Yes No Maybe

[_RaT_]

This question is for folks who purchased a backhoe for their compacts. I have a new septic tank to install and possible leach field additions. I have a home to build so I have much footing to dig. I have a creek that needs clearing and power lines to trench. Would you think with the number of various projects I'm likely to encounter I could justify the need for a backhoe? Part of the question is based on the hassle of hooking up a hoe, part on the convenience of just having it there much like the loader on my tractor and of course, the rest just having it to do the work versus hiring it out. If you have experience with your use or lack of use with your hoe, I would appreciate your thoughts. Rat.

 

[Garrabo]

I have a BX-22 TLB that I will probobly always use, between home gardening or my plumbing or landscaping business it gets used. I hate the word justify, If I want it and it is financially unbinding then that backhoe will be sitting in my yard.

 

[Junkman]

RaT...... as much as I love my BX22, I would suggest a next size up machine if you are going to be using it to do a septic system. While the BX is capable of doing a lot of digging, I think that the 6' digging depth is going to be inadequate. You could do some creative work of lowering the surrounding area before digging the hole, but I look at time spent vs. cost. Sometimes it is less expensive to hire a job out than it is to do it yourself. This is something that you are going to have to decide for your self. Possibly you might be able to find someone here that will be close enough to your new location that has a big enough tractor that will be able to give you a hand for a modest donation of $$$. The BX is just too small to be doing foundations etc.

 

[JerryG]

Rat,
I would buy a hoe again. I was building my poultry houses when I bought mine, so there was lots of digging to do. I don't use it very much now. When I do use it, it is usually an emergency such as a gas leak underground or a broken water hydrant. It is worth it to me to have. As for the hassle of hooking it up, there is no hassle. It just takes about 5 minutes even by myself. On my Massey you don't have to remove anything to put the hoe on. If I had to remove the three point, I wouldn't like that.

 

[DKinWA]

One thought would be to bunch up some of your projects and just rent a fullsize backhoe for a day or two at a time. You can rent a backhoe around here for about $2,500 a month. I tried a kubota compact hoe once and it was almost painfully slow. With a full size backhoe, I can dig 270' of 24"x36" drainfield trench and the hole for the septic tank in a day if I've got someone checking elevations as I go. Then again, around here a typical gravity system (labor and materials) goes for 2,500-3,000. A fairly typical foundation around here can be dug in less than a day (we don't have frost issues).

When excavating a lot of material with a compact hoe, you don't have much reach to pile material. It seems like I was always having to dig with the compact hoe for a bit then move the spoils with the front bucket so I had room to pile more material. I'm guessing a typical septic system would take at least twice as long as with a compact hoe.

When we built our house, we were constantly looking at ways to keep the project moving along as fast as possible. With our construction loan interest meter running, it pretty much eliminated a compact hoe for anything.

Don't get me wrong, everything you mentioned can be done with a compact backhoe. If you've got the time, money and inclination, I'd buy the compact hoe. It may not be the quickest way to dig, but you'll always find uses for it. Not to mention, there are worse ways to putter around the homestead /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[_RaT_]

Jerry, I don't know how the hoes hook up to the L30's. I've seen them on, just never paid any attention. On my L48, you had to remove the 2 lower links and the top link and lock the 3pt hitch down. I did not get the hoe for the L48 as I was pretty much thinking the way I am now. Difference now is with a house to build, it would seem like so many construction jobs I've been on, we are always calling to have one come out for us. I appreciate the input.

 

[_RaT_]

I had my friend come by with his CAT and rip out some pampus grass and trees growing in my culvert/ditch. Even with his hoe reaching out 22', he grabbed bucket fulls of muck and brush like it did not exist. He did it all in about 30 minutes, a job that by hand would have easily taken 2 days if it could be done at all. The reach is obviously a major factor. The ones for my little L3830 are limited to about 9 or 10'. I see a few contractors running compact hoes so was wondering about their usefulness digging footings.

 

[GregJ]

Rat,
You have listed several projects that are very logical uses for a backhoe. Those alone come close to justifying a BH. What I have found with mine is that I use if for all the "little things" that require more finesse than a FEL can accomplish.

Digging holes between trees, neatly removing turf, clearing brush over the edge of a hill (between trees), lifting logs when cutting firewood, digging a deep hole to get rid of really toxic stuff.. (oops, just kidding) /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

Anyway, these are just a few of the finesse jobs that I have really enjoyed having my BH for. Here's a good analogy for ya. Think of a FEL as a house painters brush. Think of the BH as an artist's paint brush.

Enough rambling.... Basically once you get one, you'll wonder why you didn't have one before. Sometimes I think that I got a tractor for my backhoe.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Also, don't worry about taking them off and on. After you do it a few times, it's really not a big deal.

Greg

 

[Cliff_Johns]

Another way to look at this is to think of the purchase
as a rental. Buy it, use it for two years while you do
the house building and other work, then sell it. You have
it when ever you want it and I suspect you could sell it
without trouble. From that point of view you may find
it a good rental price.

On the other hand, I believe what would really happen
is, once you used it for two years, you'd never give it up.

Disclaimer: I've never owned or used a backhoe.

Cliff

 

[lablovers]

Rat
When building my current house we rented all the equipment. Found it expensive and a hastle to try and coordinate delivery, work and finish up with in the time allowed. Just decided this time to purchase a BH and put the rental money into something I can use at my leisure. Will be slower but when you build you own home you want to be involved. You can dig the foundation while not not the loan clock. We have a decent mobile home to live in while building so a little extra time does not make a lot of difference.

Besides, how else can you justify to your wife the need for the BH? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Lablovers