Building new home on 1.6 acres.....need a machine

[ovrszd]

Ovrszd, you seemed to know exactly what I am after. If you were to pick ONE machine that can do nearly everything necessary, which would it be?

I'm afraid that's a question that no one can answer. All any of us can do is offer what's the best for our situation. Yours will most certainly vary.

The one thing about this discussion that most concerns me is your admittance that you've never owned a tractor. It will be very easy for you to buy a technical piece of equipment that you can't operate. Not because there's anything wrong with your skills, just because you have no experience in this arena.

Almost anyone can run a backhoe. Select few can operate a backhoe.

I'd like to know that you can run something as complicated as a backhoe before I suggest you buy one.

I only offered my scenario to support the benefit of having certain equipment on hand when building a house and/or improving a property.

Do you have a General Contractor hired to build your house? Or are you a do-it-yourselfer that's going to do most of the work?

 

[biggeemac]

Ahhh, sorry.....my dad is a retired machine operator and can run anything, and will be coaching me on this project. Forgot to mention that. I will have plenty of guidance with this machine.

 

[biggeemac]

I will be doing a lot of the work, and outsourcing some things to subs. My dad and I will be the generals on this project. He knows how to build and develop a property. I am new, so he will be coaching me on every aspect.

 

[ovrszd]

Then why in the World would you be asking us what you should buy?? You have a machine operator onhand that can guide you in a much better way than any of us.

 

[biggeemac]

Well, my dad worked for a large construction/developer, but he has never had much money, so he has always lived el-cheapo. I have money, so I dont have as many of the constraints that he did. I'm just looking for a good swiss army knife to keep onsite. Since there are a ton of options, and I've never made a purchase like this before, I was hoping for some suggestions that are appropriate for my circumstance.

 

[Egon]

Ahhh, sorry.....my dad is a retired machine operator and can run anything, and will be coaching me on this project. Forgot to mention that. I will have plenty of guidance with this machine.

You solution is at hand. Get advice from “Dad”.

From my viewpoint a unit like one of the Kubota B series would serve you well. My JD 4200 with backhoe would be more than enough for you situation.

 

[Egon]

I dunno, but buying a machine for the purpose of excavating ONE foundation, then trying to sell it seem like a much greater risk than just paying someone to excavate, or renting what is needed to do the job yourself.

Just speaking from personal experience. Built my house 99% myself from the ground up. The other 1 % was friends that happened by at the right time... So I do have some experience with where the OP is coming from.

Back filling? I did it by hand with a shovel and wheelbarrow... A bx with a loader would have been a blessing. My bet is a BX TLB would suit the OP fine for miscellaneous tasks on 1.5 acres. Could it dig his foundation? Maybe, but it would probably take several months...

As for a slightly larger tractor, whoever said a B series can't move dirt better talk to my tractor. Over the years it has moved hundreds of tons of fill, mostly dumped by trucks though. Digging and moving virgin earth certainly takes a LOT of time with a small tractor. For example, one day I got 16 tri-axle loads of shale to build up my driveway and fill in behind the house next door that I am renovating. That would be over 300 tons easily. At the end of the day it was where I wanted it...

A couple summers ago, I dug and moved several hundred cubic yards of earth to taper the banks around my pond and up near the house. It was a summer project done when the ground was dry, but it was done with my B2910. Granted, I used my dump trailer pulled by my BX2200 to move the dirt from the digging spot to where I needed it. But both are small tractors...

In my mind, not knowing exactly what the short and long term needs of the OP really are, if I were where I seem to think he is, I would probably buy a BX with a loader and backhoe. The BX is also a pretty good mower, which I imaging the OP will need over the years.

I bought both my BX and B when I had 3.7 acres, 2 of which were old farmland that was overtaken by nature for 50 or more years, so I had a lot of things to do at the time. Frankly, I doubt something larger than a BX would work for me long term if I only had 1.5 acres. On the other hand, if things changed and I only had the original 1.5 acres that the house I built sits on, I would probably not sell my B2910, as it has been the hardest worker here over the years and we are pretty good buddies now...

Little tractors can do a lot more work than many people realize. It’s just a matter of slow and steady!

 

[dragoneggs]

I have been super happy with my BX25D (w/backhoe) on my 1.5 acres. Lots of dirt/gravel moving, landscaping, trenching, etc. Add some forks for miscellaneous. Never thought I would get so much use out of the forks. A small tractor w/BH will pretty much obsolete your wheelbarrow, pick, and shovel. As you age, you will love it even more.

