Anyone care to share what is the going rate for moving dirt in other parts of the world? Majority with tractors and pans, with 12k yards needed top loaded because of wet, mucky, and rocks. All the dirt from the pond (blue) had to be spread out and dried before grading, with about 2000 yards needing to be spread out in the borrow area (yellow), then reloaded and placed. The site is about 12 acres, the major fill areas are in black, average depth of fill is 4', distance from the borrow to the fill on average is 500'. Site is wet, so most loads are 12-14 yards to preserve the ground. Rocks vary from basketballs to N14 engine blocks, with the majority being 24-30". Borrow site requires almost constant attention with the excavator and skidder digging and removing rocks after every scraper pass. We figure we've picked close to 3000 yards of rock in the process of moving 25k yards of fill, and 8000 yards of topsoil. We have over 60 hours with the skidder, 25 hours with the hoe, and 25 hours with the loader moving rocks. Not complaining, just trying to give an accurate description of conditions. If you're interested in sharing, PM me and we can talk. Thanks.
Sounds like a PIA kind of job unless your getting paid a premium to do it. Maybe a rock picker would help.
Nearly all of them are too big for a rock picker. I'm not sure what would be a "premium", but I didn't have to bid or estimate the job. It's purely hourly, which is why I'm curious how we're doing compared to other guys. I'm confident that I'll come in under what the guys bidding are at.
What equipment spread are you running?
3 tractors/18 yd pans, 36 ton hoe, D6N LGP, T770.
After 5 min.....
3 minutes later.........
I quit.
Rent a crusher
Would it make more sense to load and carry with off road haul trucks? I am sure you want to run what you have though. Hard to make money otherwise . . .
I thought maybe you bid the job and then discovered all the big rocks. By the hour is certainly better but rocks like that are still a pain to deal with and probably a little hard on equipment. Maybe something like a root rake might help to seperate the biggest rocks before the scrapers? Someone bidding could lose a bunch if they didn't realize how many big rocks there were.
Shimmy that's not scraper dirt as you are well aware. Since you are doing it by the hour and don't want to rent anything (assuming) I think you are tackling it the best way with what you have to run. Optimally that job is a 336 with 2-3 725's with your D6N on the fill side. Depending on the depth of the fill lift you would still have to sift rocks either in the cut or in the fill. Is there a secondary market for the rocks? Rip-rap for stream banks or are the rocks a waste product you need to find a place to bury? I couldn't resist but I see the T770 is in it's natural state of habitat.
Had to go back and look, but you just gave me the best laugh of the day.
I'm well aware, lol, but no way, no how would wiggle wagons carry in this muck. It's a miracle we've managed to get the scrapers around this long. Water table is at 3'.
No way would they carry.
That's half of Northern Wisconsin . . .
Well the only other option would be rubber track dumpers but the payloads/CY goes down significantly. Looks like you're doing the best with what you have to work with. The only thing I could think would help would be a large LGP dozer with a HD root rake on the front and comb the cut 6-12" at a time, if that's possible with the soil conditions, in order to clear the rocks before the scrapers load. The big rocks would still be a PITA. Is it normal in your area for a project like this to be priced by the hour? A job this size by the hour is unheard of down here. Owners want a bid and a tight price.
Complete with the guy's legs sticking out working on it . . .
Some people pay big money for large "landscaping" rocks. There was/is a place up here that that's all they do. They use a flat deck truck with Hiab type picker. Some rocks are over $1000.
These ruts are from the track tractors and 4 tire scrapers hauling 12-14 yards.
You guys say what you want, but we have zero complaints on our T770s. Been as good as anything could be.
Does the ground move like sponge when you drive on it?
In order for a Bobcat to be in its natural state requires the symbiosis of a human mechanic inside it or at least a human standing beside cursing at it. Sorry Shimmy I couldn't help it.
Yes, and sometimes water comes to the surface
And you hope you don't suddenly sink in it.
Nobody wants to share any numbers??
pushing a dry wave with the tires? You really know how to have fun. I love it when some foreman says " mix up your tracks" After umpteen trips you are not fooling anybody.
Wheels or tracks on your pull tractors? Looks like a challenging job. A 2" rain would really make your day. What is the desired end use of the site?
Tracks. It'll be a feedlot for cattle.
At least you get to put grade on the site.
Sorry man I have a pile of projects on my desk needing numbers for the work we have. That and I've never ran pull pans so I don't have much knowledge of their production. If you had a 325 with 48" bucket loading chert into a tri-axle and hauling it 10 miles roundtrip, then place and compact with testing - I could help ya' out.
Rocks aren't worth anything in an area where everyone has them. LOL
Here depending on the rocks, rock can be very expensive. Northeast AL has some very nice ledge stone rock they mine for building facades. Last time I checked a tandem load of retainer wall rocks delivered was $1500 per load. That was 3 years ago it's probably $2K now. Heck a load of CL 1 rip-rap is $850 delivered in a 10 mile radius from the quarry, don't care to ask what CL II or III is.
Man that looks like a good project with some pretty good obsticles to overcome. I can't really help with numbers, I dont do many big scraper jobs lately. Best of luck to you.
Ya, sorted and sized rocks are expensive here. I can get all the rock piles i want for free, its the sorting and cleaning and trucking thats expensive. On a rare occasion or two I have actually been paid to take away a few piles.
Until you crush them! Then they're worth more
It depends a lot on the rocks. Some rocks are pretty cool looking and people use them as a landscape feature.
A couple guys running pans are between 2.50 and 4 bucks I am told here dont know first hand and that's tractor pan dirt not that mess couldn't guess your operating cost on a tractor but I am guessing close to 200 an hour I know a 627 prices between 265 and 300 and hour with an operator for op cost and you can average 8 to 10 loads an hour in that rotation but that ground will never hold up a 627 you might get by with a light loaded artic dump I might have tried just loading with the ex and moving on on the pans tractors definitely float better you would just cut grade as a full cut and work across sort the rocks off to the side and leave for later My aggravation would be upwards of 5 bucks a yard and I would not be shy about 8 if we have to move material twice to dry it but I am to busy to need more work
So what are you grading for