Is this possible?

[dodge man]

I'm thinking out loud here to see if a project is even possible with my tractor. I have a BX 2350 with an FEL. I have an area in back of our house that is a pretty steep hill. I'd like to fill some of this hill in. Just about anything would work, sand, dirt, pit waste, it doesn't have to be good material. I'd like to push the hill out about 3 or 4 feet, it's maybe 15 feet high and 150 feet x 75 feet. It's pretty steep, maybe a one to one slope. It can maintain that slope and it's O.K. if it sloughs off some when I'm done, so it can remain steep. I am, like most people worried about the cost. I'm getting at least 1200cy of material to do any good. I have a quarry within 12 miles of my house. If my math is correct this would be 1680 tons, more or less, or 160 loads depending on the size of the truck. I'm just guessing here, but maybe $100 a load? This pushes the cost over 10k in a hurry.

Even if I decided it was worth the cost, I'm figuring it would take maybe 200-300 hours of seat time in a BX2350 to move the material. I'm using a figure of 1/5 of a C.Y. that a BX2350 can move. I can get it dumped within about 200 feet of where it has to go. At best I figure I can make a trip in 3 minutes.

I even looked at buying a 1 or 2 ton dump truck. It looks like you can pick one up for $8000-$15000, and if I got a good deal, I could maybe sell it in a couple of years for a slight loss. But I'm not sure this could save me any money.

Anybody care to comment or check my math? If I'm figuring this correctly I'm not sure the project is practical or worth the cost with the equipment I've got.

 

[thatguy]

Anything is possible... BUT moving approx 160 loads of anything with a compact tractor is A LOT of seat time, as you figured.. I think your 1/5 cubic yard guess is about what I figured i was moving when I shoveled mulch from my truck to the bucket to spread it around the house..

I think I would reconsider unless you are retired and really want to hit the 200 hr next service level quickly LOL You can probably get someone for about $500 a day to come in with BIG equipment and be done a lot sooner.

just my thoughts..

Brian

 

[sandman2234]

Rental of larger equipment might be a good idea, to speed up the progress and slow down the wear on your machine. Sometimes our tractors, although wonderful, don't always do certain tasks as well as more dedicated machines. The biggest problem is explaining to SWMBO why you need to spend more money, when you have a tractor sitting that will do the job.
David from jax

 

[radioman]

Hmm, i was wondering how close can you get with the dump truck ? Can the dump truck get there really close ? I would have them dump it into the hill then use bx to push it out and smooth with. This would be a fun factor. If you decided to buy your own dump truck, Do you have the time to do 160 loads ? If you did 2 loads a day/7 days a week, this would take you 80 days!! You probably can do more per day , but I figure like the most of us, we have hectic work schedules and family to tend to as well. Then there is the insurance/fuel costs just for a homeowner to operate. By the time all is done and said, you might be either breaking even or costing more after selling the truck. Another thought -how much can you legally transport the material. My quarry near me wont let me bring 3 ton on my 7k trailer because of the stupid DMV truck rated weight.

IMHO - i would have the material delivered and dumped as close as possible but with no time restraint when you must have it so the cost would be lower. This would give you time to move material around.

 

[cowboy357]

I Would post an ad in either the wanted section of Craigslist or the Free Labor section . Post You are Wanting So Many Loads of Free Clean fill To Fill Your Needs , Also that after so many Loads It would need to be Leveled .

This Might sound far Fetched but it works . Escavators are Constantly Looking for Places to have there Trucks be able to dump Dirt Dug from Project sites, Housing developements Or New Road building . & Most Times They will Even Bring a Highloader to Level it So More can be hauled in. All At Little or No cost to you .

I,ve been getting about 5 loads a day (Weather Permitting) to keep it Knocked down & Leveled on My own. first 100 or so loads was Broken concrete, I,m using for fill along a River bank that has washed away the past several , After that Its been all clean dirt ( some of it being good topsoil I Stockpile in a seperate area ) to cover that up & Landscape the river bank .

All of it has been at No cost to Me & the Truckers Have to Call Me when They are one the way . So it has worked out Great For both of Us.

Might be a longshot, But Wont hurt to try . Best of Luck.

Bob

 

[SPIKER]

I Would post an ad in either the wanted section of Craigslist or the Free Labor section . Post You are Wanting So Many Loads of Free Clean fill To Fill Your Needs , Also that after so many Loads It would need to be Leveled .

