BH?

   / BH? #1  

Twigman

New member
Joined
Jun 25, 2005
Messages
6
Location
South Carolina
Is a BH worth the money? about 5500.00 Or would I be better to rent one when I need it?
 
   / BH? #2  
depends on the number of projects you have - i struggled with the decision to get one, but ended up convincing myself that i really needed it.

i keep finding more uses for mine, aside from digging stumpes/rocks, etc. this weekend i'll be using it to dismantle/rebuild an old shed..

renting is fine for those few projects that arise, but once you have a BH, you'll likely find many uses for it..

pf
 
   / BH? #3  
I'll ditto what PF said. Good luck in your decision
 
   / BH? #4  
I didn't buy one because I didn't think I could justify it, and it turned out that I have the use of a neighbor's backhoe. I use it more than he does, so I am better with it than he is. If he didn't have his, I would have already bought one for my machine.

When and if (very likely) it's time to trade up for a bigger machine, it will definitely have a backhoe. I have slowly been getting into larger scale house renovations, and with that comes quite a bit of landscaping renovation, so that's how I would be able to justify a backhoe. Not everyone can.

Try to figure out all the backhoe projects you may have for a year, and add up the cost of rental, then compare that to buying a new one for your machine. Add to that the convenience of having a backhoe at your disposal for any project, even if it is only a 1/2 hour job, and you should have the answer to your question.
 
   / BH? #5  
Very tough to justify financially, but, I would bet that you would never wish that you didn't buy it.
 
   / BH? #6  
A backhoe was sure worth it for me. My backhoe gets used a lot.
Dug all my own utilities ( 880' water line, over 600' elictric line).
Around 1000' drainage pipe ditch.
Colvert/drainage along the driveway. Colvert pipe under
driveway.
Dug the bank off behind my pole barn.
And my most recent project, dug the foundation for a swimming pool.
 
   / BH? #7  
Since you appear to be a new member, welcome to the forum!
I suppose the answer depends on how much you value being able to do projects when you want, where you want more than the cost of the BH alone.
Renting is often just the answer, but keep in mind you have to do that based on someone else's schedule of delivery and availability, not yours. Waiting for delivery and pickup can get hairy at times, often cutting into the time you have for doing the project itself.
I bought my BH without truly knowing just how much I'd use it, and I've found it invaluable in getting my properties back up to snuff when I wanted to do the jobs. No waiting around, no problems with availability.
I don't use it all the time, far from it, but it sure has saved me a lot of wasted time, and money I might have had to pay someone else to do the many and varied jobs I've done with my very own BH. Trenches, stumps, planting trees, digging out overgrowth and saplings etc. have all made the purchase price worth it to ME.
John
 
   / BH? #8  
If you buy one, get a good one!
You usually get what you pay for.
If you do, use it gently at first until you know what it is capable of doing. When I first got mine I tackled a stump and got in too much of a hurry to get it out. Broke the stabilizers and bent the hydraulic rod. Cost me about $500.00 to fix.
Don't be discouraged though, it was my own stupidity and now I know what it can and cannot do, which there is not very many it can't do.
If you can afford it, and find one, get it. You won't be sorry.
It also adds a great deal of value to your tractor too.
Good luck! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

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