Buying vs. Hiring

[boggen]

a tractor with a FEL (Front end loader), it does not have to be a TLB (tractor loader backhoe). the FEL along with some 3pt hitch stuff. can do a lot. more so if FEL is strong enough to handle unloading pallets of lumber off of a delivery truck, to other. granted, i have paid for a forklift with delivery before, due to i know i would not be there, along with forklift unit be able to position a couple things better than i could with tractor (way to tight of a space to get into.

septic tank, and leach fields, while they look simple and for most part are fairly simple. if ya goof it up and do not know how to deal with inspectors, you could in some either heavy fines or tear up and redo thing, costing you more cash. the gravel bed and how ya layer etc... and slops of pipes can be critical for long life of a leach field. and over all drainage of your own waste...

digging a basement :/ a extend a hoe, with enough reach to get down to near wanted grade makes things so much better. and used ones alone are rather costly!

i would say get yourself a "maintenance tractor" or rather general up keep tractor. vs a larger piece of machinery, something to deal with grading driveway, moving some snow, shaping the yard / landscaping it, to get it ready for grass, back filling around basement walls once basement walls are in, rotatory cutter (for tall weeds),

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DIY is awesome, but it really helps to have someone around that knows there stuff, to give ya pointers and help ya through things. granted a portion is just hoping on the machinery and getting experience.

 

[boggen]

to note it.... i went and got a TLB industrial size ford 555c TLB, i think 80hp engine on it. there stuff on farm that needed to be dealt with, and smaller tractor would never have enough power to get the stuff done. once the big stuff is out of the way, will end up selling this tractor. for a smaller all purprose / general upkeep tractor. granted not building a house... but putting in ditches, putting in culverts, running new electrical, gas, water, dealing with some larger stumps, moving a major amount of dirt, to have a better road going back into property vs ugly at moment.

the machine is just to big, and i am not about to invest in a bunch of little add-ons for it. (bolt on tooth bar, different size backhoe buckets, etc...) it doesn't give a professional look by itself. so the farm is looking crummy in a few different areas. i am just going to wait till selling this big machine for an all purpose smaller tractor and get all the extra add-ons for the smaller unit.

though most likely smaller unit will need to have a backhoe... kinda spoiled myself now with this larger TLB.

 

[coobie1]

Hello! The wife and I plan on building a home on our 140 acre parcel in Upstate SC by this time next year. My question is this- Is it wiser to hire professionals to clear a heavily wooded (2) acre home site, dig the septic, and clear the old log road to the site, or buy a $20K backhoe and, along with my Uncle's Dozer, do this work myself? Time is not the issue right now, but I could use that $20K towards the down payment on the mortgage or for the other expenses that come with a new home.

Am I really saving money by attempting this work myself with a tool I know I'll need to maintain the land, or just wait until the home is up, then look for toys? Thanks, TBN.

IMHO,hire it done a lot less grief.

 

[dave1949]

Chevy, basically I'm just wondering/whining out loud:laughing:. I want a backhoe, and know that this piece of equipment can not only be used to minimize what a professional will charge me to clear the land, but that it's future use will prove to be invaluable as well.

However, if I pay cash for the hoe, that then leaves less money in savings for down payments on the mortgage. The cost of that professional's work will be rolled into the construction loan.

After listening to you guys, the next logical step is to at least see what local pro's will charge to clear the acreage, grade, and dig a walk out basement foundation. If the quote is $6K, then a $20K purchase isn't the wisest decision at this time. Am I confusing the issue?

I don't think you are confusing the issue. I doubt you would get two acres cleared, graded and basement dug for $6K, that sounds low unless you have very easy terrain to work with.

You could compromise. Hire out the septic, basement, basic driveway work and minimum clearing needed for the build. Then after you have your house built and know what that cost for sure, then buy a machine to finish the clearing, driveway, etc. That would cover the basic necessities and minimize your hire-outs without fearing you may put yourself in a pinch for the house. House project budgets can easily exceed what you think going in.

 

[bumperm]

As Dirty Harry (no, not Harry Reid, the Clint Eastwood one) once said, "A man's got to know his limitations". So it really depends on you. Me? I don't like paying someone to do something I know I could do, and would enjoy doing, if I had the right tools. if I think I'll have use for the tool/s later, I have a strong tendency to buy 'em.

I'd even put in the septic system myself, talk to the building dept, find out what's needed and if an owner/builder can do it legally. If need be, have a professional draw the plans. The building inspector will probably make sure you don't screw it up :c)

 

[Clay45]

Either way you go, before its all said and done you may wish you'd done the other. BTW, you already have a well in?

 

[USAFpj]

Sure don't, Clay. That's another activity that needs to be done, but knew that, along with the septic, should be left to experts.

Thanks for the intel on this subject, gents! I look forward to getting those estimates from my local good ol' boys and making a decision. Might just end up getting the hoe AND hiring a lot of the work out:laughing:.

 

[forestcreature1]

Side note - check with the local/state laws on the septic part. Sometimes they require licensed people for the earth work.
[I got the forest creature name from the usaf, 3 years, 6 months, 14 days, 8 hours in the desert. Their way of stating how well I fit in the desert]
On the other paw - I was great at tracking, so they decided I should also do SAR (the ground version of your gig)

Congrats btw - PJ school is anything but easy.

 

[paulfun9]

For my septic they required a certified engineer to draw up the plans. What a waste of money as the only difference between mine and his was the fancy paper his were drawn on.

 

[mddorange]

Congrats on your new land and house to-be. Please keep us informed on your progress. Are you from South Carolina? Thanks for your sacrifice. When were you in?