the hole. The money spent on the excavator operator was definitely worth it. He showed up with a large excavator, and in half a day the infiltration boxes were buried.

I also moved a lot of soil and gravel myself with a wheelbarrow and shovel in our garden and practically did everything by hand. I wouldn't do that again.

The right equipment helps. And at a depth of 1.7m, it already gets difficult with a mini excavator. Get advice at the construction equipment center. If you can pick up the excavator yourself, you save a lot. Delivery was the most expensive part of our 4-day rental.

Definitely take an excavator. Alone just to break up the gravel. I've done this several times, it's hard work like in the Gulag (as I imagine it). You learn to operate an excavator relatively quickly and it's fun. With us, it would cost about €100 per day, plus fuel.

Definitely with an excavator for the size. But I would also consider renting the excavator operator. Sure, you learn to operate the excavator over time. But directly at the hole is something different than just pushing aside 30cm of topsoil somewhere. Most mini excavators (i.e. the 1-1.5t ones) are at their absolute limit at 1.7m. So you really need the 3t class, maybe a bit bigger. Then it's a solid 20cbm plus sloping. You also have to think beforehand about where to ship all the excavated material so it doesn't get in your way. With the 1t excavator, you'll be at it for a long time.

If you want to break up such layers manually, for example for a point foundation. For bigger holes, pickaxe. For smaller holes, use an old, blunt chisel on the rotary hammer and stir the gravel with it. This loosens the layer and you can remove it with the shovel or trowel.

Aren't there any excavators on site at other construction sites? No way, never by hand.

I agree with the others: mini excavator! Don't you have anyone in your circle of friends who already has some experience with that? I had rented one 5-6 times myself - even an electric excavator was used once for work on a Sunday, really super cool. You will almost shovel yourselves to death with that amount, I would avoid it.

We also had to dig a small trench for the curb stones of the sidewalk and something for the sidewalk through this stuff. I did that with the rotary hammer. But that was hard work. And that was maybe 12 m, 30 cm wide and max. 40 cm deep. Afterwards the same again for planting holes for the hedge plants. But I realized that the stuff there only goes down about 30 cm, after that there's natural soil again.