mulching business

[depalma]

Hello,

I'm contemplating buying a skid steer loader with a forestry head and getting in the land clearing business. I would like to know if ayone out there is making a living soley off of small land owners and private individuals. If not what markets should be pursued?

Thanks,

depalma

 

[fishfactor]

This has been covered, but here is my opinion.

Mulching is a very difficult niche to get into, especially in this economy. You need to be prepared to pay cash for the CTL, mulcher head, trailer, and truck. You can't pull most of these with a regular pickup. Unless you have a good contract, you won't be able to make payments for the first year or 2 while you build the business. Every job you do will go to fuel, advertising, service/maint, and repairs (because you will break things). You also need to plan on not being able to get a paycheck for at least the first year, maybe more.

You can use residential and/or individuals as fill in and can often make good money on those jobs. But in most areas, there just isn't enough of it to stay busy. Most of them only last a day or two so you would need a bunch to stay busy.

Look at equipment trader, etc at how many machines are for sale. Many are from going out of business. I talked to a Fecon rep today and he has been selling machines to several of the national forests, so that portion of the work is going away.

I'm not trying to discourage you, just giving it to you straight. If we had to make payments on our equipment when we started we never would have made it. It took about 2 1/2 years to turn the corner.

 

[depalma]

Thank you for the information and I have read the past posts. I realize that clearing contracts are few and far between. I'm associated with an up running tree service business and have been receiving few calls regarding lifting the canopies and brush clearing to reduce fire fuels. We are losing these jobs do to the lack of equipment, by not being able to get the job done as fast or as competitively priced. The number of calls that we are recieving does not justify purchasing a skid steer with a forestry head. So i'm trying to figure out if there is more work out there to be found to keep tis machine busy and turn a profit or ifweshould just let the jobs we are not geting go. Another thought is maybe to buy a skid steer with a rotary brush cutter an forget the mulching. I'm just afraid that if do it this way i dont think that we will be able to drop the limbs from the trees and pass over them with the brush cutter to chop them up like we could do with mulcher. I'm sure a rotary brush cutter hs got to be alot less expensive to run. hnksagain for your your input.

depalma

 

[mulchman45]

you can also clear 1 acre lots for around 1000.00 per day, only take out 8 inch and smaller, this will give the home owner or builder a chance to walk the lot after mulched to see where they want their house or bldg. built. then take out the big trees they want removed

 

[depalma]

Thanks mulchman. Are you currently ding this now? Also what part of the country are you working in, what equipment are you using and how many days a month are you working.

 

[Timark80]

you can also clear 1 acre lots for around 1000.00 per day, only take out 8 inch and smaller, this will give the home owner or builder a chance to walk the lot after mulched to see where they want their house or bldg. built. then take out the big trees they want removed

What?! $1000 per acre?
Back 4-5 years ago when the mulching biz was booming here rates were high,but now o/o mulchers are dropping like flies going out of business.
Here in FL it's all cutthroat bidding. Two weeks ago I bid on 60 acres and the winning bid was $297 per acre.
I guess if you can find a homeowner that really wants a small lot cleared immediately you can get close to $1000 per acre but they will be Few and Far between.

 

[mulchman45]

Thanks mulchman. Are you currently ding this now? Also what part of the country are you working in, what equipment are you using and how many days a month are you working.

i am currently unemployed, i have been running mulchers for over 15 years. i lve north of houston, i have run and operated barko, hydro-ax, bron, franklin, gyro-track, asv, bobcat caterpillar, used fecon, fae, seppi, loftness, tush hog heads. i have done seismac,-can run gps- r.o.w., commericial residential. around texas you can get 1000.oo per acre with these homebuilders. houston area is ever growing and building. if you need an operator pm your phone number

 

[ralanb]

Try subbing the work under your company, then see where it goes from there. Like fishfactor said, its a lot to eat if it doesnt work out. But whatever you decide, good luck with it. A person breaks down alot trying to learn and there is no class room to train you. Just when you think you got it, its time to replace teeth at about $100 bucks a pop then theres the belt and hoses, and dont neglect the mulche and trailer bearings. But it can be done and is easier if you already have an established business. Look into rental when you need it, it may help. Good luck!