Contractors (vent)

That's the problem with having a neighbor or friend do it. What happens when something goes wrong? We get back to that liability thing.... Gotta be careful when digging. Friend wanted to put a wood fence around his tiny backyard - an apt. The wife of the caretaker said sure go ahead, nothing to worry about. When the clamshell post hole digger hit the main enterance to the 2 story apt building, it knocked out the juice to that & the other apt building.... The spark cut a inch deep hole in the post hole digger.

Thank goodness for wooden handles.

Electric co wanted to bill friend for repairs. Caretaker was not happy with his wife, as it was her 'fault' and was on their bill...

I'd have the equipment here on the farm, but I would be real shy about working in other people's yards - don't know what you are in for!

--->Paul

I've got an ole backhoe, a dumptruck, 2 tractors and trailers to pull them around if I wanted to. I bought them for use on the farm and to get a load of gravel or dirt for me or my neighbors may be a couple of times per year for driveways, etc. Then thought I might do a few small weekend jobs each year that nobody else wanted to piddle with to help cover the cost of maintaining the equipment for farm use. Checked into getting plates (farm plates) and insurance a few months ago.

Forget it. I can't even get farm plates for the dump truck (although it has been suggested I call it a bean truck and fake it). I have to write to the State Capitol and apply for commercial plates - can't even take it on public roads otherwise. I pay full commercial rate for the weight and load capacity of the dump even if I only use it once a year. Same for the trailer to carry the backhoe or the tractors. Of course, you gotta have the dump truck to pull the loaded trailers.

Insurance - HA! Nobody would even quote me even vehicle liability. You are supposed to be a company with "x" dollars of capitalization and "Y" dollars of business. You're supposed to do this for you livelihood. I did'nt bother with general liability like the guys above are talking about.


So, you see the high cost of entry due to suits and taxes crowds small jobs out of the business - or even doing a favor for a friend.