Good afternoon, I’m deciding between a used backhoe (Case 580 or John Deere 310/410) or an older 4–5 ton mini excavator paired with a tracked skid steer. I am a GC and need to build and grade 50'×100' pads, dig footers, excavate piers, Trench for underground utilities and plumbing, and remove sections of pavement on our new few projects. Budget: Backhoe: up to $15k (Case 580 or John Deere 410) Mini + skid steer: up to $30k (if that’s even realistic for decent machines) My thinking is that a backhoe might cover everything “well enough” without needing two machines, but I’m open to renting a mini + skid if that’s the smarter move. Limited on funds, so looking to save money overall while still being able to get the job done properly.
Hard to beat the versatility of a backhoe.
The backhoe has a weight of 18,000 lbs, plus a 7000lb heavy equipment trailer needed to tow it, so how are you going to transport it? Do you have a CDL class A? Get the 4-5 ton mini excavator with a thumb and a few buckets. You need a 5yd dump truck or even a bigger dump truck, or at least a dump trailer. You need a budget of at least 35k plus.
Can consider buying one and renting the other to start with. At least you wont be on the hook for repairs on the rented one. It will give you a good idea about what works and doesn't work for your jobs. Simon C
hire both to start with dehire as over the weekend if not working and as soon as it starts to rain