What's best implement for building a new yard?

[bbd 25]

I got a 70hp Tractor w/ FEL and I'm wanting to start using it to build and rebuild yards to make extra money on the side for play money. I'm looking for the best implement for post grading after a new house is built to re-work the driveway and yard. After loads of trucks and equipment cause ruts from building and grading; but before the landscaper does his seeding and planting. That in-between stage to prep and smooth out driveway and yard.
What I've read is a Harley rake. But that is VERY expensive. Any other options that would kick up hard packed clay from equipment and then level and smooth it out good for planting or hydroseeding? (Plus finish grading driveways)
Problem is we are in the mountians with red clay and rocks. Need good attachments to hold up.
For that, what is the best attachment or attachmentS?

 

[davesl708]

Might look at a box blade and a chain harrow or land plane.

 

[ishiboo]

I've been doing a lot of landscaping, and I spread about 550 yards of topsoil in my yard the year before last and it turned out quite well. I have a lot of clay and rocks as well. It takes me several tools to completely finish a lawn for seed.

My process has been to till if necessary to get everything loosened up and ready to go, and to bury/cut up any weeds which may be there. You should definitely Roundup though. I then use a box blade to smooth out the soil and get it properly leveled/graded/etc. I then use a double-roller pulverizer to break up clods and provide a finished seedbed for planting. Sometimes, if there is a lot of small rocks/plants/etc. still left, I'll use a landscape rake... they are cheap, work well and leave a nice seedbed for grass. Before the pulverizer I did a large area without it. The landscape rake will do a pretty job of breaking up clumps/etc. but it takes many passes.

I wouldn't plan on doing that for extra money on the side. It'll be nearly impossible to compete with the companies contractors are using now who come in with a tracked skid steer and a Harley rake. A 70HP tractor is heavy and way less maneuverable than a skid steer.

 

[Sprinklerman]

First , you are the landscaper if you are doing the grading etc . The money is in the job , not the process . You want to do the seeding , plants etc . Just running the tractor , forget it . there is no one implement , I use york rake , box scraper , slit seeder , aerator , tiller , hydroseeder , drag mat . It all depends on the job .

 

[EverythingAttachments]

Soil Pulverizers are pretty popular tools among landscapers for finishing lawns.
We do not have a video of our EverythingAttachments Pulverizer yet, but here's a vintage video from Ted that shows a pulverizer in use.
Travis

 

[roadhunter]

Box blade with rippers woudl be the simplest solution. A hydraulic top link makes a box blade 100 times more useful IMO.

Best best is to watch local farm auctions and pick up some other attachments like a disc, planter, etc.. for little $.

 

[jenkinsph]

I would agree with the others above in that you will need more than one tool to get the work done in most cases. It will be difficult to make this venture profitable and I suspect your expectations are too high. Due diligence is required along with enough money to compete in this game.

A Harley rake might be a good tool to have but it is only one of many that you might need. If you windrow the rock and debris you may need a dump truck or dump trailer to haul the rock and debris away. It gets more complicated as the day wears on. Please think this through.

 

[jenkinsph]

I would agree with the others above in that you will need more than one tool to get the work done in most cases. It will be difficult to make this venture profitable and I suspect your expectations are too high. Due diligence is required along with enough money to compete in this game.

A Harley rake might be a good tool to have but it is only one of many that you might need. If you windrow the rock and debris you may need a dump truck or dump trailer to haul the rock and debris away. It gets more complicated as the day wears on. Please think this through.

 

[ishiboo]

Box blade with rippers woudl be the simplest solution. A hydraulic top link makes a box blade 100 times more useful IMO.

Best best is to watch local farm auctions and pick up some other attachments like a disc, planter, etc.. for little $.

A box blade in clay IMO gives you too many clods for planting grass. You need something to break them up and smooth the seedbed. I do use the box blade as part of the process, but it's never given me a surface sufficient for planting right over.

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

A Harley Rake is the best tool for lawn's.

Matt

 

[teg]

I got a 70hp Tractor w/ FEL...

Ditto what others say about the need for multiple attachments but I might point out that you have a large tractor. Great for large areas but maybe not the best if you are working around a new house. The old question of: is it gear vs. HST? ...might even come into play here.

PS. If you are looking to make a little extra money also sounds like you might try and do this without insurance (DON'T KNOW if that is the case) but running into a new house by accident would be costly without insurance.

 

[roadhunter]

I would agree with the others above in that you will need more than one tool to get the work done in most cases. It will be difficult to make this venture profitable and I suspect your expectations are too high. Due diligence is required along with enough money to compete in this game.

A Harley rake might be a good tool to have but it is only one of many that you might need. If you windrow the rock and debris you may need a dump truck or dump trailer to haul the rock and debris away. It gets more complicated as the day wears on. Please think this through.

Reminds me of the recent thread on starting a hay operation to make money on the side. By the time you add up all the stuff it takes to do the job, maintain the equipment, insurance, etc... it's easy to see how it could cost a person money instead of making money.

