Renting equipment

[Bob_Trevithick]

I see lots of notes suggesting that someone simply rent a bulldozer or a skid-steer for a specific job. How does this work, exactly? I assume they don't just drop off the machine and hand you the keys and say "Good luck!" /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Do they include some basic instruction in their fee, or do they assume you know what you're doing? Do you have to prove some competency before they let you loose?

How tough is it to learn the basics for a small dozer, for example? I may not need any such thing, but if I do I'd rather do the work myself if possible, rather than pay for an operator at $85/hour or whatever.

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

Bob:
Surprisingly enough, sometimes the rental is merely "here are the keys - good luck." I have seen one for a muscular Case backhoe where the guy delivering it on a low boy didn't know himself how to use the hoe, and was grateful that one of the renting group volunteered to run it off the trailer. The rental company required no more than an oral assertion that there was someone who knew how to operate it.
That may just be a sloppy rental company, but my suspicion is that most renters either know how to use the stuff or hire an operator, so the rental company doesn't get in trouble.

 

[HR_Mutt]

Bob
I'd say go for it!! You'll get some big project completed, learn how to operate something different, and have a blast!
When dealer dropped off TLB he was available for questions.
regards
Mutt

 

[RobS]

Bob, I rented a Bobcat with backhoe attachment a couple of years ago. The rental yard was mostly concerned that my truck could pull it. They did provide basic instructions but pretty much let me at it.

A friend rented a Cat 416 TLB and drove it from the Cat dealer to his place. Again, minimal questioning and instruction. On the bigger equipment you are usually responsible for your own transportation. Rental rate is per day with an hour limit. Go for it and take plenty of pics /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Renting is fun but in some cases it is cheaper to hire the work out as an experieced operator can do the work in a fraction of the time a rookie can and when you are paying by the hour do you really want to kill a half a day playing around trying to learn. Small machines you can do this but the larger ones when you are talking $1000 a day you don't play too much. We have to rent an excavator for a foundation job at a machine plant to rip out a 18'x18' concrete pad. We usually use 90# air hammers but this pad is one of the original foundations we put in for a machine and they bought a new one so the pad is between 24"-30" thick that we are removing and we are getting the largest machine possible that will fit in the building which is a 35,000 pounder to do it. I will definitly get some pics for you guys as it is a load of fun doing foundations for this company.

 

[MossRoad]

I rented a small tracked excavator(probably from the same place as RobS /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif ) a few years ago. They brought it out for a small delivery fee. I rented it for the entire day to dig a foundation for a garage. It was very easy to learn. So easy, that I got done in about 2 hours. I pulled small trees and stumps for 2 more hours, then called them to pick it up and got refunded for the half day that I didn't use.

I was amazed that they would trust somebody with no experience to use their equipment. The guy just dropped it off, showed me how to start it and what each control did. It was already fueled and lubed for the day. I had a blast, accomplished my goal, and will probalby rent one again, only a little larger and with a thumb.

However, I would not attempt to dig my own house basement, as you can create some serious problems by disturbing soil that has to support a foundation. I'll leave that to the proffesionals.

 

[RMulkey]

It is hard to believe but it usually is just "here is the keys." I have rented a 35,000lb excavator, track loader, wheel loader, trencher, motor gader and some smaller stuff, and they just drop it off and hand over the keys. They will usually ask if you know how to run the machine. If you tell them you do not, they will give you a 30 second to 2 minute lesson. OBTW: A lesson I learned is an amature with a large excavator can do some major league serious damage, luckily I was knocking down the house and pulling out the foundations anyway. For a one time project, it is probably cheeper to hire out the work. Of course, that takes all the fun out of it...

 

[RobS]

<font color=blue>However, I would not attempt to dig my own house basement, as you can create some serious problems by disturbing soil that has to support a foundation. I'll leave that to the proffesionals. </font color=blue>

Excellent point MR. When we added the den to our house and did our own foundation I dug to within a couple of inches of the desired depth and finished the rest with a shovel. Only had to do that for the footer and the addition was just 14' X 14' so it was manageable.

I'm anxious for the hole to be dug for our new house. I may have to take a day off to go watch /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[MossRoad]

The excitement nears! Take lots of pics for future reference(and to share /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif).

