Digging out footing - mini-ex or backhoe

[Egon]

What happens to the spoil pile? If the material needs moving and levelling the backhoe may be the better choice. It would also be faster moving around to the stumps.

Just straight digging the mini is the better of the two.

 

[wedge40]

I would get a mini with a "thumb", Nobody asked. How big are the "Rocks"? Less then a foot?

With a thumb you can move stumps and bolders.

Wedge

 

[pohorsky]

I went to the local rental yard with the 3.5t mini in mind just to see prices. 380 for the 3.5, but they recommended 5.5 with a 3' and 18" bucket, which would put the price with delivery at around $1000 per day. I can haul the 3.5 with my truck but not the 5.5. Is the bigger one worth the extra $600?

As far as the stones, they are mostly softball sized cobble with some larger and some smaller. As far as the dirt, I we have to back-fill 6" and I imagine that we might throw the rest of the dirt, minus the cobble in the back of the truck, might talk to a friend of ours who has a skip loader and skid steer and see if he would help us. He comes around periodically to do stuff that is too big for our tractors

 

[RDrancher]

I went to the local rental yard with the 3.5t mini in mind just to see prices. 380 for the 3.5, but they recommended 5.5 with a 3' and 18" bucket, which would put the price with delivery at around $1000 per day. I can haul the 3.5 with my truck but not the 5.5. Is the bigger one worth the extra $600?

No, not for the job you described. For $1k or less you could get an owner/operator to come out and do it.

 

[Will_C]

I am sure my brother- a excavating contractor- could do that job in an hour for his minimum charge of $250.

Will

 

[pohorsky]

I am sure my brother- a excavating contractor- could do that job in an hour for his minimum charge of $250.

Will

Maybe he can come down and do it!

I talked to a local excavator he says that unless he runs into problems that he could do it for around $400; if he does have trouble, it runs an extra $100/hour, but that would be just for the trench.
Now we have to decide if experience is more important than trying something new, as it would probably cost the same either way.

 

[wedge40]

How big are the stumps that you want to remove. I'd plan on two days. Less then one for the footing and another day to remove the stumps. If the stumps aren't to big I go with the 3.5T. It'll take a little more to pop roots and such, but once you get the hang of it it'll be fun.

Wedge

 

[2458n]

Rent the mini and run the heck out of it. It is a rental and they are designed to be used at full throttle to keep the hyds. up. As long as you do not need the spoil moved. Get everything ready so when you bring it home it , you have the trees cut down and you have fuel on hand. FIND out if it has to be back that night or in the morning. If you tire easily get someone to help run it.