Making a living with with your machine?

[Overtaxed]

IMHO, you have to have something unique to offer if you're going to build a business. Something that any guy with a bushhog can't do. There are a lot of options, around me, people hire out hay cutting/bailing a lot because it's a task that requires expensive and rarely used machinery. And I see the same guy pulling his rig up and down the road a lot, so I'm guessing he does pretty good (gets a lot of work anyway) with that setup. The other big one near me is mulching, that seems to be a new craze and there is a lot of money (but also a LOT of cost) in that business. Guys are getting a 150-250 an hour to run a mulch head on a skid around here. But you have to have something that's not common in your area. If every contractor/landscaper in your area has a mini-ex, well, you're TLB isn't going to be real attractive. If almost none do, and the rates to dig a trench are high, well then, you might have yourself a business there.

As others have said, it's going to be business insurance that's the killer. This equipment is dangerous, people get hurt, houses get hurt, cars get hurt. And all that costs money to fix, money your insurance company is putting themselves on the hook to pay.

 

[MoMower]

I do it on the side (legitimate business, taxes/insurance/etc). Goal is 1 or 2 jobs a month. I specialize in small jobs, SCUT TLB sized stuff. It works out OK, but I’m picky in what jobs I’ll take.

Had a lady last week that wanted to move about 30 tons of garden soil, 30 miles. She wanted to rent Home Depot’s f250 to do it. Wanted me to load it with the machine.
I explained that it would cost her $3500 to move it, when I could come in, level it (raised beds) plant grass and she could go buy new soil for about $1500...she got angry...lol

 

[4570Man]

I’m trying to get to the point of doing excavation full time but it’s been a slow process. I’m going to get my septic install license soon. I need to get a contractors license but that’s a much bigger ordeal compared to the septic install license. As for equipment I currently have a John Deere 310 a 3500 dump truck, a 6500 dump truck, a 10 ton pintle hook trailer. Commercial insurance in both trucks a liability insurance policy and the trailer and backhoe is insured. I’m strongly considering trading my 310 for a m59. If I keep my 310 I’ll have to add a tracked skid steer to the fleet. If I downsize to a m59 I’ll probably end with a midi trackhoe.

 

[L47TLBwannabe]

I do it on the side (legitimate business, taxes/insurance/etc). Goal is 1 or 2 jobs a month. I specialize in small jobs, SCUT TLB sized stuff. It works out OK, but I’m picky in what jobs I’ll take.

Had a lady last week that wanted to move about 30 tons of garden soil, 30 miles. She wanted to rent Home Depot’s f250 to do it. Wanted me to load it with the machine.
I explained that it would cost her $3500 to move it, when I could come in, level it (raised beds) plant grass and she could go buy new soil for about $1500...she got angry...lol

Yeah some people are very weird and think they the know the work better than we do.

 

[4570Man]

Yeah some people are very weird and think they the know the work better than we do.

That’s only 3 loads on a single axle truck or 1.5 on a tri axel truck. That must be an expensive haul bill. It must be an even more expensive delivery to buy. I buy tri axel loads of topsoil delivered for $200.

 

[L47TLBwannabe]

I’m trying to get to the point of doing excavation full time but it’s been a slow process. I’m going to get my septic install license soon. I need to get a contractors license but that’s a much bigger ordeal compared to the septic install license. As for equipment I currently have a John Deere 310 a 3500 dump truck, a 6500 dump truck, a 10 ton pintle hook trailer. Commercial insurance in both trucks a liability insurance policy and the trailer and backhoe is insured. I’m strongly considering trading my 310 for a m59. If I keep my 310 I’ll have to add a tracked skid steer to the fleet. If I downsize to a m59 I’ll probably end with a midi trackhoe.

Yeah I've been trying to get to the point of being on my own for several years but its difficult to get your first machine when its a piece of construction equipment. So finally this year I pulled the trigger on this Kioti CK3510 and decided to get in to a bit of property maintenance and some lighter duty work and see where it goes. I've been running excavators for 20 years working in stuff from Heavy Civil work with machines as heavy as 90 tonne to demolition and fine grade work like ditching and basement excavation, so getting in to my little tractor makes for a nice change of pace. And I can dictate who can run it.

 

[4570Man]

I think the medium duty work is where I want to be. There’s already a couple of large excavation contractors in my area and there’s already plenty of hacks willing to box blade a driveway. I think the $1,000-10,000 projects is probably the better path for the near future. Not to mention I don’t want the headache of trying to hire truck drivers and operators. And I want to be on the machine myself not driving around giving bids and checking on project all day.

 

[L47TLBwannabe]

I think the medium duty work is where I want to be. There’s already a couple of large excavation contractors in my area and there’s already plenty of hacks willing to box blade a driveway. I think the $1,000-10,000 projects is probably the better path for the near future. Not to mention I don’t want the headache of trying to hire truck drivers and operators. And I want to be on the machine myself not driving around giving bids and checking on project all day.

There seems to be a fair bit of work these days but getting the right connections takes time and yeah I don't want to hire people to run my equipment especially with some of the newer operators around that know nothing about pulling a wrench or what end of a hammer to use. And I don't really want to get a machine any bigger than maybe 12 tonne. Something like a Kubota KX-080 would be ideal.

 

[MoMower]

That’s only 3 loads on a single axle truck or 1.5 on a tri axel truck. That must be an expensive haul bill. It must be an even more expensive delivery to buy. I buy tri axel loads of topsoil delivered for $200.

That $1500 was for all of my work up to planting grass and for her to get new soil delivered at the new location. Around here, good screened soil sells for $30-50 A yard.

 

[MoMower]

There seems to be a fair bit of work these days but getting the right connections takes time and yeah I don't want to hire people to run my equipment especially with some of the newer operators around that know nothing about pulling a wrench or what end of a hammer to use. And I don't really want to get a machine any bigger than maybe 12 tonne. Something like a Kubota KX-080 would be ideal.

Yes, I won’t take jobs where I need more help then one of my kids to be a ground helper.