What is the going rate....

[warhammer]

For clearing acreage.
I have 8-9 acres that need to be cleaned up. I have mowed about half of it or so. On the remainder there is 50-75 small trees with less than 6" trunk diameter to be removed and lots of clumps of heavy vegetation that can't be brushhogged.

I have a quote of a flat rate of $950 per day from a guy that does dirt work for one wheel loader and operator. He estimates 5 days to clear this stuff and leave it in burn piles.

This sound somewhere in the ballpark?
Seems high but most any kind of contractor/ construction work generates sticker shock these days.

Warhammer

 

[Ductape]

I would get another estimate or two. Not because i think the first guy is way high........ but to get a reference. It may sound high, but how much of that money will go right into the fuel tank right off the bat??

 

[Western]

Sounds awful high to me.
I don't know what part of Texas youre in but I am just north of Ft. Worth I paid a dozer operator $640 to clear a heavily wooded area about 1 acre, he easily did this in a day. I had probably 200 trees this size (6")in this acre and many 8-9" trees. He was using a Case dozer equivilant to a D6.

It would also be cheaper to rent a dozar, last quote I got was for 40 hrs (1 week) for a little over $1500 from Nations rent, for a D6. Even if you lost a day to "education", if your up for it, that would be cheaper.

 

[Unclebuck257]

Sounds awful high to me.
I don't know what part of Texas youre in but I am just north of Ft. Worth I paid a dozer operator $640 to clear a heavily wooded area about 1 acre, he easily did this in a day. I had probably 200 trees this size (6")in this acre and many 8-9" trees. He was using a Case dozer equivilant to a D6.

It would also be cheaper to rent a dozar, last quote I got was for 40 hrs (1 week) for a little over $1500 from Nations rent, for a D6. Even if you lost a day to "education", if your up for it, that would be cheaper.

I agree with Western. You at least need to get a second estimate. I do know that apparently right now in this part of Texas, the dozer operators are somewhat backed up, workwise, so you may want to factor that in too. Sure seems pretty high as an estimate to me though.

 

[silverking]

Dozer's are for grading, they leave all kinds of trash in the ground and are just too slow. Find someone with a Cat 963c and let that dog eat for $850(my local area pricing) a day. The job will be done much sooner. Gas prices being what they are today you can figure about somewhere in the area of $100 a day is safe for fuel.

 

[ihookem]

Why don't you leave it and keep it a woods? I wish I had nice trees like that. A bunch of us planted 850 white pines today and 100 oaks. I said to my sister, this is my two kids retirement plan. I looked at the Red pines I planted 32 years ago almost to the day and they are 60' high. I think 950 dollars a day depends on how fast he is and what kind of job he does. Not everything is in the form of money. Ask around, find out who knows him, ask if he has done any work around the area so you can see it, and of mouth.

 

[warhammer]

I am in Taylor which is in Central Texas.
I am keeping about 2/3rd's or so of the trees that are there. Just trying to open it up some for some recreational use and get it to be in more maintainable shape for a newb with a tractor.
I have one other quote of $750 a day + Diesel + transportation. The guy with the cheaper quote did not leave me with the warm fuzzy's.
The guy with the $950 a day quote spent 2+ hours walkng all around the area and brought up several points I had not thought of. He was also referred by another contractor that I have done business with over the last few years.
At any rate I have several more requests for quotes out.
Thanks for the replies. As always TBN is very informative.

Warhammer

Why don't you leave it and keep it a woods? I wish I had nice trees like that. A bunch of us planted 850 white pines today and 100 oaks. I said to my sister, this is my two kids retirement plan. I looked at the Red pines I planted 32 years ago almost to the day and they are 60' high. I think 950 dollars a day depends on how fast he is and what kind of job he does. Not everything is in the form of money. Ask around, find out who knows him, ask if he has done any work around the area so you can see it, and of mouth.

 

[LBrown59]

I paid a dozer operator $640 to clear a heavily wooded area about 1 acre,

I got my whole 2.33 acres regraded with a dozer for $700.
This was 1N 1971.
Hate to think what it would cost today.

 

[tony123]

I had about an acre of trees cleared and then two flat terraces cut into the hillside all for $1000. Worked out to about $50/hr of operation.

The guy used a track hoe with pincher to grab each tree and yank it out roots and all. He then used the bucket to cut the terraces. Each terrace was about a third of an acre and the uphill cuts were about 3' on one and 5-6' on the other.

I recommend the track hoe if you want to be more sensative and selective.

Search for my thread "From Woods to Eggs" and you'll see photos of the work done.

 

[JRobyn]

I just got a quote for my place in central TN - $80/hr, and he figures clearing at 1 to 1-1/2 acres per 10 hour day. That's for taking down most everything and leaving it in tight burn piles. He'll leave some selected/marked hardwoods.

- Jay