74 hp skid vs 74 hp hoe for building tiny acreage?

[Vigo327]

I think a tractor+backhoe or TLB is more useful than a skid steer if you are talking about an all purpose machine. Both are probably bigger than what you need unless you are digging your own septic and foundation, and even then the skid steer, while POSSIBLE to use for serious digging jobs, is not ideal.

Honestly, in your situation i would probably farm out the few big jobs you need done and then get yourself a tractor with loader and backhoe that is small enough to trailer with a truck you're willing to own, or already own. My Kubota B8200 does everything i need on 5 acres and while i would prefer the loader stronger and the backhoe have more reach, i sure would NOT trade it for a skid steer unless the skid steer was in better shape and had SSQA and came with more than just a plain bucket. Very unlikely anyone with a skid steer would make that trade because of the money difference, but in terms of usefulness i'll stick with what ive got unless something too good to be true comes along.

 

[rerod]

Your building inspector would be a good resource as he/she knows your local conditions and codes.

Good luck!!

No building inspections in my county.

I would but a footing underneath the wall, plus the horizontal foam, especially if the soil cannot support a lot of weight on prone to heaving.
How much land do you intend to work after your project and what is soil condition, Terrain, and woods look like?

Many footings are 12" and that is what I believe that beam is.. 12" x 24" about

Why did you choose this foundation design? Have you dug in that area to see what the subsurface is like? If not, thats not a problem in the design stage because there are optional foundations for any structure. So design away, but before choosing one particular foundation you need to dig a trench to see what is actually there.

Your location and the type of dirt and subsoil you have all work together to determine the type of foundation that you want. Some people want to go with the minimum they can get away with, and others want a bomb shelter.

I'm thinking you can simplify that shallow foundation. Concrete is one of the least expensive parts of the house. If your subsoil is good, consider taking the walls down a foot below frost line and spread the bottom footer a little. You can add verical insulation if you want, but then wouldn't need the horizontal wings.

Why are the walls offset from the foundation? Some sort of tropical rain drainage? Is there another way to accomplish the same thing?

I chose a FPSF because you don't have to dig below the frost line. Less work and materials, cheaper and more DIY friendly.

No I have not had a soil test done.

The stick wall is offset to keep the foundation insulation flush with the wall.

https://www.homeinnovation.com/~/media/Files/Reports/Revised-Builders-Guide-to-Frost-Protected-Shallow-Foundations.pdf

 

[truckdiagnostics]

Skid steer, buy a set of grouser tracks and a good set of pallet forks. Then you can do it. You can get down two feet with the pallet forks for electric lines. Rent a mini excavator for water lines. Be faster than tractor back hoe.

A tractor is good at pulling anything other than that it is a compromise.

 

[rScotty]

No building inspections in my county.

That's nice, but it doesn't have mean that there aren't people worth hiring to go over your plans and make them better.

Many footings are 12" and that is what I believe that beam is.. 12" x 24" about

No way you can come up with a footing dimension without knowing what it is supporting and what it is bearing against. Most don't take the trouble to figure it out. Concrete is cheap and so is digging.
If you would rather do it rule of thumb, that works too. Just decide on a fundation wall thickness - best is to make the foundation wall slightly wider than the finished frame wall. Then make the footer twice that wide and as tall as the wall is thick. Don't forget the steel.

I chose a FPSF because you don't have to dig below the frost line. Less work and materials, cheaper and more DIY friendly.

Dig below the frost line. You'll be glad you did.

No I have not had a soil test done.

The stick wall is offset to keep the foundation insulation flush with the wall.

I think that is the wrong way to go about it. Just dig so your footers are below the frostline and let the eaves take care of the runoff. If you do that and then bring the foundation up a foot above grade you will have enough space to put a storm/root cellar down there.

https://www.homeinnovation.com/~/media/Files/Reports/Revised-Builders-Guide-to-Frost-Protected-Shallow-Foundations.pdf

Put your time into the foundation. You'll be glad you did. Then use twice as many fasteners to the sill plate as is common. Double reinforce the frame corners. Carry the same philosophy with you as you fasten the rafters to the top plate. Now it will stand up to a storm that will carry away most stick built houses on shallow foundations.... and all because the foundation is heavy and rigid.

rScotty

 

[truckdiagnostics]

Ring shank nails on all your sheeting. Hurricane clips as suggested above. Then if you're worried about frost...... dig down so you can pour a level footing to lay block on. Lay your block, fill it with sand pack it all down. Put in your in floor, pour your wall on top. Then use a domestic tank water heater to heat it. If i remember correctly the building is not that big. And yup you can do all that with your loader.

