Can a tractor clear this?

[chsdiyer]

Thanks everyone for the feedback! I would love to do it all my self with my own tractor, but I think for the sake of time perhaps the consensus is right that I should rent something more suitable for the task and then get the tractor I need after the house is built. I have a feeling it would pretty much end up sitting in my cousins yard for the year while we're building anyway. I think my approach will be to go at it with a chain saw to clear out enough land to see where we want to put the house. Then I'll rent a heavy machine from sunbelt and clear what I need for the house and detached garage/workshop. Then once we're living out there I'll get the tractor and clear the rest as I need it over time. My realtor (who is very knowledgeable in these matters) said I should expect to pay $6-8k to pay someone to clear 2 acres. I can rent a machine for under $1k for a week and save money and still get the satisfaction of doing it my self.

Sprinklerman, what if I add autonomous control to the tractor and make it like a roomba?

 

[chsdiyer]

MossRoad - I live about 30 minutes from the land but can't even fit my car off street. Most package deals around here come with a trailer so I'd tow it and leave it in my cousins yard who lives on the way there. That was my othe thing....I feel like clearing the land quickly would require a larger tractor than i'll really need in the end so i'd probably be buying more than I need and could use that money else where. My wife is pretty supportive so I don't think it would be fair to tell her sorry, we can't decorate the new house cause I got a fancy tractor out back. Once we get to work out there I'm sure i'll learn quick what we do and don't need. Thanks again everyone for the good info and helping me put off my excitement to having a tractor for a little while longer.

 

[MossRoad]

Here's something to think about.... if you're going to have a house built, have the person that digs the foundation also be the person that puts in your road and clears the land. At the least, get quotes for that. If they have the equipment out there, its not that much more to have them do the other work VS calling them out a couple/three times.

You can always clear some off-street parking with a chainsaw, as well as get an idea for where the house will go, without using heavy equipment. Its no fun to watch someone else do something you want to do, but sometimes it makes more sense financially and time-wise.

Good luck on however you decide to do it. :thumbsup:

 

[4570Man]

That doesn't look very thick. It would be slow going, but a small tractor would do a pretty good job at that. The first thing I would do is unleash my B7200 with a bush hog on that. It will cut 1.5 stuff and smaller no problem. A bigger tractor with a heavy duty cutter could probably cut 3" stuff.

 

[AxleHub]

I'm a big one for "definitions" and too often what 1 person says as "clearing out" or "cleaning out" is not the same as another's definition.

Do you mean getting growth down to seeing the dirt . . or do you mean having the stumps and root balls out and no stubs of trees and saplings showing ?

Now bush hogging or firelane clearing get it cleaned up . . . but thatsvmuch different than being ready for a lawn or building.

I had 1.2 acres cleared last year . . . 70% was 5 and 6 foot weeds 30% was 2 inch to 4 inch trees/saplings. For less than $500 it was done with a firelane cutter on a trackdrive skid steer by someone who owned the unit . . hauled the unit 16 miles each way . . . And left all the brush in 2 piles on my land.

Or you can get someone to also take out all the roots and stumps as well and then level the ground . . but that's a different pricetag.

My point is . . How clean do you want it?

Personally unless you know tractors and skid steers . . I'd shop around to get someone to do it and then get a 25/26 hp sub compact tractor or same engine size small compact tractor that you could use on some work with the building site and final clearing/cleaning for lawn work. But not the expense of a backhoe equiped unit. Rent a trencher when needed instead.

 

[Egon]

A small tractor would work for the clearing but it would take time. Kinda depends on the types of trees and root systems and operator proficiency.
If trees are cut leave stumps as high as possible. Gives leverage. Cutting of the trees really isn't a requirement.

A backhoe on the tractor would really help. So would chains. So would a serrated cutting edge. A grapple would be nice but with 25 HP the amount that can be lifted may be limited.

One requirement should be a screen or bars on the back of the bucket to keep errant trees from rolling onto the loader arms and sitting in your lap.

 

[chsdiyer]

Good idea letting the foundation guys do the clearing, but typically I think the foundation guys just use small excavators...at least that's what I saw the person I'm going to use using on his last job. Though I'll have to double check with him.