 

[Jag]

BT, here are my thoughts on the question. I bought this dozer instead of renting but the learning curve should be the same. When the truck came to unload the small dozer they dropped it off where there was plenty of room around. This is good, no tight places to start. They showed me where all the controls where and what to check on the dozer. They took a little longer than most would because we had gotten each other and they where then ones that told me where this dozer was. But you will be lucky if the delivery people are there an hour. After that it is pretty much have a good day. It will take about 4 hours to get a feel and start doing some work. Of course this depends on how much other experence you have had. I was clearing out old fields and fence lines. When I started I was out in an over grown thicket with no big trees, holes, or any thing around to worry about, which is the best place to start. (when learning to drive do not start in the garage) At about 10-20 hours you will see a big jump in how much you can get done per hour. At about 60-80 hours you and the machine will be working much easier and getting alot more done. Doing dirt work will take a long while to get good at.

I have some old time operators say that clearning trees and brush is the hardest, and on one hand I can see they are right. But the brush came easy for me.. Reasons, maybe it was I had been doing so much of the same but on a smaller scale with my tractor. Some of the transistion is easy. The RPM power range is the same, mimium working power starting ar 1500-1800 rpm up to a normal working limit of about 2500-2700 rpm. But like my tractor mostly working at about 1900-2200 rpm.

If you have some clearing to do and have the time it is fun to learn and do. If you have the money an experenced operator will get done about 2-4 times faster. It mostly depends what the cost for a weekend or week rental is and how much you want to do...

 

[RobS]

I've already got my vantage point established for a series of shots throughout construction. Of course, I'll take plenty of others and I'll be sure to share the best /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Thomas]

If your planing to rent please do read the fine print.I thought about renting a Case 500 dozer for little stumping and grading,but after reading the deliver&pickup charges,insurance,etc..for 2 days plus the weather to consider also not being all that good w/a dozer,it was way cheaper..better job done by hiring the job out.Don't forget dozer can get stuck,and if they do its extra time and $$$.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Also clean the machine, especially tracked machines otherwise the rental company will charge you for this. It only takes a little while and if you have a pressure washer it is easy to clean the tracks.

 

[Bob_Trevithick]

Thanks for the pointers, folks. I think I can do what I need to do this Spring with my 4300, but if not then I'll be faced with the rent or hire operator option. A big hill of nice top soil, pushed back down into the garden. I have a front blade on the JD4300, and a dirt scoop. The only problem might be that in the time since the soil was pushed into the hill, small trees and brush have grown in the nice soil. I'm not sure whether to pull this junk out first with chains, or just push them down with the blade. Maybe the tractor can't even do it.. I have so little time with this machine (especially given the lack of snow to push) that I'm not sure what its capabilities really are. My guess is that I can do it with the 4300, and have a lot of fun in the process. But I can imagine needing a dozer to do it. I just don't know yet. I guess I'll find out the fun way! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Thanks for explaining how the rental process normally works.

I did hire a guy with a dozer for one job, and man.. this guy was good! He could dig a deep hole, drive out one side of it, pivot 90 degrees at the top of the hole, and do all of this effortlessly. He was great. I probably saved a lot of money by having him do this job. But this hill shouldn't require a lot of skill, just a lot of pushing power and traction.

I'll hopefully have a camera by then! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

BOB, this is very true that they just drop it off and give you the keys. I had never even run a tractor in my life and they didnt even ask. The first dozer was a D4 cat which I soon replaced with a D9, I cleared and logged my place with minimal problems. It is very fun! I started to feel like superman plowing over anything in my path, go slow at first because you will plow over anything in your path. I would recommend others doing their own because you can do the job you want done, my neighbor was very dissapointed in the job the proffesionals did because they didnt want to take the time. I do not want to put down anyone so dont take it wrong , my job took longer but was cheaper and better quality. Just my non proffesional opinion.

 

[Jeff396]

<font color=blue>my job took longer but was cheaper and better quality</font color=blue>

Unfortunately this seems to be true more often than not. I wouldn't mind so much paying the Buck if the quality was superior to my own./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Jeff

 

[Jag]

Jeff396, time or money that is the question. Whether tis nobeler to spend the first or the last of these two most precious commidities.. One needs only ask himself which is most precious at the moment....

I have found when start big project like putting up a new barn, I am either out of work with plenty of time to start building, and no money for materials, or working my tail off with plenty of money for supplies and no time to get started. So you either start something and get by with materials on hand or buy the material and let it sit around and get started later... Either way it takes a long time getting the project complete.