 

[truckdiagnostics]

Here is another thought. What you want is a mini excavator and a skid steer. Put in a geo ground loop. That will help amortize out the cost of the excavator. For what they want for a decent tractor backhoe you can get a skid loader and excavator and for what you're doing..... that is the way to go anyway.

 

[Vigo327]

The only cheap excavator is a tiny chinese one or one with a shitload of problems. You can get a really nice tractor backhoe for 20-25k and possibly cheaper, just not a very big one. In my opinion you don't need big. Any backhoe ~6.5ft digging depth or bigger is fine, and the only reason the digging depth even matters to me is because of the REACH, because short reach is very annoying. As far as a loader, anything that will lift 1000lbs to full height will do most things you'd want to do with it. Keep in mind if it lifts 1000lbs to full height it can probably lift 2000lbs off the ground, and unless you're loading onto a semi trailer there's very few times you'd ever want to pick your max capacity up by more than a couple of feet anyway.

Compared to a tractor, a skid steer is just a faster, stronger, more maneuverable loader. Which is kind of just 3 ways of saying faster. The number of times i wish my tractor loaders (i have two small loader tractors) were faster, stronger, or more maneuverable is actually a pretty small number. The number of times id wish my skid steer could pull a 3pt or mount a backhoe without being a PITA, would be a greater number of times.

But im gonna shut up about it, i've had my turn here..

 

[rScotty]

The only cheap excavator is a tiny chinese one or one with a shitload of problems. You can get a really nice tractor backhoe for 20-25k and possibly cheaper, just not a very big one. In my opinion you don't need big. Any backhoe ~6.5ft digging depth or bigger is fine, and the only reason the digging depth even matters to me is because of the REACH, because short reach is very annoying. As far as a loader, anything that will lift 1000lbs to full height will do most things you'd want to do with it. Keep in mind if it lifts 1000lbs to full height it can probably lift 2000lbs off the ground, and unless you're loading onto a semi trailer there's very few times you'd ever want to pick your max capacity up by more than a couple of feet anyway.

Compared to a tractor, a skid steer is just a faster, stronger, more maneuverable loader. Which is kind of just 3 ways of saying faster. The number of times i wish my tractor loaders (i have two small loader tractors) were faster, stronger, or more maneuverable is actually a pretty small number. The number of times id wish my skid steer could pull a 3pt or mount a backhoe without being a PITA, would be a greater number of times.

But im gonna shut up about it, i've had my turn here..

There's also the difference in getting onto and off a tractor or skid loader. When doing building or landscaping, I'm constantly jumping off to do things and then getting back onto the tractor. Climbing across the bucket on a skidloader gets old - or maybe just me getting old. It just seems like more of a chore now.

My preference is for easier work, or sometimes doing more work - hardly ever is it for faster work.

But as someone said before, tracked vehicles have a peculiar attraction for some, and if that is what rings a person's chimes then having tracks is what matters. I don't expect that there is any way to change a preference like that, and no reason to do so.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Climbing across the bucket on a skidloader gets old...

That part is the least of it, I think.

Open the door (loader must be all the way down), sit down, buckle the seatbelt...and then don't move, or the brakes set and the hydraulics shut down.

Not that it's fun to climb over a snow covered snowblower.

 

[rerod]

I'm leaning towards a tractor with a ssqa bucket, but a FEL that will lift 1000 to full height is probably to heavy to mow the lawn with later..

I'm guessing I need to stay below 3000 lbs tractor weight to finish mow, but how much will the FELL lift? Plus, will the hydraulics of this smaller tractor be enough to run skid steer attachments?

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