Hello. I live in central Missouri.After nosing about in my area, i noticed that there are a couple excavation companies that have large equipment, have logos painted on there vehicles ext.I have as of yet to purchase my mini, and here is my question or rather a statement.I have not even been looking hard and have found three jobs that a small excavator could handle.BTW, I am watching out for the John deere 35 with thumb. Anyway a man down the street has 5 small stumps he would like removed.Another friend needs a drainage ditch dug.Another has a logging outfit and was in need of a machine to load the logs onto trucks. Anyway, there appears to be work all around if you are willing to look for it. Why doesn't someone take advantage of these situations? Myself I would like to clear driveways, possible take down a small shed or install culvert pipe. I am on disability and my resources are very limited.It just gets me mad when I see all these opportunities and am unable to take advantage of them.My hands are tied and not much that I can do. Thanks for letting me vent, Ken
Rent.
I get what you're saying Ken. I have had some of the same thoughts. For me heres how it often has gone when pursuing something like that - Guy with the 5 stumps wants them taken out for a case of beer. Needs them hauled away too so you better also look for a little SA dump truck to go with your 35. You have time on Saturday to dig the ditch but it rains. Next week you're busy. Being a one man show you can't send a guy over to take care of it. Guy with the logs, you can load 75% of his logs no problem, but hes got 5 big black walnut he needs loaded and your machine is too small to lift them. Can't cut them smaller because they need to go to the sawmill intact. You don't have a bigger machine to bring out. I'm not trying to be negative at all, i've just found it hard to dabble in something like this. Its a little bit go big or go home. You'll quickly find yourself needing more than just a mini. You've got to consider the cost and hassle of insurance and the fact that people have all sorts of work they could use done but sometimes its like squeezing blood from a turnip to get them to pay you when your done, let alone pay in a timely fashion. Maybe your best bet would to try and work with some of the other/bigger companies as a subcontractor. I know people do do things like this.
Andy1845 is right on. I have a backhoe. Those small jobs that fall into my hand as you describe, have as much liability and risk as if I had a 30 ton excavator. Maybe more so since you're dealing with non-professionals. Cutting a water line was unintentionally, the last job I did for any neighbor. It's all fun until someone gets hurt.
Andy, /Hoss/Nomore,,, Thanks for the kind words.What it all boils down to is that I would like to make a few more $$$ for my wife with the time that I have left.I have prostate cancer and it is slowly growing.I feel fine but this was something that I have wanted to do for a long time and being very mechanically inclined I would like to have a crack at it..In my garage I fix small engines or used to.The way they make mowers now if something happens, you can't fix it but have to replace it. All this cost monies. BTW, I am now 64.Anyway fixing mowers and the like keeps me somewhat busy. I do not charge 85$ an hour to work on these things.So to sum it up, this coming Friday I will see the doctor and make a decision on my pending course of treatment. I go to the veterans Hospital in Columbia Missouri.Thanks for listening, Ken
Ken .. I too am on the slide toward eternity. By our parents, she will be around long after I'm gone. If you want a machine and can afford it, DO it. After years of wanting a TLB, wife said go buy one. (Got it a week later) Unless you hit gold or oil like Jed Clampett, it will not leave more $$ after you're gone. In fact likely, it'll be a pile of iron to be dealt with. I have decided instead of a few more $$, I'll leave her with better memories and happy times. (I try to be a better husband and less grumpy !) Just for kicks... a pic of lawn mower tire repair. "Don't need no stink'in tire machine..."
Working for friends and/or relatives is not usually a good idea unless you don't want to be friends with them anymore. A backhoe stabilizer is a better bead breaker than one designed for the purpose. Did my skid steer tires in no time.
went to a unrelated completely free seminar last weekend given by a doctor. as a side note he said he was cured of prostrate cancer by drinking 4 cups of green tea a day. worth a try???
"....drinking 4 cups of green tea a day. worth a try??? " Might keep you up all night while trying to whizz... Go for it
Well I met with my Urologist last Friday. My PSA has not changed. I am still at 3.1. So for now I can breath a bit easier. I will now have another MRI of the prostate in May. I want to thank those that have replied to this post."Green Tea" Could I have Green Beer instead? The only thing that bothers me is, what happens if this cancer spreads to other organs.At times I lay in bed wondering,Thanks again, Ken
I can understand you wanting to do some small jobs to make a little extra $$. The problem is that to do it right, you need to do everything that the guy that does it for a living does, and then you have to do it all the time, in order to pay for all that stuff. General liability insurance. Bonded? Are you going to incorporate? LLC? Workman's comp policy? Commercial policy on your pickup or dumptruck and trailer that you are going to haul this thing on? CDL? DOT#'s for the truck? Business license for your city? Are you familiar with one call and the utilities marking game? What about getting permits, watershed rules, runoff etc. etc.? None of that stuff matters, until you get pulled over or something happens on one of your jobsites, or the wrong county/ federal agency/ USDA department truck shows up. Or, heaven forbid- you're straightening out someones driveway and some lady texting on the way to pick up kids from daycare hits your mini. It may be no fault of yours, but if your messing around with no permits, no signs and flags, and no insurance, you'll lose everything you have. Its really easy to drive around and see work that is available, but you know that there are guys in the business of doing such things. Its really the case that the people wanting it done, don't want to pay what the pro's charge for doing it. The pro's have to charge that much, to pay for all the insurance, plates, permits etc. etc. etc. If that is the case, the last thing you should be doing is starting up a dirt working business for a little side $$$. I'm sorry for your medical difficulties, but adding a expensive hobby, isn't a great solution in my mind. And don't be that guy that does it with no insurance. You mess up loading logs and ruin the cab on the log haulers truck, he's going to want a new cab. Not a "I'm just doing this for a hobby- I don't have any insurance". Welcome to the forum though- I don't mean to rain all over your dream. There are a bunch of guys on here that are retired and semi - retired with equipment, but most of them only work on their own or family projects, because of these sorts of issues.
I think the cost of starting up depends a lot on where you operate, when I started with just my 6 ton mini hoe liability for the bit of work was very cheap as it's largely based on sales of your company, pickup insurance jumped only a few hundred a year going to commercial, etc. I would definitely make sure you're legal. I ran a few years without WCB, if you have no employees you aren't required to have it, it wasn't until I started working for larger companies who started requiring it. It only costs me $600/year though. The problem I found was I couldn't find nearly enough work to keep the machine busy full-time, it's either too big or too small for a lot of jobs. One thing to try would be calling some other companies around that don't have exactly the same equipment. For example if I need a few hours of work done with a 4' wide skidsteer, I just call someone and get it taken care of, they charge a decent amount but I don't have a machine to do it, and for the price they charge can't justify renting. One job that is a gold mine is small foundation repairs. I can make more money in a nice short day renting a 1.7 ton machine and repairing a small leak in a foundation as I can running my 210 all day. But I only get a few a year. And as for doing work for friends, i'd watch that. I'm still waiting for a "friend" to pay me for half a day with my 210 back in October. My motto with doing work for friends now is, if i'm not willing to do it for free, i'm not doing it.
Detroit/Diesel= I don't mean to rain all over your dream. Sir,You did not rain on my dream. You just flooded away my bag of charcoal. Thanks for the information.However I will be the only one doing the work.A one man band so to speak.I have 15 acres that I am in the process of buying.All trees. A perfect place for my garage to house my toys.And to sharpen my skills on a mini excavator.First there will be a suitable driveway.Anyway C/O,suladus, again thanks for the words of wisdom.I really appreciate this, Ken