bannerd
Well-known member
What's the best piece of equipment to dig a foundation for a new home? Purchased some land and I'm tossing up the idea of buying a dozer or a backhoe.
Foundation
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LB-1911
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Backhoe, I'm sure you'll have some trenching to do as well.
James-W
Well-known member
Unless you can get a really good deal on a backhoe, I would hire the basement dug. On the other hand, if you have a long term need for a backhoe, that's another story.
R6 Racer
Well-known member
I was in a similar situation a while back.
I just picked up a Kubota BX25D tractor a few weeks ago. I came with a backhoe, a front end loader & a 60" mower. Its quite small for a real tractor but for my needs it's perfect. Small also meant cheaper so that was a bonus too.
I did a lot of investigating into other manufacturers stab at a similar vehicles when I was shopping. So if its something like this that interests you, let me know. I'll share what I found while looking.
Steve
Edit: Sorry, I was typing when you posted the price range your looking at.
2-3k Is not the range for the bx25
I just picked up a Kubota BX25D tractor a few weeks ago. I came with a backhoe, a front end loader & a 60" mower. Its quite small for a real tractor but for my needs it's perfect. Small also meant cheaper so that was a bonus too.
I did a lot of investigating into other manufacturers stab at a similar vehicles when I was shopping. So if its something like this that interests you, let me know. I'll share what I found while looking.
Steve
Edit: Sorry, I was typing when you posted the price range your looking at.
2-3k Is not the range for the bx25
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thewatusi
Well-known member
How long would it take you with a backhoe and what's your time worth?
A pro would probably use a trackhoe and be done in a couple of hours.
A pro would probably use a trackhoe and be done in a couple of hours.
csp
Well-known member
What's the foundation going to be?
Are we talking about footers with a stem wall, a basement, or slab on grade?
Are we talking about footers with a stem wall, a basement, or slab on grade?
Slowgsr
Well-known member
I remember when my dad started building his house aka the icf concrete bunker. First it was a track loader, then a small dozer, next a 22ton excavator, gas welder, gas compressor, two trenchers, a mini excavators, a mid sized excavator, dump trailer. The list goes on.....
James-W
Well-known member
Around here when you want to build a house you use a general contractor, or you do the work of the general contractor. You get hold of some concrete companies that do basements and get estimates. Digging the hole is included with the estimate. As "thewatusi" mentioned, the people who do this every day are done very quickly so I doubt the actual cost of the digging amounts to a whole lot of money.
Leaflessshadetree
Well-known member
Best for digging would be an excavator. But you'll want a skid steer to relocate the material and backfill.
If you just want one machine a backhoe would be the one. $3k for a working backhoe (even a very small one) sounds really cheap. Repairs can get that expensive real quick.
A dozer is good for clearing or rough leveling. Maybe for making a long ditch. Not very useful for digging a foundation.
If you just want one machine a backhoe would be the one. $3k for a working backhoe (even a very small one) sounds really cheap. Repairs can get that expensive real quick.
A dozer is good for clearing or rough leveling. Maybe for making a long ditch. Not very useful for digging a foundation.
jimgood
Well-known member
2-3k seems like a lot of money to excavate a building site?
The backhoe you find for 2-3k is probably going to be a clapped out piece if junk. You'll be sinking even more money and time into fixing it.
And what are you going to do if you run into a several ton rock? Also, do you know how much to dig? What soil you can use for fill if you dig too deep? And all the other little things experienced excavators should know. I'd pay the 2-3k in a heartbeat.
The backhoe you find for 2-3k is probably going to be a clapped out piece if junk. You'll be sinking even more money and time into fixing it.
And what are you going to do if you run into a several ton rock? Also, do you know how much to dig? What soil you can use for fill if you dig too deep? And all the other little things experienced excavators should know. I'd pay the 2-3k in a heartbeat.
