17 acres in maine-

[tommu56]

I had my lot cleared and pushed over about 3 years ago.
I just cut the trees to manageable lengths 20 or 30 ft depends on diameter pick them up with loader or the hoe take them to the splitter and cut them to length while up in the air (saves my back from bending to cut) then pick up cut offs and split and stack.
I has been better for me to move one log than all the cut up pieces and I've done it both ways.

The only thing I need is a grapple for the loader so I don't have to lop one end off then go to the other to keep log balanced across the bucket.


I plan on getting a pressure washer some day to get the dirt off the stumps but that is not a real priority now.
tom

[newbury]

Originally Posted by Stonehaller

A used JD 110 TLB, Kubota L39 or L48 all would be nice but you may have a hard time finding one in good shape for less than $24K.

L39TLB - 550 hours, nice unit, 18" bucket, $24500
Barlow's to the rescue.

[wincher]

I live here in maine and have 23 acres, 17 wooded and very steep. Clearing for a driveway and the house and surrunding area I did with a 14hp 2wd tractor, then I rented a large excavator to clear for lawn. Now my L3240 is more then enough to get wood, move rocks, even work out stumps. Yes it takes more time but I am on the tractor so that dosn't matter. I can't see where a 60hp tractor with around 50pto is really what you need. The others are right on saying rent for the big jobs and the rest of the work will be managable with something much smaller. My 1.5 cents.

[rubicon]

I agree 50hp would be more than I need the vast majority of the time. A smaller one would work fine and I can always rent/sub for the occasional bigger stuff (sigh!)
I am leaning towards kubota and will need at least the following as I see it..
Tractor with the following
4x4
fel
box blade
snow blower
The whole new versus used is my biggest worry and I am sure its probably me but It brings out the pessimist in me when I see a used tractor for sale with 200-300 hours and its for sale? do people really use them that rarely or is it something else that I am missing because with my budget a used one will allow me to get some if not all of the implements I need and still be within budget ($24000) thanks again the advice so far is worth its weight in gold this really is a great site with great members --john

[dave1949]

Rubicon,

Can I be a bit nosy and ask why you plan to put your house on a pier foundation?

Dave.

[rubicon]

Sure. The reason I plan to go with a pier foundation is simply cost. The property has no road to it at this time and no utilities. I want to build everything (road,site and house to a very limited budget (approx 75-80 thousand) and plan on using savings, nothing will be financed and although I would love a basement but the cost is to much and still be able to build something more than a small cabin. below is the site I will be ordering my kit home from the folks there have been very helpful. If anyone has ideas or advice feel free to give it I'm not sensitive and take advice and constructive criticism without getting all wound up (especially when its free!)

Owner-Built House, Cabin and Barn Kits from Shelter-Kit®

[hbhayman]

Rubicon, in our area I used a JD555 Hilift it costs 1500. for the week they delivered it full of fuel,when picked-up they ask it has enough fuel to load it so put as many hours and fuel thru it as you can stand in a weeks time one can get alot of road pushed in trees cleared ect. you get the picture planning ahead a little saves alot,indifferent areas of our country different equip. is referred by different names here an excavator one ussually means a trackhoe

[dave1949]

Originally Posted by rubicon

Sure. The reason I plan to go with a pier foundation is simply cost. The property has no road to it at this time and no utilities. I want to build everything (road,site and house to a very limited budget (approx 75-80 thousand) and plan on using savings, nothing will be financed and although I would love a basement but the cost is to much and still be able to build something more than a small cabin. below is the site I will be ordering my kit home from the folks there have been very helpful. If anyone has ideas or advice feel free to give it I'm not sensitive and take advice and constructive criticism without getting all wound up (especially when its free!)

Owner-Built House, Cabin and Barn Kits from Shelter-Kitï½®

I wondered if you were coming from somewhere with milder winters. Most homes, certainly not all, built on a pier foundation in Maine are three season dwellings where people drain or winterize their plumbing in the Fall and come back in the Spring.

With a poured basement, frozen pipes are not a problem, plus your ground level floors will be warmer as a rule. Fewer rodent invasions. Makes for less hassle and lower heat costs, or you cut and split less firewood. You get some storage space too. Your house would have a much better re-sale value also; one never knows. It's more money up front, but may be a better financial choice in the long run.

A pier foundation is most definitely less expensive in materials and is something you can do yourself avoiding some big labor charges for the digging and the concrete work.

A friend of mine has a house that has a full basement under about one-third of the building footprint, the rest is on piers. He has his furnace, well pressure tank and waste line plumbing in the basement area. That works as long as the house plumbing is above or pretty close to the basement. It's a compromise that would save some money and still give you most of the benefit of a basement.

Those kits look nice. I didn't go into much detail looking, but seems like a decent outfit. Having no mortgage payments is a beautiful thing

Keep us posted on your progress and good luck. I am sure you will get all the advice in the world if you ask for it.

Dave.

[tommu56]

rubicon
If you are going to use piers

use truss jousts (those wooden I beam thingys) for the floor.

http://www.ilevel.com/literature/SR-104.pdf

and microlams for the beams

http://www.ilevel.com/literature/TJ-9000.pdf

and steel hangers off microlams to hang joists.

I did that on my cabin bathroom (on piers) and then to close in the bottom you can just lay wafer board on top of the lower flange to close it in it worked ed like a champ.

For the insulation in the floor get full with 16" fiberglass bat's just roll them out and push up between joists and wafer board laying on the flange will keep the critters out of the insulation.


That floor with the plywood glued and screwed to the joists and 20' span is one of the flattest and sturdiest floors Ive ever built.

the lumber yard i got them from did all the "engineering" to make sure the size was correct and I went to the next larger size because I don't like the floor to bounce.

tom

[MarkV]

Originally Posted by dave1949

I wondered if you were coming from somewhere with milder winters. Most homes, certainly not all, built on a pier foundation in Maine are three season dwellings where people drain or winterize their plumbing in the Fall and come back in the Spring.

With a poured basement, frozen pipes are not a problem, plus your ground level floors will be warmer as a rule. Fewer rodent invasions. Makes for less hassle and lower heat costs, or you cut and split less firewood. You get some storage space too. Your house would have a much better re-sale value also; one never knows. It's more money up front, but may be a better financial choice in the long run.

A pier foundation is most definitely less expensive in materials and is something you can do yourself avoiding some big labor charges for the digging and the concrete work.

A friend of mine has a house that has a full basement under about one-third of the building footprint, the rest is on piers. He has his furnace, well pressure tank and waste line plumbing in the basement area. That works as long as the house plumbing is above or pretty close to the basement. It's a compromise that would save some money and still give you most of the benefit of a basement.

Those kits look nice. I didn't go into much detail looking, but seems like a decent outfit. Having no mortgage payments is a beautiful thing

Keep us posted on your progress and good luck. I am sure you will get all the advice in the world if you ask for it.

Dave.

I think Dave makes some great points. Nothing wrong with building on piers but for the climate you are building in heating costs alone may out way the savings over time if this is someplace you plan on owning for a long time and living year round in.

MarkV