This Might sound far Fetched but it works . Escavators are Constantly Looking for Places to have there Trucks be able to dump Dirt Dug from Project sites, Housing developements Or New Road building . & Most Times They will Even Bring a Highloader to Level it So More can be hauled in. All At Little or No cost to you .

I,ve been getting about 5 loads a day (Weather Permitting) to keep it Knocked down & Leveled on My own. first 100 or so loads was Broken concrete, I,m using for fill along a River bank that has washed away the past several , After that Its been all clean dirt ( some of it being good topsoil I Stockpile in a seperate area ) to cover that up & Landscape the river bank .

All of it has been at No cost to Me & the Truckers Have to Call Me when They are one the way . So it has worked out Great For both of Us.

Might be a longshot, But Wont hurt to try . Best of Luck.

Bob

My oldest brother has done similar with all types of construction debris at his place. in a LONG number of years he has made a good 100' foot by 300' more usable space at his place with a ravine that is 3 or 4 times deeper and so steep you can't walk up it you have to climb..

mark

 

[sandman2234]

Best be careful and know the laws when filling. I know a guy that filled a low area on his property, covered it will topsoil, planted grass seed and had a couple of nice oaks brought in(spaded). Area looked like it had been like that for years, but he got caught by some satelite based photos or something and they made him remove it, and restore it back to original condition. Almost ruined him financially, and he was (in my opinon) pretty well off before.
David from jax

 

[dodge man]

I don't think I will get in any trouble filling it in, its a very minor creek, and where I would be filling it in is not even part of the creek bank. I think its pretty much a no go unless I can get the fill delievered for free. I had thought about getting contractors to deliever for free, but we kind of live out of the way and it may be tough getting it done for nothing. Its not possible to get it dumped where it is needed. You have to squezze by the house and it barely is enough room for my BX to get by.

 

[KHNewman]

My neighbor needed 7000 yards of fill to level out his property so he went to major excavators and they are so interested in getting rid of fill (even good clean fill) he had all 7,000 yards delivered for free. On some days he had 12+ 18 wheelers stacked up in the road out in front of his house waiting to dump their loads.

The excavators were so worried about their 18 wheelers getting stuck that two of them put dozers on his peoperty and were grading the fill so the 18 wheelers could keep getting further back to dump their loads and not get stuck.

One excavator told him that it would cost $30,000 if one of his 18 wheelers got seriously stuck back there so the dozer was a bargain to keep there and get rid of that much material locally.

I would bet you could get that material for free if there is any type of major construction anywhere near you and if the 18 wheelers have somewhere to dump.

 

[Soundguy]

What about buying a dump trailer and a used industrial 'TLB' style tractor.. use them for a while and then sell..

soundguy

I'm thinking out loud here to see if a project is even possible with my tractor. I have a BX 2350 with an FEL. I have an area in back of our house that is a pretty steep hill. I'd like to fill some of this hill in. Just about anything would work, sand, dirt, pit waste, it doesn't have to be good material. I'd like to push the hill out about 3 or 4 feet, it's maybe 15 feet high and 150 feet x 75 feet. It's pretty steep, maybe a one to one slope. It can maintain that slope and it's O.K. if it sloughs off some when I'm done, so it can remain steep. I am, like most people worried about the cost. I'm getting at least 1200cy of material to do any good. I have a quarry within 12 miles of my house. If my math is correct this would be 1680 tons, more or less, or 160 loads depending on the size of the truck. I'm just guessing here, but maybe $100 a load? This pushes the cost over 10k in a hurry.

Even if I decided it was worth the cost, I'm figuring it would take maybe 200-300 hours of seat time in a BX2350 to move the material. I'm using a figure of 1/5 of a C.Y. that a BX2350 can move. I can get it dumped within about 200 feet of where it has to go. At best I figure I can make a trip in 3 minutes.

I even looked at buying a 1 or 2 ton dump truck. It looks like you can pick one up for $8000-$15000, and if I got a good deal, I could maybe sell it in a couple of years for a slight loss. But I'm not sure this could save me any money.

Anybody care to comment or check my math? If I'm figuring this correctly I'm not sure the project is practical or worth the cost with the equipment I've got.