As far as excavation, I would hire out the job as it is a one time event. You can backfill. Mowing can be done on a SCUT but I went with a zero turn so I didn't have to worry about low clearance of a belly mount on my BX or taking off implements to reduce wear and tear on the grass. A small tractor sips fuel, gets into tight spaces, is easy to transport, and is cheaper to maintain. Many folk say to go bigger if you can afford but I would bet that most all of your maintenance will be easy handled by a SCUT on your size property. Good luck with your build.

 

[AllenKY]

With little tractors, loader lift capacity can be a significant constraint. I would be careful to focus on the lift capacity of the loader. Some of the BX size loaders are quite limited. The Yanmar 324 and 424's loader will lift 1,200 lbs. to full height. Put forks on it and that is helpful unloading pallets. Think about the future.

 

[ovrszd]

Well, my dad worked for a large construction/developer, but he has never had much money, so he has always lived el-cheapo. I have money, so I dont have as many of the constraints that he did. I'm just looking for a good swiss army knife to keep onsite. Since there are a ton of options, and I've never made a purchase like this before, I was hoping for some suggestions that are appropriate for my circumstance.

And we are full of suggestions. I'm just wondering why you don't use the resource you have at hand? How much "money" your Dad has and how he "lives" is irrelevant.

 

[Henro]

Let's see, 300 tons of material, moved 1,000lbs per trip, is 600 trips. If each trip took 3 minutes, that's 20 trips per hour. That's 30 hrs of seat time. Pretty good day.

Well, I did not say I moved it far. But I did deal with 16 tri-axle loads of shale in one day. Some of it was pushing loads flat so the trucks could get in and dump more. Of course I did not move it a hundred yards to a different resting place.

Note that I also said it took me a summer of dry days (can not remember how much rain we had) to dig and move probably 350 tons of earth with my B2910TLB/BX2200 combo.

Question the truth if you like...But it is the truth...Without exaggeration...

PS...I know the number of truck loads is correct, because I got a deal from a guy that was going to dump it for free somewhere down the road. $10 per load. $160 for the day. Several trucks were bringing it to me.

 

[finn1]

A skid steer or CTL would be a better choice than a tractor for construction and landscaping.

Rent a mini excavator for trenching and contract the basement excavation.

Get the tractor for putting around after the construction and landscaping is complete.

 

[dodge man]

My point of view is you buy a small tractor to just help with the construction or you buy a construction grade equipment to actually do the work. Do you have the time to do all this work? If you do, than go for the construction grade equipment. It takes real commitment on your part though. Something like a Case 580 comes to mind or a JD equivalent.

 

[js5020]

I built my own place almost 20 years ago. First things I did was hire out the heavy excavation and well drilling, didn't make any sense to buy or rent the proper sized equipment for a one time job on the heavy excavation let alone a drilling rig, you'll have bigger things to spend your time on, trust me. The only owned machine I had on site was an older 25hp compact tractor with a dozer blade and a box blade which I already owned, I rented a skid steer for 2 days to backfill the foundation and I rented a mini ex for 3 days to put in the septic system.

Don't focus on one time big jobs when sizing long term owned equipment, focus on what you will be doing with it once the construction is complete. An acre and a half,,,,sub compact will likely be your most efficient use of funds perhaps a smaller compact at most. Going bigger means less maneuverable, heavier, more costly and likely will sit more doing nothing. Purchasing with the long term in mind will likely yield a more useable machine over time.

 

[check 6]

My .02cents worth. I have slightly over an acre all lawn buildings or flower beds, ie no real natural areas. I also do some periodic light tractor chores for neighbors or our subdivision common area. Over the last 15 years I have had several "BX" series tractors and several "B" series. I always gravitate back to the "B" series. Aside the only "B" I have had and would not again is the cabbed version. Too narrow a wheel base for too high a center of gravity. That said I find the open "B" about perfect. Heavier than the "BX", better ground clearance and not that much bigger so it can still get into smaller areas around the yard. The "B" also has a larger hydraulic pump and can therefore lift more at both ends. It also has a three speed HST rather than the "BX" two speed. Lastly it has a more precise graduation for adjusting the height of the "three point" without having to look back. Both have engines available right at 26hp the largest without having to add al the solution devices. The one time I might choose a "BX" over a "B" is if I were to use a MM and it was my primary mowing machine. Another thing to consider if you are not using a middle mower on a "BX" you might consider a skid plate to protect the HST fan as the lower round clearance of the BX makes this fan very vulnerable. AS for a back hoe, I had one on a previous "BX" and occasionally used it but I found I had to re-position too often, plus the fact it was not fun to take it off to be able to use the "three point " hitch. Then my dealer mentioned that instead of paying for an implement I would not use often, don't get a back hoe and for $200 he would rent me a mini excavator for a weekend and deliver it ... far better arrangement . Things to consider from a very happy "B" series owner

