Little backhoes can do BIG jobs

gordon21 · Jul 30, 2006

Here are a couple pix of rocks I moved with my tiny JD#7 hoe. The SMV triangle is approx 15" high for size reference. I dug these out of a hill side and moved them about 15' out of the way temporarily. I am digging into the side of the mountainside to clear a flat spot for a full basement for a house with a 1200sf footprint. I estimate I have about 90 yards of material to move by the time I'm done. These two rocks represent only 1 yard of the 90. The other pix shows the hoe right after I brought it home (it's still clean and shiny). If anyone is hesitant to buy a small hoe because they think it will not be powerful enough, then you need to see one of these in action. Those rocks probably weigh about 900# or more each. A little hoe will do the job but it will just take a lot longer.

daTeacha · Jul 30, 2006

How far are you going to move the stuff? Those two look like very nice driveway end markers to me. After you use the hoe to install your culvert, of course.

gordon21 · Jul 30, 2006

I will put about 25 yards just downhill from the front of the building site along the slope. I have no clue where I am going to put the rest yet. I am trying to pawn off a lot to the neighbors. The worst case scenario is that I build a small road through the woods 150' and dump the dirt on my land in the woods. These two rocks will eventually be placed near the front of the house as decorative stones as part of a planned waterfall running down a 60' slope. I will probably end up having way more of these than I want.

By the time I finish all the landscaping over the next year, I will get about $25,000 worth of fair market excavation/landscaping work from my hoe. Since I spent only $6500 on it, I am coming out way ahead. The $25K is labor only. It does not include all the stones needed. A small pallet of natural rock weighs a ton. I plan on placing about 50 tons/palletts of decorative stone along the driveway and the waterfall. If I am lucky, I can get the majority of the stones free during excavation. I want to buy as little as possible at the local rate of $150/ton

john_bud · Jul 30, 2006

How do you figure the $25K? A guy with a big hoe, won't take near as long to do the job. At $100 an hour that 250 hours. Doesn't seem to square up, or did you use "tractor / implement buying math"? THEN it would add up and a hearty "nice job!!".

jb

gordon21 · Jul 30, 2006

There is so much construction in western NC, the going rate is closer to $250 per hour for one man and one piece of equipment. No one wants to do any job less than $5,000 and the waiting list is about 2-3 months. The only thing that is still reasonable is buying crusher run gravel. It's $250 per load. $150 for the gravel itself and another $100 delivery fee for the independent hauler. The plant is about 20 minutes from my site. Allowing 25 minutes each way and 20 minutes to load, the driver gets $100 for a little over an hours work.

I was stunned when I saw the local rates. In the south Florida area, the rates are about $75 per man per hour.

Supply and demand. There are way more jobs available in NC than there are qualified people with heavy equipment. I considered renting, but at $200-400 per day for a piece of equipment, but that is too steep. Other items are just as high: A 6" wood chipper rents for $120 per day and the 12" chipper rents for $180 per day. Therefore, I now have my own backhoe to use for the next 20 years.