Tractor or new kitchen?

[TractorGuy]

IF you want to commit to the property you will eventually want a tractor.

I agree with the folks urging you to shop for a good used unit if you can find one. I have no desire to own a Tier 4 tractor that is not only going to depreciate but probably can't be sold.

However, living 250 miles away means new growth will probably outrun your ability to clear it. Definitely get a few estimates for having the work done.

Having a 23 year old kitchen doesn't concern me. Mine is 25 and a remodel isn't in my plans. The wife hints at wanting new counter tops every now and then but so far I have fended that notion off.

I am, however, in the midst of tearing the tub out of our master bath to convert to a shower.

 

[JerryK]

Guys.

The RV is going to be set up on the property 250 MILES away from his house. It's the remote property he needs the tractor at, not his house. It's at the remote property location where all the tractor work will be done. So the RV will be his "cabin" to stay at while working at the remote property.

Savvy?

You buy a tractor for the RV property, maybe put it in a shipping container... Then when your wife does not get her kitchen, she will get the house, and you will have a tractor to use whilst you live in the RV... eating beans. If it was me, I would look long and hard at doing both in the same time... nicer kitchen and good ' nuff tractor. Or go into debt and do both first class. You will get your money out of them while you use them the rest of your life.

 

[EddieWalker]

My first thought was that you are looking at such a small tractor that you really wont be able to get much done with it. It's a good size for regular mowing and chores around the house, but not for clearing land. That little backhoe will dig a trench for installing pipes in the ground, but you'll spend all day trying to get a stump out with it, and it will take years to clear a decent fire break with it. Buying the tractor to do what you are wanting doesn't make any sense with what you are looking at.

I'm don't have any first hand knowledge about fires outside of what I've read in the news and been told by buddies that where Hot Shots during college. Fires move fast and they can jump huge distances. Highways offer very little in the ways of a barrier for a big fire, and smaller roads don't do anything to slow a fire down. I think you need to rethink your plans for dealing with a potential fire, and Home Owners Insurance is probably your best investment.

As a contractor, I remodel kitchens for clients all the time. When it's a quick job to get it ready to sell, granite counters and new paint on the cabinets will sell a house faster for less money they anything else. New cabinets will run from $10,000 to $30,000 and then you just keep adding up on top of that depending on how far you want to go. The latest trend is white, grey and marble. All ugly to me and it seems like a trend that will go away like all trends, then those with the money will do it all over again, and those on limited budgets will have to live with what nobody else wants anymore.

If you are not planning on selling the house any time soon, you will get the most money out of a remodel the longer you wait to do it because you want it to be the latest trend.

In both options, I don't see any good reason to do either thing. If it was me, I think that I would talk to your local fire department and get them to give you a plan on how to best protect your land, and then hire out the clearing of the woods to somebody with big yellow machines. Once that is done, I would then decide on what I needed to maintain the land based on how often you are up there and how much time you have to use it. One other thing to keep in mind is that the tractor will probably sit for months at a time. Some of the new Tier4 smog tractors do not like to sit for months at a time, and you will develop expensive issues by not using it. For your situation, and older, low hour tractor might be a much better option. Something without smog or a lot of electronics. For a lot less then what you are looking to pay for the LS, you should be able to buy something used and then have enough money for the kitchen in a few years.

 

[Imold]

Definitely do the kitchen 1st everything else will fall into place, why have the wife and a kitchen remodel hanging over your head as you use your new/used tractor out on the property that does not make it fun and besides you could be out at the property with your new/used tractor thinking everything is ok because your going to get to that kitchen remodel later only to have the local sheriff show up only to serve you divorce papers and then you realize why your wife stayed home and told you to have fun with your new tractor.
Do the kitchen you always can line up a equipment rental for a couple days and get some of the important things done on a weekend.

 

[ericm979]

There's a lot of information on clearing for fire in California. You don't need to clear cut everything. Look up "shaded fire break". Will that stop every possible fire? No, you'd need a mile of pavement to do that. No one's going to do that, it'd look terrible and cause a lot of other environmental problems. It's a balance. But the basics of nothing flammable near the house and low vegetation or well trimmed trees close to the house can be done without too much expense (usually) and will go a long ways. While a big bulldozer will clear trees fast you can do a lot with chainsaws and a tractor. For fire clearance you can cut the stumps flush and leave them, you don't need to dig them out.