If you want to dabble in tractor work with minimal investment one possible option is find a gravel company to haul material and simply spread gravel and repair driveways for folks. Your tractor is a nice size for that type of work. Insurance wise it should not be too bad as you are not doing any digging or underground work. Another option with minimal investment would be brush hog work.

Something like that can be done on the side pretty easily with contacts you already have from places like school, church, neighbors, etc... Then as you aquire more equipment you can expand those services.

 

[bbd 25]

Road Hunter.... That hay operation thread is probably mine.... I've got the bush hog and fence to get my cattle operation started I talked about. Got a couple more things to buy but its under way. The hay I'm going to do in the future is not really to make the extra $ but more to feed my cattle and sell some to hopefully break even. Buying my own farm is my end goal. I just purchased the Tractor and I'm trying to find diffent things I can do with it to help make extra pocket change to mainly help with my cattle. This thread is to get other thoughts on this idea of finish grading after new build and driveways. I'm always trying to think of new ways to make a $.

And yes I'm no fool, no way I'm doing work for people I don't know without insurance. Ill get liability landscape insurance at least

 

[MMagis]

I just can't see a person only doing the smoothing being even close to competitive to a landscape company quoting the entire job. They'd already be there, and have the right equipment.

 

[Sprinklerman]

The main problem is that you will probably will be working for builders . They want it done fast , done good , done cheap and then they complain about the bill .

 

[bbd 25]

I just can't see a person only doing the smoothing being even close to competitive to a landscape company quoting the entire job. They'd already be there, and have the right equipment.

Very true most will. Ok maybe not a great idea. I'll keep moving in the direction of driveways and bush hogging. I'm still going to keep it in the back of my mind. I know I've seen people around here using larger Tractors reworking an existing yard. making a larger yard and under brushing through there trees to plant grass. Any other ideas? I've gotten a couple bush hogging jobs already

 

[RDrancher]

I do quite a bit of finish and drainage grading and I have nothing to do with seed, sod or landscapers. Machine work only and I don't work for builders. If you're just looking for side work, you're barking up the wrong tree. It takes time and contacts to make a go of it. Liability insurance and commercial insurance for your equipment, truck and trailer too. I guess if you want to be another one of the beer money guys...forget everything I said and go for it.

 

[roadhunter]

One specialty attachment I have seen actually make $ is a silt fence installer. Many construction jobs require silt fence to be installed. There was a guy around here who used to have a tool for his tractor to install that fence. I think he charged about $5 a ft and did alright from what I could tell.

Now I do not mean to be a jerk but I can't imagine how anyone would be be successful trying to jump in the cattle business with prices where they are at right now while buying all the equipment to start a small bale hay operation and do landscape work on the side all while paying for the land. It seems like an unfocused plan that is not timed right with cattle markets and based more on having a tractor as opposed to experience in these industries. The people who make it in the cattle and farming business inherited at least some part of their farms, cattle, and equipment. If you can buy round bales by the truckload you will never come out ahead trying to make your own small bales to feed cattle. I do not see how you would ever make money on the side trying to put in yards for people either as the people who do that specialize in that kind of work and simply owning a tractor is no advantage whatsoever IMO. I wish you the best but I think you might want to think this whole thing through.

 

[roadhunter]

One specialty attachment I have seen actually make $ is a silt fence installer. Many construction jobs require silt fence to be installed. There was a guy around here who used to have a tool for his tractor to install that fence. I think he charged about $5 a ft and did alright from what I could tell.

Now I do not mean to be a jerk but I can't imagine how anyone would be be successful trying to jump in the cattle business with prices where they are at right now while buying all the equipment to start a small bale hay operation and do landscape work on the side all while paying for the land. It seems like an unfocused plan that is not timed right with cattle markets and based more on having a tractor as opposed to experience in these industries. The people who make it in the cattle and farming business inherited at least some part of their farms, cattle, and equipment. If you can buy round bales by the truckload you will never come out ahead trying to make your own small bales to feed cattle. I do not see how you would ever make money on the side trying to put in yards for people either as the people who do that specialize in that kind of work and simply owning a tractor is no advantage whatsoever IMO. I wish you the best but I think you might want to think this whole thing through.

 

[bbd 25]

Roadhunter.... Thank you for you input on the silt fence. Actually had another man say the same thing. I'll look into it. I don't take you as a jerk and I appreciate your input and concern. I'm not doing any of this for money that I Need now for daily living. I have a good full time job. And trust me; I'm not trying to do everything just because I got a Tractor. Just looking around at what I "could" do to make extra change possibly with something I may enjoy. After getting several opinions from people and its not a good idea; then move on to the next interesting thing. I'm not a pridful man, I'll take a ton of advice and criticism to gain an oz of knowledge.

The cattle business I AM doing. I do disagree with you as far as a bad time to get into it. IMO this is the best time to start one up from scratch if a man was ever going to do it. In stocks or any other investment or business including cattle; its best to buy low and sell high. Cattle is low and loads of people around where I live are getting out of it. Mostly its older generation that can't see it through this low point. For me its a long term business. I'm not trying to make money at day one. I hope to have it where I want it when I retire. Then maybe pass down to my kids. Somethings in life you must invest in before you reap any return. Not much (at least in my life) will be handed down