Distribute gravel layer under basement floor slab - tips

Hello everyone,

to save money, we will procure and distribute the gravel that goes under our foundation slab ourselves.

The gravel will be delivered to our property, then we have to transport the gravel into the excavation pit (about 3m deep) and distribute it evenly from there using a string frame.

Do you have a tip on how we can get the gravel into the pit as cleverly as possible and distribute it there? The pit is full of sharp slate slabs that would cut the wheels of wheelbarrows.
Unfortunately, we do not have an excavator available.

We have already considered a debris chute, but we can't secure it properly. During delivery, we also can't dump the gravel directly into the pit, as too much of the edge would be damaged.

Regards, Alex

That falls under penny wise, pound foolish. And I say that as a convinced "do-it-yourselfer" :D We worked in the backfill for 12 sqm of subfloor ourselves... and that only for a buildup height of 30 cm - never again. We hauled the gravel with a trailer up to the pit and let it slide into the pit over formwork boards, then distributed it with shovels and rakes.