Califirnia building codes were revised in 2008-9 for Wildland Urban Interface areas. Many of the homes that survived the fire in Paradise were newer ones built to the new codes. One of the changes was to require roof vents have screens that keep out embers (<1/8" openings). Many houses burn because embers get inside the roof structure. Especially rural homes that are far away from big sources of heat like the burning home next door. Replacing old vents with ones that meet the new standard will be a relatively inexpensive way to increase the home's odds of survival. You can also add external roof sprinklers.

Ready for Wildfire – Wildfire is coming… are you ready?
Exterior Fire Sprinklers Saved 188 Properties – Wet homes don’t burn | The California Chaparral Institute Blog
Protecting your home from wildfire

 

[nards444]

250 miles away depending on speed is anywhere from 3-5 hours away. I wouldnt buy the tractor until moving back became something of reality. Your talking about buying something that is probably 20-30k then what. Around here you can rent brush hogging(machine and operator) for 100-150 an hour what you describe to brush hog is probably a days worth to do it once. Better scenario is pay somebody, rent equipment, or buy something cheap and old that works for the interim. Plus your going to want a newer kitchen in order to sell some day, a good remodel should last you at least 10 years fads or no fads. IDK sounds good and all but dumping money on something thats that far that you never go to, mehh not the wise choice. I get mom is there, but even that comes to a point of whats logical and whats not in terms what responsibility is yours.

 

[Tennsawdust]

I would definitely look around to see what you can get used. You might find a gem that fits the need without straining the budget.

Is there any way to piecemeal the kitchen remodel? Some of that depends on whether you are moving walls, etc.. It does drag it out, but sometimes it can be more manageable that way. There are lots of things you can do. I even set up a temporary kitchen in basement of one house because the kitchen required a complete gutting and I knew it was going to take me some time to build it all back by myself.

 

[nards444]

I would definitely look around to see what you can get used. You might find a gem that fits the need without straining the budget.

Is there any way to piecemeal the kitchen remodel? Some of that depends on whether you are moving walls, etc.. It does drag it out, but sometimes it can be more manageable that way. There are lots of things you can do. I even set up a temporary kitchen in basement of one house because the kitchen required a complete gutting and I knew it was going to take me some time to build it all back by myself.

Even used stuff is kind of throwing money down the drain maybe. A thousand bucks can get a lot done wither either hiring it or renting.

 

[EddieWalker]

We're just talking about maintaining a few acres once the land is clear. A BX Kubota with a belly mower and a front loader will probably be more then enough tractor to do everything ever needed there. But I relied on a 42 inch craftsman riding mower for years to maintain my place. I paid $600 for it used and it was a beast.

 

[Racenut]

I've been looking for used equipment and finding that these things seem to hold value like a Wrangler or Tacoma. As well as being frustrated with craigslist equipment listings being overrun by auction houses and "jack's tractors" in Arizona. But I do keep looking to see if a good one shows up. Also working on getting quotes to have the big yellow machines come in and have a party. There are some big pines that need to go anyway, so with the logging, we may be able to break even or maybe even come out cash ahead. Just depending on how much lumber comes out.

As for the kitchen, seems like my wife would rather have a tractor. Told ya she was cool like that But we're still trying to be smart about this... we both would like a better kitchen too.

 

[ericm979]

There's a lot of horror stories here about loggers who left huge messes. You could easily end up with more of a fire danger than you started with. Large trees are less of a fire risk than small ones or brush or slash. Most people recommend hiring a consulting forester. They'll know the market and how to make a contract that gets the logger to do the right thing. Either way you'll need a certain number of trees to make it worthwhile.

When I was looking to upgrade a couple years ago I also found that decent used machines were hard to find in CA. The economy is doing well or at least not too bad for a lot of people and there's a relative large number of people who want tractors- that's true for much of the US. California's agricultural history does not have a lot of small farms like places back east or in the south. So there's fewer CUT sized machines from that source.

 

[Racenut]

Yeah, I've read a few stories. And yes, I'll consult with a forester before anyone is actually dropping trees. The mess seems to depend if it's just a logging operation vs land clearing. Get more money for the trees from just straight logging, but may get more value if the the proceeds also pay for clearing. If you get paid for lumber, you pay taxes on that and is it's own special can of worms. So having the cost of clearing coming out of the lumber first could work better. Of course the county has their hand out for "permits" too. Also have power lines to worry about.

