Average cost of ditch digging?

[LD1]

What are you digging it with?

900' in 2 hours seems pretty optimistic unless you have a real big trencher or wheel machine. And the cost and overhead of that I wouldn't even know why you would consider moving equipment for $300.

And to put that 300yds/2hrs in perspective.....thats 7.5' PER MINUTE.

$1 per foot/foot deep.

So a 2' deep trench....$2/ft would be what "I" would charge and thats open and backfill. Without the backfill....which with a backhoe doesnt take as long as digging....maybe $1.50 per ft.

NO WAY would I even entertain under a dollar a foot.......let alone the 33 cents per foot you are proposing

 

[plowhog]

There isn稚 supposed to be any gas or electric lines in the way. He said cutting the water line to his house is a possibility. If I知 in charge of fixing that it would be more money.

Unless you have insurance that covers a potentially expensive event like digging up utility lines, I would think that whatever money you could make would be potentially high risk.

 

[Jchonline]

Start with figuring out your actual costs. Value your time as an operator per hour and as an admin bidding/working out the plan, loading/unloading equipment. Value the cost per hour of use on the tractor including maintenance costs. Value travel (fuel, trailer/vehicle upkeep). Then think about other things your have to purchase to keep your equipment up and running.

Figure out how long it will take you to do the actual work in each case above, then you have a 田ost to do the job. Once you have that, you will have a much clearer picture of what to charge so you make a margin.

 

[4570Man]

What are you digging it with?

900' in 2 hours seems pretty optimistic unless you have a real big trencher or wheel machine. And the cost and overhead of that I wouldn't even know why you would consider moving equipment for $300.

And to put that 300yds/2hrs in perspective.....thats 7.5' PER MINUTE.

$1 per foot/foot deep.

So a 2' deep trench....$2/ft would be what "I" would charge and thats open and backfill. Without the backfill....which with a backhoe doesnt take as long as digging....maybe $1.50 per ft.

NO WAY would I even entertain under a dollar a foot.......let alone the 33 cents per foot you are proposing

I’m digging with my JD 310. You’re right that 7.5 feet a minute is probably optimistic. So the tune of this thread is I should charge more.

 

[4570Man]

Side question ....

Why do I know Crossville? What's there in the way of a big business or store that I would have found in a web search at one time? Some kind of General Store or something, I can't really remember now.

Nothing unique. Several chain places.

 

[LD1]

I’m digging with my JD 310. You’re right that 7.5 feet a minute is probably optimistic. So the tune of this thread is I should charge more.

I'd say more than optimistic.

Idont know your dirt, but 150-200 ft per hour would be best case. So figure 5-6 he job

 

[Diggin It]

Nothing unique. Several chain places.

Might have been Cumberland General Store. I think they used to send out catalogs with unusual stuff.

 

[4570Man]

Might have been Cumberland General Store. I think they used to send out catalogs with unusual stuff.

There used to be a general store over by the Homestead tower, but they tore the GS down probably 10 years ago and it’s been closed longer than that.

 

[4570Man]

I'd say more than optimistic.

Idont know your dirt, but 150-200 ft per hour would be best case. So figure 5-6 he job

My BH-90 could do that. I’ve never trenched with the 310 but I hope it does better. Maybe I should just charge by the hour.

 

[MossRoad]

So I’ve dug several water lines before but I haven’t really paid attention to the time frame. 2 feet deep is good enough in my area. So what would you expect to pay to have a 300 yard water line dug. I’m thinking $1 a yard. Which on this project is more than my minimum price for showing up.

My yard is just about 100 yards deep. I can't imagine paying someone only $100 to dig a trench 2' deep the entire depth of my yard. I'd expect to pay at least $3-400 and wouldn't be surprised at higher quotes.