New land owner, clearing land help

[breadtrk]

You can get very capable small dozer for 2 acres worth...... Keep it or sell it when done, then buy a tractor.

 

[ruffdog]

My neighbor can do work in hours with his D9 Cat and track hoe what would take me months with a small loader/hoe.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

My neighbor can do work in hours with his D9 Cat and track hoe what would take me months with a small loader/hoe.

Wise words. I'm clearing my own, but it's only cedar trees. Those are a cakewalk compared to clearing big hardwoods.

 

[smitesmash]

I agree with everything else being said here, but for clearing my land, I'm doing it myself. Mostly because I'm doing the work because I want to, and have plenty of time.

Depending on the size and type of stumps, id recommend either a root rake, a stump grinders, or a backhoe.

 

[Happy Gilmore]

I'd have to agree with the folks posting to purchase a dozer/excavator or hire one. The price you posted seems very high for lot clearing, especially for a lot with no structures to worry about. Remember, doing it yourself is going to be a big undertaking in removing the trees, never mind getting rid of them and stumping the land, then grading it. Do you have a use for the wood? A tractor is fine for the occasional smaller stump and grading, hauling logs etc. I just wouldn't want to do it myself clearing 3 acres, even with a 100hp tractor, not to rain on your parade.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

As noted clearing ground is very hard equipment like a back hoe. The acre I am clearing next to the church was once a tobacco patch but it has become over grown over the last 30 years with popular trees. Even those that that are 30' tall are relative easy to push over with the FEL without digging with the 60 HP JD 310B backhoe BUT what does one do with the massive about of wood. We started burning some today that were pushed out two weeks ago. Getting the trees out by the roots and onto the ground can be the easy part. A dozer and a trackhoe with a thumb makes clearing ground go well. The dozer can get the wood onto the ground and the trackhoe can windrow into burn piles then come back an manage the burn very well.

Lot prep is seldom cheap. I guess to clear one acre is going to take 100 manhours.

 

[Arc weld]

Purchasing a dozer can be a real money pit!ullinghair:

 

[jim44]

I think your contractor is taking you for a ride. I would think $8,000 would clear the whole 9.5 acres--$8,000/acre is ridiculous. That being said, this is not something to be undertaken with a 25-35 HP tractor. It might get it done, but it would certainly move your building date waaay off into the future.

Get a second opinion, for sure.

 

[Egon]

http://youtu.be/qxfw66cFIdE

http://youtu.be/qxfw66cFIdE

Here is the type of machine required. But for pine and poplar under five inches and in sandy soil it should be easily doable by the tractor you have chosen. Of course it will take longer than a D9 or some other large dedicated machine but the cost will sure be different.

Heavy duty used equipment may break down and then it really expensive.

I have dug out much bigger trees in slate/clay/granite Drumlins with a Kubota B7100 HST with only a bucket.




A stump on the Firehill.