How to chose an excavator?? Help needed

nana-san · #1 01/21/10, 02:56 AM

My husband and I will be going home for leave over the summer and we are thinking about hiring an excavator. What should we look for? What questions should we ask?

We don't have relatives or friends in the area to do the scouting for us and since we are stationed overseas most of the legwork would have to be online. Our "driveway" has become overgrown. We are still a few years away from building.

We don't have any kind of equipment since we are stationed overseas and would be passing "through" to our next overseas duty location.

Any advice would be appreciated

Thank you for reading my post

mdharris68 · #2 01/21/10, 06:48 AM

First if you post your location, someone may be able help from this site.

Otherwise I would call the local house builders and ask for references for excavation companies. At least one company should be common among the contractors.

barn-apart · #3 01/21/10, 06:58 AM

If you have any equipment knowledge renting one may save you some money. They are not very difficult to orperate if you take your time. Clearing and surface work is not as dangerous as digging holes where the machine can drop in. Rental companies may also have leads to operators for your reveiw.

Big Dave · #4 01/21/10, 07:01 AM

Again Area where you are building. Write the nearest chamber and have them mail you a phone directory. What kind of drive are you going to build? Gravel, Shale, oyster shell, caletche, asphalt or cement. How far away is the excavator? the nearer the less expense at moving the equipment. How much is raw material in your area? Make friends with a neighbor and have them look in on your stuff. They could also recommend or even have the equipment you are seeking. The man I use charges $65 an hour plus the cost of material. One farther away charges $125.

fantasymaker · #5 01/21/10, 07:41 AM

What exactly are you wanting to do? Why? It will make a diffence to who and what you need to hire. If you are just passing thru Id be carefull of opening up my place just so others could have better access.

Windy in Kansas · #6 01/21/10, 10:02 AM

Can't really help you but thank you for serving our country.

Randy Rooster · #7 01/21/10, 10:37 AM

Make certain that the company has insurance-

both liability and workmens comp

a legit operator will have NO problem having his insurance company mail you a copy of his policy to make sure he his covered.

do NOT hire anyone who isnt covered.

Pouncer · #8 01/21/10, 01:03 PM

They need to be licensed, bonded and insured. The state should have a list of companies that carry these minimum requirements. Then, you ask for references and perform due diligence checking all those out. Doesn't hurt to run the names through the local BBB as well. Get three to four bids before selecting one.

davel745 · #9 01/21/10, 02:41 PM

I suggest you buy a farm tractor like the JD 5075E with a loader and a rear blade. Later on you can get implements you need. Like a rotary mower, rotor tiller. You may be able to store it at a neighbor’s house while you are away. Currently you can buy one, bran new for $28,000.00. You will use that amount of money up hiring a dozer or excavator, and you can work at your own pace.

Best Regards

Dave

tiogacounty · #10 01/21/10, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davel745

I suggest you buy a farm tractor like the JD 5075E with a loader and a rear blade. Later on you can get implements you need. Like a rotary mower, rotor tiller. You may be able to store it at a neighbor’s house while you are away. Currently you can buy one, bran new for $28,000.00. You will use that amount of money up hiring a dozer or excavator, and you can work at your own pace.

Best Regards

Dave

What? As a full time builder, I really need to question the logic here. For about 1/2 of your $28K price, I end up with all my septic, excavating and driveway requirements taken care of, by my subcontractor, on most new home projects. Why somebody would spend that kind of cash for equipment, while stationed abroad, to move some dirt on a site that MAY become their home in the future, is beyond me? Although small tractors are incredibly useful to many members here, they are also a waste of money for a lot of purchasers. I have seen far too many small builders and remodelers who get a small rig to "save money". By the time the learn to operate it at a productive rate, pay the month mortgage on the thing, and spring for a trailer and maybe even a diesel pick-up to move it, they are so far upside-down it's silly. One of my competitors has a Dodge diesel, a small equipment trailer, a dump trailer, and a small diesel tractor with all the toys. He puts his own driveways in, and does some grading to, "save a few bucks". Given the fact that he spent $80K. and takes 3X longer get the job done, I doubt he will ever break even on that sillyiness.

nana-san · #11 01/22/10, 01:59 AM

Thank you, every one your input. I didn't even think of the Chamber of Commerce.We are not going to buy equipment, as TC noted, it wouldn't be cost effective with us stationed overseas. I should have been more specific, I wasn't thinking in terms of an excavator as a machine but more along the lines of someone doing surface work clearing. Thanks BA but knowing about bonding, insurance,, license and worker's comp is more in line with what I wanted to know.
WIK, thank you, I will pass along your appreciation to my hubby.

ET1 SS · #12 01/22/10, 08:39 AM

I once rented a bulldozer and an excavator for a week.

Our eldest son and I operated them together, and we had a lot of fun doing it, on our land.

Just pushing down trees and making a clearing with drainage ditches.

These are really easy tools to use.

Hiring a site-work contractor would have been faster, though more expensive.

In our area there are many site-work contractors, though the best by far, seems to be the sand / gravel / concrete guys.