I'm learning that it's not just as simple and cutting some trees down and hauling them away.

 

[Racenut]

After much deliberation, we ordered an LS XR3135H, Will order a wicked grapple on Monday. Tractor manufactures are smart.. once you decide on a model, you end up with the.. well for a little more money we can get more THIS.. and then for a little more we can get s little more THAT.. lol. But stopped at the XR3135 because I think anything bigger is going to start getting tricky in the tree areas. The local dealer has been great to work with so far. Even suggested I have the grapple shipped to them so they can make sure the third function has the right connections and everything works as it should. They had grapples available, but nothing that I'd rather have over the wicked one. They were totally fine with that, no pressure.

As Mr Walker suggested above, I did end up hiring pros with big yellow machines to come in for the big stuff. Took down 35-40 big pine trees that were close to Mom's house. The cleanup guy will get his equipment on site next week. He'll cleanup all the slash from the big trees and clear defensible space around the house. That will give us a good place to start working on the rest of the property and then just keeping up on it so it doesn't end up the same way it was.

I think I've learned a lot reading stuff here the last few months, will keep on doing that as well. Once I actually get to play with the new toy, I'm sure I'll have more questions to find answers for... and I'm grateful to those here willing to share their knowledge and experience.

Oh, and this morning my wife brings out a little blue tractor tree ornament.

 

[3gunr]

I do kitchens and baths for a living and you could buy 2 or 3 tractors for what people are spending on new kitchens.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Congrats on your new tractor.

Post up some pics when you get it.

Also, give us your feedback on the model EA grapple you picked out, once you get a chance to use it.

 

[AllByteNoBark]

Congrats on the new tractor. Sounds like you have a good plan.

 

[sodamo]

Congrats on your decision

 

[sandman2234]

Congratulations on your purchase! Now start a savings program to fund the kitchen!
I remember when I first started driving a tractor, there were things that I now know to avoid. Watch where you put the tractor!! In my case, muddy areas love for a tractor to come visit, and they keep the tractor there for a longer visit. Second, with clearing and cleaning up brush, you will have a tendency to get in a hurry and that will not be good, because brush has a tendency to reach out and bite anything from hydraulic lines to radiators, and grills, to tires and others. Take your time, as short as seat time will be, or you will have added expenses you were not expecting! There is a reason people buy skid pans when doing that type of work!
David from jax

 

[Richard]

brush has a tendency to reach out and bite anything from hydraulic lines to radiators, and grills, to tires and others. Take your time, as short as seat time will be, or you will have added expenses you were not expecting!

Words of wisdom!!!

I was once on the back side of farm cleaning up some slash piles from lumber folk who cleared much of the wood.... going backward or forward, I rolled over a branch. As tire weight hit the end of it, the branch stood up at an angle, now becoming a spear and literally sliced through my backhoe hoses.

I don't know how much the entire backhoe weighs on an industrial machine (I have a JCB) but imagine picking it up to 5-10 feet in height and literally just DROPPING it to the ground. There was no bleed-down as the oil squirted out the hose (I guess in literal terms there was but it was SO brief...)

In one moment I was working.... the next moment, my hoe was laying on the ground behind me, dead. I pulled the lever and saw the ROAR of oil shoot out....which is when I realized I had a bigger problem than I thought.

I started the walk home as the machine would have to be fixed in the field.

You would probably do this but always have your phone with you.

 

[ericm979]

Since you're in the Sierra foothills, your land probably has slopes. Be careful operating on them, especially side hills. It doesn't take much to tip some tractors over. Setting the rear wheels to their widest position, or adding spacers, reduces the tendency to tip sideways. Adding liquid ballast to the rear wheels lowers the center of gravity of the tractor and also reduces side tipping. It also adds weight which helps traction.

My old Kubota was tippy even with the wheels set as wide as they'd go. When I got the Branson I had the dealer put on slightly smaller wheels and tires from a different model, to lower the CG. And add rear spacers and Rimguard ballast. Unlike the Kubota I've had no tippy moments on the Branson, and I've taken it more places on our land.