Buying Advice What do I need?

[Dr_Zinj]

"The land is flat, but there are some wetlands to deal with."

1. It would help to know how long your road is?
2. How wide does the permit require it to be?
3. Is it on glacial till (sand and gravel), bedrock, or bog?
4. Are you in the lake effect snow belt?
5. What kind of vegetation are you dealing with? Old growth trees, saplings, overgrown field?

 

[seanlowery]

1. the road will be roughly 150 yards
2. not sure how wide - permit still in process
3. there is only avery small boggish area that I will have to cross (15 yards at most)
4. no lake effect
5. old growth, fallen trees and saplings - no fields
Thanks!

 

[Soundguy]

is the wet area 'protected' or just a 'swimming pool' on your land?

what's the soil like .. any clay?

soundguy

 

[jenkinsph]

With twenty plus acres to deal with you could use a tractor for sure. I wouldn't buy one or a dozer to clear a driveway and single dwelling location though. Don't think for a minute that you have the expertise to beat a real road builder at his own game and will save money doing this.

Most everyone on this forum likes working with tractors and discussing them here on tbn. There will be lots of scenarios to get good use out of a tractor such as clearing snow, building a lawn, maintaining the driveway but get one when you intend to keep it.

 

[seanlowery]

the wet area is protected. not a pool, just mushy with some standing water

 

[IndyIan]

Maybe you could get away with an L48 which I think still has a PTO and a 3 pt hitch. Alot depends on the local conditions though, if you can just flush cut all your stumps and dump a foot of pit run onto a firm forest floor and call it a road, you don't need too much equipment. If 3 ft of pit run will sink out of sight in the spring then you'd better hire it done by pro, he'll know what you can get away with in your specific conditions.

I assume with a cabin you won't have a basement so the rest of the site prep might be done with a TLB, and I've been to lots of cottages than have only had hand tools do the site prep and foundation so it depends what scale you are looking at.

 

[MarkV]

the wet area is protected. not a pool, just mushy with some standing water

Sean if the wet area the road is to pass through is protected what restrictions do you have to follow for road building? That could be a problem if you can't build up, drain or divert the moisture.

MarkV

 

[RaydaKub]

It makes sense to me to buy a tractor, do the job myself and then sell the tractor when I am done, rather than pay someone big $ to do the work for me. (besides, I have ALWAYS wanted to have a tractor).

Almost everybody else is saying you should hire it done. I won't disagree. But I think you just contradicted your self twice.

It does make sense to buy a tractor. But you'll never be done with it, so don't assume you'll sell it. Besides, you've always wanted one. Good luck on your new adventure and toy to maintain it! :thumbsup: