Dozer coming Saturday if the weather holds

[Gary_in_Indiana]

I hired a Cat D-4 dozer with operator for Saturday and possibly Monday depending on how much we get done Saturday. I'm hoping to correct a drainage problem around my barn and skim off some compost (old horse manure that was just pushed outside when the barn was used as a stable). I'm afraid I might get into a situation wherein I'll need to have some clay hauled in to replace it on one side.

I hope I'm not biting off too much here, but I need to at least solve the drainage problem. Even at what I consider to be a very good price (just $50/hour for the equipment and operator) the money can still add up pretty quickly if I end up turning this into a long term project. I'd like to keep my costs under a grand for the earthmoving and tree felling I hope to get done but I don't know if it's a realistic expectation. I'd like to be able to have some stone hauled in for the drive and what will be a parking area in front of the barn, too. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

If I have any money left I'd like to put some stone in the barn, too, in hopes of putting a concrete floor down in a 40' x 32' section. While that'd only be about a quarter of the barn, it'd sure be a lot nicer than the dirt that's there now. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Thomas]

Just $50.oo hour w/operator /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif thats a good deal compare to our area,for we pay $65.oo hour plus moving in charge $100.oo.
Real good operator can put money in your pocket /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gifand may mother nature be on your side Gray.

5.7F..Clear sky. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Hambone]

Sounds like a good deal Gary.
Does not look good for the weather though. Raining here now.
I am about three hours south down Highway 3.
Might be up that way tomorrow, around Portland.
Need to close up the house outside of Ridgeville.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Well, there's a layer of snow on the ground and things are at least slick enough to cause two hour school delays in town and all around the area. If you're coming up Highway 3 you might want to wait a few hours before you take off.

I just got off the phone trying to get hold of the dozer owner to see what this does to our plans. All I got was "His truck's here but I don't see him. I'll leave a note by the phone." I really don't know if this should matter or not as I've never had anything like this done before. I can think of reasons on either side of the argument so I really don't know what to expect.

I guess at this point all I can do is hope that he calls (and, as with most contractors, he's TERRIBLE at returning calls) or just show up tomorrow morning at eight and see if the dozer's there or not. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif If it's not, I figure I'll give it half an hour after he told me he'd have it there before I take off.

I honestly don't know what to expect so it's definitely a "wait and see" deal for me. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I guess at this point all I can do is hope that he calls (and, as with most contractors, he's TERRIBLE at returning calls))</font>

GULP!!!!

I hate it when you get personal like that. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Actually we assume you understand what we're thinking and know we have your best interests at heart. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

<font color="blue"> Actually we assume you understand what we're thinking and know we have your best interests at heart. </font>

Let me say that, while I stand by my statement, the gentleman in question did, in fact, return my call within an hour. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

That was the good news. The bad news is that I'll be seeing no dozer tomorrow. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif He said with the rain last night and the snow already down with another couple inches or so expected today and high winds that we'd be better off waiting until a day when they could see the ground and it wasn't quite so wet.

I just checked the long term weather prediction and it looks like the snow should be all melted by Sunday or Monday at the latest when the high will approach fifty. Unfortunately we may be looking at more precipitation Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Again, the phrase "wait and see" seems to be the byword now... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[dummy]

<font color="blue"> He said with the rain last night and the snow already down with another couple inches or so expected today and high winds that we'd be better off waiting until a day when they could see the ground and it wasn't quite so wet.
</font> Another good sign that's he's a decent operator. Even though dozers are typically low ground pressure machines, they can make a big mess quickly. MO, his advice was sound and probably saved you a couple bucks. If drainage is a severe problem, is there any way you could cut / fill some temporary ditches until the weather breaks?

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

That's the way I'm looking at it, too. The owner of the dozer is a classic old timer who's 'been there, done that' many times before so I'm relying on him not only for the equipment and operator but for a lot of advice and counsel on the best way to accomplish what I'm after here as well. I'm going to have some scrub brush, dead trees and the six ugliest evergreens known to man knocked over while the dozer's there. I've already proven that my little JD4200 isn't a bulldozer. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif It'll be nice to have the right tool for the job. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif