07/07/2026
Earlier this year, Sharp Concrete Cutters & Drillers Ltd completed a challenging project for Method Construction: removing a heavily reinforced crane base unlike any we had tackled before—and we have done a few. The base measured 5.4 metres by 5.4 metres by 1.3 metres deep and contained approximately 95 tonnes of concrete. It was surrounded on all four sides by a public footpath, a sloping driveway, an old septic tank, and a house just one metre away. To manage these constraints, we saw-cut 350 mm-wide channels across the top of the base, broke out and removed the upper layer of steel, then stitch-drilled through the lower steel. Under the guidance of Engineering Collective lifting certification, we chemset four 600 mm-deep, 30 mm threaded rods with eye nuts into each block for lifting. With limited space on site and no room to store drilling cores, we removed 18 trailer loads of concrete cores to Auckland Quarry for recycling throughout the project. The crane base was stitch-drilled into nine blocks, each weighing between 7 and 14 tonnes. Because the temporary road closure allowed only a short lifting window, and the site sat below road level, we engaged Swanson Transport’s largest crane—the biggest Palfinger crane manufactured. Its knuckle-boom operation, fly jib, winch, and multi-function adaptor provided the reach needed for the difficult lift, extending up to 50 metres. We also engaged P&I Pascoe & Ward Demolition to remove and recycle the blocks from site. Setup and lifting began at 10 am and were completed by 1:30 pm. A big thanks to Team Sharp and everyone involved and thank you to Method Construction for trusting us with this complex project.
