Backhoe service ?

[Whitmore]

Was wondering if any of you can tell me what you can hire a hoe with an operator for in your town?

I used to own and operate a hoe service when I was in the other end of the state and I could get 50 per hour all day long any time I wanted, there was more work than I could handle for sure, anyhow since I moved up here I sold most of my equiptment , other outfits are charging 35 per hour for hoe with operator. I am really wanting to do this again but dont think I could make it on 35 per hour??? I figgure it takes 20 per hour just to pay for the hoe so that only leaves 15 for me and I cant really see that as worth it... ... ... ... ... ... Opinions wanted , especially from owner/operators... ... ... . Kevin

 

[illflem]

Best I could find last fall in W. Montana was $40/hr with a 8 hr minimum, $150 for hauling if less than 8 hrs. Since I only needed to do a septic tank and leach lines I found it better to rent a hoe, drive it to the job and run it myself, $90 for 4 hours.

 

[Skydiver]

I operated a 1980 JD 300 from 1985 till 1990 for $35 an hr. I also hope to get back into operating in the next few years.



I think the rates in Alabama are $50 an hr.

Tim

 

[JHansen]

Thinking a 'hoe with operator up here goes for around $80-85 CDN in the oilpatch anyways..... for that money we expect a decent operator and civilized equipment but you'd be surprised what crawls out of the woodwork when you least expect it!



Hey HD didn't know you were an operator! My brother used to be officially the "permanent variable equipment operator" for the county here-unofficially they called him the floater because they'd float him over to whatever needed to be done that day-haul equipment, run the hoe, relief on one of the road graders, etc. etc. etc. The little bugger's got a real touch with equipment-one thing I'm not that good at! The last 'hoe the County bought while he was still there, he got lucky enough to go to the council meeting and make his recommendation for the new machine--after running all of the Big 3 (Case 580SK(?) /Cat 416C/Deere 310SE) he chose the Cat. He was prepared to like the Deere best as the previous machine was a 310C-but it came in last of the 3-sucky hydraulics-I don't understand why if you were sending a machine out on demo that you wouldn't at least make sure it was at the high end of specs to make it perform that extra little bit better but that's the dealer's call I guess. The Cat wasn't a ringer-in so much as Finning let them have the machine they actually demoed.....



He's partners again now with a couple of our buddies in an old Ford 5500 hoe..... you should hear him whine having to run that after being used to Felix the Cat ..... The price was right-and one of these days they'll upgrade to a better one!



J

 

[KKaiser]

I pay $80 per for hoe time in Northern California. A good operator with a decent piece of equipement case 580K 4x4.



Kent

 

[merryman]

And then there is this little backward area on the Southern Oregon Coast where anything that can be put off till tomorrow, will likely get done next weeK.



When we bought our 16 acre place here is was undeveloped and one of the first things was to bring in power (had to install a 4" PVC conduit, 4' deep, for a distance of 800'), so I called THE local backhoe operator and asked if he could/would do it. Yep, he could start next wed. We were still living 200 miles away, so on Fri. I called to see how it was going; Well, he had not got to it yet , but could start next tues. , so next thur. I called same story. We did this dance for 6 weeks, till I called and told him to forget it and I went out, bought an old JD310 and did it myself------first time on a hoe was loading on the trailer I bought for the prupose. Sure is a funny feeling when the rear wheels of your Ram comes up off the ground and the truck, trailer and half loaded hoe take off!!!!

Now I like the hoe and have so much fun playing with it I can't resell it as I intended. Had it 8 years now.



Vaughn

 

[RBerry]

I get $85 per hr. 4 hr min. 1 hr. move.

Case 580SL 4X4, 4 in 1 loader bucket .

$125 per hr. W/ concrete breaker.

$ 115 per hr. W/ Auger

 

[JBoesl]

I pay $60 per hour.

 

[DarrellB]

I was told $100 an hour and that depended on how keinky you got.



Oups sorry wrong kinda Hoe.



Really slow at work tonight

Big D

 

[Champane Flight]

Depends

Our contractors get $85. 00 per hour. They are supposed to take care of utilitys locate ect . However we find it much easier and safer to do the locates ourselves as we know, have the maps and directions handy. They have to adhere to our rules at all times and have to be supervised at all times by pipeline personel. Also have to have "Competent" personel for spotters. This means they have to speak english and know what a pipeline looks like. The insurance for our contractors is the most expensive at a million minimun liability. A good operator that you can trust is worth a he11 of a lot more than $35. 00 an hour.



Check your local petroleum pipeline outfits and see if you can't contract for them. We have enough work for our contractor to keep him busy for the next two years! With more in sight.

 

[Whitmore]

When I said I could get 50 per hour I was talking residential type work and yes the price is alot better out in the industry and that is ultimatly the place to be to make a living from it, I currently own a 1975 Case 680 that I have re-furbished , the machine is older but would not be sufficient to commit toward the industry, It has never failed me but like all older equipment you just never know.

I would like to take my hoe and trade it in on a new or newer one and get me another big trailer , like a dumb butt I sold my tripple axle beavertail and I am now regretting it but at that point I would like to start up a septic and leach field business, I have installed many systems and do think it would be a good one to start again, of course I could also offer any dirt work as well but I would want to key on the septic and leach business. I think this could be done and still get weekends off, I know that wouldnt always be possible but it is obtainable.

I know we have a TDR member in Florida that has a business just like this and is doing fine, If I remember right he has several machines and it sounded as if he was staying busy. I want to get back to being my own boss if I can, I am getting tired of the crap , red tape and hoops from my current job. I was making it quite well with my construction business and was running it on my days off, I did 7 on and 7 off so I did have some time to committ but when I got this new job the wife said I needed to do one or the other and it looks like I chose the wrong one to drop ... ... ... ... ... . Kevin

 

[illflem]

Kevin, the only problem I can see is that the frozen WY ground can really put a damper on your winter work. There's a hoe down the road from me that's been parked for two months on a septic job, the digging that was done looks like chunks of concrete.

 

[Skydiver]

Digging through rock.

The last rock coming out of the ground from the Appalachian mountain is here in Lee county Alabama. The northern part of the county is mostly granite while the southern area is sandy loam and piedmont.

Talk about backhoe abuse. Some of my customers just would not tolerate me touching off a stick or two of DYNAMITE.

I've got some good dynamite stories.

Tim

 

[Whitmore]

that is very true

but if the ground is froze and they have to have it than you gotta heat it up with a half culvert and a wead burner a little at a time, this can be frustrating but you make more money in the end. the last 3 years I have done hoe work in the winter witout much problem from frost. Most people plan ahead and do the work in the summer but the one thing you would have to do is to plan you business with dead winters in mind... ... ... Kevin

 

[Sled Puller]

Around here they usally go by the price of the machine-$50,000--$50/hour. $65,000-- $65.



I wouldn't do it for $35.