Good point axlehub. My vision of cleared out is ALL gone to the point that I could lay sod on it after. Of course after I saw the price of 1 acre of sod I think I need to look more into what kind and size of yard we will have. I also probably don't want to clear the full 2 acres now as I think more about it because that would just make a huge muddy mess and with the ground sloping slightly...probably cause some errosion. I've used skid steers in the past when I did construction work, but that was a while ago.

Thanks again!

 

[jeff9366]

Most package deals around here come with a trailer so I'd tow it and leave it in my cousins yard who lives on the way there.

Tractors are theft prone. Tractors on trailers are more theft prone. Be very cautious about leaving a tractor unattended in a yard for more than a short period.

 

[TractorGuy]

Thanks everyone for the feedback! I would love to do it all my self with my own tractor, but I think for the sake of time perhaps the consensus is right that I should rent something more suitable for the task and then get the tractor I need after the house is built. I have a feeling it would pretty much end up sitting in my cousins yard for the year while we're building anyway. I think my approach will be to go at it with a chain saw to clear out enough land to see where we want to put the house. Then I'll rent a heavy machine from sunbelt and clear what I need for the house and detached garage/workshop. Then once we're living out there I'll get the tractor and clear the rest as I need it over time. My realtor (who is very knowledgeable in these matters) said I should expect to pay $6-8k to pay someone to clear 2 acres. I can rent a machine for under $1k for a week and save money and still get the satisfaction of doing it my self.

Sprinklerman, what if I add autonomous control to the tractor and make it like a roomba?

I would look into hiring someone to push down or mulch the area first. I'm not a big fan of mulching versus digging up but those trees are small enough it won't matter. If possible request a written quote by the job, not by the hour.

I would not tackle it with a chainsaw first.

 

[AxleHub]

Good idea letting the foundation guys do the clearing, but typically I think the foundation guys just use small excavators...at least that's what I saw the person I'm going to use using on his last job. Though I'll have to double check with him.

Good point axlehub. My vision of cleared out is ALL gone to the point that I could lay sod on it after. Of course after I saw the price of 1 acre of sod I think I need to look more into what kind and size of yard we will have. I also probably don't want to clear the full 2 acres now as I think more about it because that would just make a huge muddy mess and with the ground sloping slightly...probably cause some errosion. I've used skid steers in the past when I did construction work, but that was a while ago.

Thanks again!

Chysdiyer,

A. Usually unless its a big contractor . . You have an excavator sub contractor and you have a footing/foundation sub contractor. The excavator in my case had a big backhoe that he used for the dig out . . . same one he used for tearing out big trees and stumps for farmers field tree lines.

B. States have varying requirements for septic system/drain fields. In WI you can't have equipment/vehicle traffic over the proposed area for a period of time prior. The only exceptions are track drive skid steers or a track driven small cat. No trucks or backhoes or cars or construction equipment. The reason is to not have compaction prior to testing for a permit. So an area you plan to clear for the septic field itself needs to be cleared by either a sub compact tractor or atv or track driven skid steer . . and no "paths" or "roadways" either . . . at least in Wisconsin. And the only things that can drive over a septic field once installed are mowers/atvs/sub compact tractors or light light unloaded pickup trucks in very limited frequency. So plan a way to access future areas to be cleared . . That don't go over the lawn and definitely don't go over the septic tank or septic field. Jmho

As to sod. Why not do what I did? I went looking for someone who was just starting in the sod business. I negotiated a price for all the slope and hill areas that were most noticeable and erosion prone as well as anything close to the house area . . A total of about .4 acres (that's about 2500 rolls) - and I had them deliver it the morning after they cut it and ongoing that delivery day. The sod was gorgeous because they were new and their equipment was a little older and was a little "thick cutting" so each roll of sod was near 2 inches thick instead of the normal 3/4 inch. Then I got a landscaper to install it plus the balance of the acre we added dirt/compost blended to it and then seeded and hay/straw covered with a spray chopper.

Unless you are rich . . you will need to think creative when dealing with your builder imo.