So the neighbor is getting some fence rows cleared and I need utility trenches run to my new shop. I asked the contractor clearing the fence rows what he would want to run 2 trenches totaling 480 feet and remove 12 stumps some 4” or so some 20” plus. I was planning to rent a mini-excavator for the trenches and a stump grinder for the stumps but he came back at $1100 and would do it when he is finished at the neighbors. He did say the sewer trench would be reasonably sloped but he didn’t plan to get his laser out so he would go deeper then I can backfill to get the slope I need. This sounds like a good price? Never gotten estimates for excavator work so is it a good price?
Utility trenches stump removal estimate
- Thread starter plout99
- Start date
Leaflessshadetree
Well-known member
I don't like the idea of backfill to get the slope you want. It will settle.
Bretny
Well-known member
Back filling to get slope is fine if you compact prior and durring pipe install. Bedding the pipe can be pretty inportant.
glentre
Well-known member
How much more would he want to get his laser out and do it correctly? Back-filling and compacting to get the right fall is time-consuming and a pain, especially in your area where I would guess the frost depth is in the 2 to 3 ft. range.
Glen
Glen
So my son is doing the water/sewer installation he is a commercial plumber and was not to concerned about the trench not being dug to slope with a laser for the sewer. I have a jumping jack for compaction of the trench if needed.
sberry
Banned
A backhoe dug trench leaves room to work and a guy can be as fussy as he wants putting the line in.
bradpac
Well-known member
$1100 for two trenches, with removing that many stumps. It would be more than that in our area.
Just remember, bigger trenches means more to fill in when you're done so take that labor/equipment into account as well, if you have a bobcat/tractor with a bucket or the like then no problem, but if not you may ask the guy what it would take to come fill them back in as well.
Just remember, bigger trenches means more to fill in when you're done so take that labor/equipment into account as well, if you have a bobcat/tractor with a bucket or the like then no problem, but if not you may ask the guy what it would take to come fill them back in as well.
For nearly 500’ of trench plus stumps...good deal. That is a lot of digging...I have dug several thousand feet on my property...and it takes time.
Make the trench big/deep enough to run a few extra electric/coms conduit...who knows what you may want in the future. I always add a couple 1” and a 3” in any trench I dig...tree lites, flood lites, remote lighting switches...whatever. May want a water/irrigation line as well.
Make the trench big/deep enough to run a few extra electric/coms conduit...who knows what you may want in the future. I always add a couple 1” and a 3” in any trench I dig...tree lites, flood lites, remote lighting switches...whatever. May want a water/irrigation line as well.
That's probably not a bad deal. If he's a good operator and has no issues, it's a day job for him.
Paying him cash ? He'll appreciate that if it's a side gig or fill work between larger jobs.
Paying him cash ? He'll appreciate that if it's a side gig or fill work between larger jobs.
firebirdparts
Well-known member
That sounds really cheap. Having run sewer in a trench, I don't know how you'd ever dig one so that you *don't* backfill to grade it. I don't have cnc-controlled trenching machine here.
Racy2
Active member
That sounds like a good deal to me. I have both a stump grinder and a back hoe. They both take time to do.
sberry
Banned
I never put extra pipe in. If I need something I do it while its open but you got a deal on the ditch, less than a couple bucks a foot. Wanna park 3 or 4$ more in empty pipe just in case? I been at this a while, 1 time I added to another building and the new took a different route anyway. I done a lot of what if planning,, used almost NONE of it. Extra circuits in walls is another one, lots of wire could have been used elsewhere instead of resting comfy in a pipe for decades.
Doesnt make a lot of sense to put in a pipe cost 2 a foot in case a guy wants to pull in a wire cost 10 cents a foot.
Doesnt make a lot of sense to put in a pipe cost 2 a foot in case a guy wants to pull in a wire cost 10 cents a foot.
Busted_Knuckles
Well-known member
Not my wheel house for a living, but 500' of trench + stumps, Id have a hard time doing that myself with a 12k lbs mini hoe, on my time and dime for under $750 in cash costs ( rent/fuel ), not including my time $.
Id be all over that, unless you really just want to play in the dirt yourself ?
Id be all over that, unless you really just want to play in the dirt yourself ?
sweetk30
Well-known member
run extra conduit lines for later jobs .
and if its not there now WATER LINE .. . . my place the guy who built it did 100amp service / cable tv / phone / 1" nat gas line . . . . ZERO running water and he built a paint booth in the place and was hauling 5 gal buckets all the time from the house to shop at 125ft trip each way all the time .
and if its not there now WATER LINE .. . . my place the guy who built it did 100amp service / cable tv / phone / 1" nat gas line . . . . ZERO running water and he built a paint booth in the place and was hauling 5 gal buckets all the time from the house to shop at 125ft trip each way all the time .
Bretny
Well-known member
Stumps can be a **** shoot but il tell you about digging a recent trench for a septic with my mini ex. It was a 100ft run. It took 2hrs to go 80ft and 2 days to go the last 20ft. I hit a vain of ledge rock and was forced to dig around each rock and also dig a 6ft wide by 4ft deep hole to get the machine down there to get chunks out. Some where not moving and I was forced to drill, cut and chip them out.
It's a really good thing this wasn't a paying job, it was at my house with a machine I own. On a side note my Dbox isnt going to be moving in the next 1,000yrs.
It's a really good thing this wasn't a paying job, it was at my house with a machine I own. On a side note my Dbox isnt going to be moving in the next 1,000yrs.
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dcg9381
Well-known member
This is so location dependent. Electricians bid was like $2000 to cut a 150' trench for 3" conduit here. No stumps and straight shot, but it's also full of limestone.
If I was doing it in "soil", I'd pop the stumps then probably run a trencher through, but after the rental(s) and hassle, I'll bet you'd be at $1000 DYI. I'd take the bid all day long...
Drop some additional conduit in there (just like everyone else is saying)
gnpenning
Well-known member
Run pull ropes in the conduit as you go. Much cheaper to have sitting than wire.
Sounds like a fair price. His equipment will already be on site so no extra travel costs. If you want to know how good of a price that is ask him what it would be if he came back at a later date.
Sounds like a fair price. His equipment will already be on site so no extra travel costs. If you want to know how good of a price that is ask him what it would be if he came back at a later date.