Tim Kennedy
Well-known member
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Pay someone who has the expertise to do it. Excavating is the cheapest aspect of building home - pay a pro & never regret it. Yes -- you can rent or buy a machine -- but unless you are trained -- all you will do is run the equipment not operate it. By the time you figure out what to do & after banging yourself & the equipment & who knows what else to pieces you could have paid a pro less money. Trust me -- when you get a chance to see someone operate - not just run the controls -- someone who doesn't waste a move & makes it look easy -- it's a thing of beauty!
xyster101
Well-known member
Had 2 back hoes dig out my garage add it was recessed into a hill. With two experienced operators and me moving the dump trailer it took 3 days to dig, move dirt, grade, and trench. Not sure where you live but around here a decent back hoe fetches $10k plus used. Small ones will not be big enough and really you want an excavator, but you need a way top move the dirt. Pay someone.
rburke65
Well-known member
I think you are tying to reinvent the wheel here. Hire it out but if you must, buy the Joe.
jack stand
Well-known member
9 out of 10 time's, an excavating contractor.
Get the guy that gave you the best "vibe" back there and explain that you think that that his price seems high and ask if cash would help out. Ask for a estimate of the time he's think it is going to take (since you did not describe your "dig" at all to us) and if it's only a day or less, see what else he would do to fill out a 1 or 2 "whole day" increment. $2K a day seems a little steep, but not too unreasonable for 2 days, although these prices vary wildly in different regions. Keep the folowing in mind.
Modest (old) 10 wheel dump truck… $50k
" 20 ton trlr. $10k
" excavator - 15 ton $70k
Insurance, fuel, etc,etc. a bunch!
$2-3K is not bad if it's a basement and the land needs some grading. I'd just pay and be done with.
If it's just a slab on grade you could probably do a bit better. I paid $1k to have my site prepped for a garage slab, digging up fill elsewhere on the property, trucking it to the site digging out some rocks, grading and compacting.
You'd want to use an excavator to dig a basement hole.
Machines in that price range are basically scrap metal prices. If it breaks on you you are screwed.
If it's just a slab on grade you could probably do a bit better. I paid $1k to have my site prepped for a garage slab, digging up fill elsewhere on the property, trucking it to the site digging out some rocks, grading and compacting.
You'd want to use an excavator to dig a basement hole.
Machines in that price range are basically scrap metal prices. If it breaks on you you are screwed.
pstnbly
Well-known member
Have you ever dug a large excavation to a flat bottom? Do you have a laser level? Do you know where and how to place the spoil to not interfere with access for concrete? There's a lot more to it than just making a hole in the ground. If you don't dig to a flat bottom it may cost in concrete, material to be replaced to support the basement slab, and compromise the footing drains. Foundation excavation should be dug well within the 2" range for deviation.
I just finished a foundation excavation for a 30'x50' with 10' walls including 60' of 4' frostwall. The deviation was 1/2", footing guys had it formed and poured in 4 hours including the 2 drops for the frost wall. They threw the boards down, nailed them together, snapped the grade, poured the 'crete, no leveling needed.
Excavating cost to get to that point was just under $4000.00. Granted it was a tough sloping site with a high water table but the $2-3000.00 dollar range is reasonable. A good excavator has $250,000 - $500,000 wrapped up in equipment minimum. It's a really expensive hobby.
I just finished a foundation excavation for a 30'x50' with 10' walls including 60' of 4' frostwall. The deviation was 1/2", footing guys had it formed and poured in 4 hours including the 2 drops for the frost wall. They threw the boards down, nailed them together, snapped the grade, poured the 'crete, no leveling needed.
Excavating cost to get to that point was just under $4000.00. Granted it was a tough sloping site with a high water table but the $2-3000.00 dollar range is reasonable. A good excavator has $250,000 - $500,000 wrapped up in equipment minimum. It's a really expensive hobby.
MagKarl
Well-known member
All depends how much time you have and what you want to spend. Dirt work around here is around $100 per hour. I did a lot of it myself and paid for my machine, but it took me a month of weekends to do what a larger machine could do in a day. And I still hired out the dozer work.
Yeah, all I need is a hole dug. My wife and I want to build a larger house for the kids. I've acquired a ton of material as the last house we lived in was a contractors and he always gave me material that I never tossed away. I'll have to call around and see what other contractors offer. I have enough cinder blocks to do the house foundation and many pallets of concrete where I could fill the blocks and reed bar them. I'm thinking a poured foundation is the best way to go through.
58Yeoman
Well-known member
A buddy of mine (likes contruction equipement) bought a large skid steer to play with. He found a multitude of leaking hoses, plus he said that hydraulic fluid isn't cheap. There was no way that I was going to work on that monster. He ended up selling it without ever using it.