Dozer work #2 -- How much will it cost me?

[yeehaw]

understood different regions will vary -- but on clear cut land --- stumps mostly less than 3-4" tall and (most) a foot wide -- some of course wider -- what should i expect to pay to try and convert to pasture land (overnight of course ) looking for a ballpark figure before i call a couple of guys to give an estimate
thanks

second post...

 

[beenthere]

Big equipment will cost more per hour, but get the job done quicker.
Small equipment will cost less per hour but take longer to finish the job.

If me, I'd get a bid for the job from the "guys".

 

[Topstrap]

First thing I ask when someone calls and says they have stumps they'd like out................. how high did you leave the stumps? I like to see them as high as they can reach and cut the trees off, every foot of height they leave makes it WAY easier to pull them out. Then you can cut the remaining wood from them when they are on the ground.

Digging stumps is prob my least favorite thing to do. It's hard on equipment, operator and ya got to find dirt to fill the hole and also get rid of those pesky rootballs.

I don't think you'll find a bargin price to pull them but at least they aren't 3' in diameter. The ones I hate are Elm and also when multiple trees have grown close together and root balls intertwine. A decent size mini in the 12k range should be able to pop those 12" and under stumps out pretty fast but it's still a time comsuming job to clear. I've dug some really huge ones out with a smaller machine but just takes time.

Good luck, with everyone out or work you might find someone looking to start spring work early and get right on it at a decent price.

Topstrap

 

[Pops15]

First thing I ask when someone calls and says they have stumps they'd like out................. how high did you leave the stumps? I like to see them as high as they can reach and cut the trees off, every foot of height they leave makes it WAY easier to pull them out. Then you can cut the remaining wood from them when they are on the ground.

Digging stumps is prob my least favorite thing to do. It's hard on equipment, operator and ya got to find dirt to fill the hole and also get rid of those pesky rootballs.

I don't think you'll find a bargin price to pull them but at least they aren't 3' in diameter. The ones I hate are Elm and also when multiple trees have grown close together and root balls intertwine. A decent size mini in the 12k range should be able to pop those 12" and under stumps out pretty fast but it's still a time comsuming job to clear. I've dug some really huge ones out with a smaller machine but just takes time.

Good luck, with everyone out or work you might find someone looking to start spring work early and get right on it at a decent price.

Topstrap

You're not kiddin it's hard on equipment. Years ago I was building a house and had to cut down a big oak tree. The guy that put in my septic said he'd dig the stump and root ball out with his hoe for $25. He struggled with his 580E to dig the stump out. He finally got it but found out he had twisted the stick in the process.
I had another guy do the backfill and rough grade. I asked him to push the root ball out back so I could burn it. He said he'd haul it away for $25. For $25 I sure wasn't going to mess with it. He pulled his Case 450 loader up to it and we threw a chain around it and hooked it to the bucket. When he picked it up we heard a very loud PING. His loader bucket had broken.

 

[JJT]

A good sized excavator will make short work of these stumps. I wouldn't waste my time with a dozer.

 

[BruceWard]

I have hired D4Hs a couple of times I believe they are close to 30K pounds. Rates have varied from $65 to $100 per hour. Building a 640' long, 30' driveway and a 200'x200' yard including pushing over and piling up all the trees and spreading 400+ yards of city pit was around 22 hours. I burned the trees myself

 

[yeehaw]

Big equipment will cost more per hour, but get the job done quicker.
Small equipment will cost less per hour but take longer to finish the job.

If me, I'd get a bid for the job from the "guys".

i just cant see someone out there digging up stumps...in a 10 ft square area there are probably 2-3-4 stumps...multiply that by 20-30 acres and that is a whole lot of digging....thanks for the replies

 

[sweettractors]

i just cant see someone out there digging up stumps...in a 10 ft square area there are probably 2-3-4 stumps...multiply that by 20-30 acres and that is a whole lot of digging....thanks for the replies

You may want to consider a 3 point hitch tractor mounted stump grinder, if you have access to a 40+ hp tractor. I think Worksaver and Wallenstein makes those and would be cheaper than a dozer and you could sell it after you are finished with the project. Ken Sweet

 

[tlbuser]

i just cant see someone out there digging up stumps...in a 10 ft square area there are probably 2-3-4 stumps...multiply that by 20-30 acres and that is a whole lot of digging....thanks for the replies

Unfortunately, no matter what equipment you bring on site, that is exactly what will happen. Depending on type of trees involved, a 12" stump may or may not pop easily. Are there tops to contend with too? Is it legal to burn where the site is?
From your description, a large loader and an ex would be the best bet. Putting our Cat 953 and 325 on site and depending on tops, a saw guy @ $215 / machine hour. If we need a night watch for burning (area dependent) $40/hour. If burning is not an option, add a tub grinder for $275/hour. Then spread the topsoil/mulch mix.

Stump grinding, may not go deep enough to allow for plowing and discing, depending on what you want. A stump pit, while cheaper, would be my last resort for anything deemed pasture land. When the stumps decay, voids will be created,which can easily lead to bad things for farm critters.

 

[T_S_S]

Where are you located

 

[Gator6x4]

My suggestion would be to get someone with a track hoe and a dozer. A large Track Hoe makes the task of removing stumps fairly easy. The dozer can then fill the holes, pile the stumps and debris and smooth the ground. I have seen both ways in use, dozer and track hoe or just the dozer. The dozer track hoe combo makes for a more economical approach in my opinion.

 

[scoutcub]

My suggestion would be to get someone with a track hoe and a dozer. A large Track Hoe makes the task of removing stumps fairly easy. The dozer can then fill the holes, pile the stumps and debris and smooth the ground. I have seen both ways in use, dozer and track hoe or just the dozer. The dozer track hoe combo makes for a more economical approach in my opinion.

It is the ideal combo......

 

[Ken]

i just cant see someone out there digging up stumps...in a 10 ft square area there are probably 2-3-4 stumps...multiply that by 20-30 acres and that is a whole lot of digging....thanks for the replies

yeehaw You probally have seen the forrest service cutting the oak timber then using a dozer with single tooth chisle bar to yank the roots to the surface. Then with blade scrape the roots and stumps to a burn pile. Then replant with pine trees.
After the tornado 2 years ago I rented a dozer and operator to push all the downed trees to a burn win row. At $40.00 hour he cleared 30 acres leaving only the largest of stumps his dozer wouldn't budge. The regrowth has been knocked back with bush hog. Now wish had him use the tool bar and chisle first.
Neighbor hired a track hoe and dozer to remove his downed trees. the cost made him walk with a limp for a good while. has not mentioned the cost.
ken

 

[Mousefield]

When we cleared some land on our property to build our new house we had an excavator pull out the stumps and burn them. We had up to 2 ft diameter stumps and he got them out without much trouble. After he got them out he would pick them up and drop them a couple of times to get the dirt loose from them. Made a nice pile and burnt them, couple of times he had to restack them in the burn pile. He then pulled a home made grader with the excavator arm and got the land fairly level. I don稚 think a bulldozer would have done as fast or nice a job. The excavator size used was a Hitachi 120. This was about 10 years ago and he charged $95.00 per hour.