New guy starting from scratch needs some advice

Bee950 · Jul 28, 2012

Been lurking for a while, so I know some people on here have a lot of good advice. By trade I am an aircraft mechanic, and I have remodeled homes in the past, so I know what I am getting into.

I am retiring from the Army next year and plan on building a home on land we own. I also need to build a barn to house my side business. I dont own a riding mower, let alone anything else to build the place, but I am fixing to correct that by buying a Bobcat S650 and using it as a general purpose machine to do what I need.

I need to put in a driveway that will be about 400 yards long. The good news is I have a mountain of road base sitting on the land that is free. It should be enough to put in the road and a base for my barn. As soon as that is in, I need to put up a 30x60 pole barn. After that I can start on the house. I want to do everything that I can to save money, and just for the fact that I love building things.

If you had to start over from scratch with nothing ( as I am) would you start with a skid steer?

Carl_NH · Jul 28, 2012

Welcome to TBN!

Sounds like you are going to have some fun in the next few years. The Bobcat is a great machine for moving materials and lifting things, and it does have a number of attachments but are expensive.

For utility I and the projects you have I would get a TLB - Tractor Loader Backhoe combo with removable BH, for 3PTH implement usage. You can get rear blades, rakes, mowers, rototillers and all sorts of attachments for the rear you cant get with a skid steer.

For brands/models - used JD110, Kubota B26, L39, L48 and these are all in the mid $20 to mid $30K range. You will have a lot of utility with these machines plus with a QA (skid steer type) front bucket you can use grapples to clear brush, and many other skid steer attachments.

So my vote is a used 30-40HP TLB unit and the ones mentioned are made as integrated frame TLB's vs add on BH to a standard tractor so are more rugged overall.

Carl

Localmotion · Jul 28, 2012

Welcome :welcome:

Carl_NH is spot on with his advice - you'll definately find in the long run that a tractor suits you needs better when it comes to dealing with the land & garden.

If you've already committed to buy the skid steer, then it's fine as there is still lots you can do with it to start off with... putting in the driveway / hard landscaping etc... You can always hire in a 360 when it comes to digging footings etc (and personally I always perfer a 360 over a 180 backhoe for speed). Also if you're new to using this type of equipment, start off with something that you don't mind getting a little dented - once you've had the practice putting down your drive, laying hardcore and remodelling your land, you can buy yourself something better...

Good luck, and be sure to keep us updated :thumbsup:

creekbend · Jul 28, 2012

I tend to agree with the other previous members replies. I have used both of those two types of equipment. But, all in all, I sincerely believe that a tractor with implements would be best in the long run. It is your decision. My reply is only my thoughts. Best wishes in regards to all your future endeavors.

clemsonfor · Jul 28, 2012

I think if i was to buy a place i would buy a tractor. You can move dirt, grade dirt, dig dirt, move limbs clear brush, mow bushhog etc with a tractor. If you need the lifting power or speed of a skid steer you can rent them for $250ish a day here. But the tractor will be more usefull today and in the future. Of coure you can always sell a skidsteer once graded built etc but a good 35hp or so tractor can move a good bit of dirt and level etc, may be slower but i think you can pick up a used model cheaper than a Skid. also bushhogs and grapples etc for a skid are super pricy and rare used. Unless your digging stumps or foundations, or ditches or trenching, im not sure the back hoe is really necessary but its your choice.

Bee950 · Jul 28, 2012

The tractor backhoe is something I will look at. I need to dig a septic system, and I was going to use my friends backhoe.

The brush on my property is very thick! I like the idea of the brush cutter on front of the skid steer so I can come down on the brush. You cant drive a tractor in my thick brush, and I dont want to spend the day driving backward. What can you put on the front of a tractor backhoe?

Forgot to mention. An air conditioned cab is a must!

Localmotion · Jul 28, 2012

Bee950 said:
The tractor backhoe is something I will look at. I need to dig a septic system, and I was going to use my friends backhoe.

The brush on my property is very thick! I like the idea of the brush cutter on front of the skid steer so I can come down on the brush. You cant drive a tractor in my thick brush, and I dont want to spend the day driving backward. What can you put on the front of a tractor backhoe?

Forgot to mention. An air conditioned cab is a must!

If you go down the tractor route, look for a reverse drive (Pasquali make several models) or something with a front 3pl and pto as well as the loader (which will cost you more). You can get hyraulic flails to fit onto a loader, but in my experience they are not as good as something working driectly off the pto (mainly because most tractor fel auxilary outputs aren't designed to drive something as meaty as a flail.

You may not want to spend all day going backward - but remember that you only have to do it once. When the brush is cleared you can see to drive forwards in future, and the cost saving may change your mind!

Air conditioned cab is a great idea - just look out for low branches when your clearing the bruch though!!!

Gary Fowler · Jul 28, 2012

Have you considered and priced a dozer to come in and grade the road bed and clear the brush. A medium sized dozer like a D6 can do a lot of work in a day or two. At about $85 per hour, they are a good buy for the work done. I would get a used TLB to work what ever I could with it and hire out the dirt work and shrub clearing to a dozer. You dont say how much land you have but if you have 400 yards of road to get to the house place then it must be a substantial amount of acreage so I would suggest a 35-50 HP TLB that you could use a 6 foot bush hog with to keep all your stuff mowed and a box blade or straight grader blade to keep the road maintained.

Qapla · Jul 28, 2012

Carl_NH said:
...For brands/models - used JD110, Kubota B26, L39, L48...

I would consider the Kubota L59 also. It is a bit larger and will do a great amount of work. As for mowing backward, with the L59 (and perhaps something on the order of the L48) you should be able to drive forward with the FEL bucket to clear much of that brush. If it is light enough to bush hog, then a FEL should have no problem with it. I push over "brush" much to large to mow with our NH TC40D on a regular basis.

Carl_NH · Jul 28, 2012

Gary's spot on - make a master plot plan, grades, and roughly where you want to build and then have a D6 or similar come in for a few days and develop the "core" plan and grade.

This "site development" or master plan will serve you well in planning not just today but for trees, gardens, windbreaks, and the "long term view" of what you want in 10-15 years from now.

Its easy to site a house, or a barn location, then build that, then 2-5 years later dig a trench for a water line, then 4 years after that build another shed, and need water and electricity.

All this is disruptive to dig up stuff again (plants, pipes and wires) so a master plan with piping, electrical, septic and well, buildings and trees will pay off long term.

Do a plan, engineer review, plan some more then act.

By the way a grapple on a 40HP machine will clear a lot of knarly brush..

Carl