 

[Gary Fowler]

My .02cents worth. I have slightly over an acre all lawn buildings or flower beds, ie no real natural areas. I also do some periodic light tractor chores for neighbors or our subdivision common area. Over the last 15 years I have had several "BX" series tractors and several "B" series. I always gravitate back to the "B" series. Aside the only "B" I have had and would not again is the cabbed version. Too narrow a wheel base for too high a center of gravity. That said I find the open "B" about perfect. Heavier than the "BX", better ground clearance and not that much bigger so it can still get into smaller areas around the yard. The "B" also has a larger hydraulic pump and can therefore lift more at both ends. It also has a three speed HST rather than the "BX" two speed. Lastly it has a more precise graduation for adjusting the height of the "three point" without having to look back. Both have engines available right at 26hp the largest without having to add al the solution devices. The one time I might choose a "BX" over a "B" is if I were to use a MM and it was my primary mowing machine. Another thing to consider if you are not using a middle mower on a "BX" you might consider a skid plate to protect the HST fan as the lower round clearance of the BX makes this fan very vulnerable. AS for a back hoe, I had one on a previous "BX" and occasionally used it but I found I had to re-position too often, plus the fact it was not fun to take it off to be able to use the "three point " hitch. Then my dealer mentioned that instead of paying for an implement I would not use often, don't get a back hoe and for $200 he would rent me a mini excavator for a weekend and deliver it ... far better arrangement . Things to consider from a very happy "B" series owner

Again, I second the B series for your tractor for long term use. If you really want a backhoe and money is no object, get a B26 TLB. I have one and it is lots more than it appears. For digging out a basement, it could work but it would be slow even though it is a heavy duty construction grade machine. I have dug several hundred feet of trench for water lines, dug up stumps and trees galore, cleaned out drainage ditches, used the backhoe to plant trees and flowers etc. I dont think I would use it to dig out a huge basement or build a pond unless I had nothing else to do and had lots of time. At best you might get .5-.75 cubic foot of dirt per scoop, so it will be very slow. Best to contract it out or rent a larger excavator for the job of basement and septic system.

 

[4570Man]

Some of you guys sure like wasting money on rentals. If it was $100 bucks than go for it but locally it’s about $350 plus $150 delivery plus tax per day. Huge waste of money IMO. Even if you did everything in an efficient method and everything worked out there’s several weekends worth of work. Add in that it’s probably not getting done in the most efficient way possible, unplanned work will come up, bad weather, and equipment breakdown and it’s easily 10 weekends of work. A TLB is the obvious choice here. When you’re done either set the backhoe off somewhere and keep it because you’ve probably realized how handy it is or sell the machine and buy a regular tractor. A smallish Kubota TLB isn’t the best tractor ever because they’re geared deep and the loader is non removable but most people probably won’t care about those things.

 

[ruffdog]

When I was 17, my dad started building a underground home, so we needed a big hole in a hillside. He bought a used construction loader/hoe and a small dump truck and we went to work. We dug the hole, back filled, created the driveway, and did the landscaping with that loader. Sure, we did the work ourselves, but that was a bunch of digging with not much equipment. Hiring a pro with a excavator, quad axle, dozer/CTL would have been a better solution. My dad enjoyed the benefits of cheap labor though.

 

[check 6]

I would add one more thing to consider. If you get a “B” series spend the extra and get the quick detachable bucket and the fork lift attachment a very useful implement

 

[cholland]

I recently built on an re-developed just over an acre. Just a portion of almost 20 acres total.
IMO, I would purchase a CUT for the long term. Focus on what it will doing for you once the build is complete.
For my build I rented a mini excavator for about two weeks and completed all the heavy digging. Foundation, water/power buried and rough landscaping. If you need to move a lot of material it may be easier to have a large loader, but a decent CUT will get the job done. Just takes a little longer.
As for which SCUT, CUT or ZT is best. There are many opinions. I recommend a close reliable dealer/service over a specific brand. Keeping it working is way cooler than how it looks.