DISCLAIMER: I am making several posts that all start out the same and LOOK like they might be cross-posts but are actually different questions. I did check with management to make sure I wasn't breaking any rules. BACKGROUND INFORMATION : I do gravel driveways, mainly repair/reclamation. Not asphalt, not concrete, just gravel. But I've had to turn away work for not having the capability to do certain things "in-house". Stuff like putting in culverts or stripping away significant amounts of grass and topsoil to install a brand So I decided that during the off-season I would buy some equipment. I am also going to pick up my CDL because I need a more versatile license, but that's only for background. Also, I already have a Kubota 3031 with FEL, but it's dedicated to a specific task and putting a backhoe on the 3-point hitch is not really a good option. The list of equipment I figure I need is as follows: An Excavator : Something in the 70hp range, give or take. Culvert installation and similar work would be typical A Skid Steer : Not sure what power range is smartest. A Trailer : Ideally should be able to carry a payload of about 18,000-20,000lbs. Must be Bumper-Pull, not 5th Wheel/Gooseneck because I would intend to pull it with the dump truck. A Dump Truck : Something in the 5-ton load range. I give that information so that anyone answering my question can see the context of the question FORUM RELEVANT QUESTION(S) : I looked at some equipment yesterday, one of which is a GEHL 4625SX. I think it's a 1992 and it has 1740hrs on it. It's not pretty, but it seems solid, starts up like it was running 10 minutes earlier and seems completely functional. It is a full cab model, has tracks on it in good condition and comes with a trailer and several attachments: The mounted bucket, a set of pallet forks, a trencher, post hole drill, rock rake w/scarifier and a trash grabbing sort of a thing that has thumbs on top. The guy wants $14,000 for it. Good price, bad price...? Things I should look for that I wouldn't know?
I'll throw my .02 into the ring, relevant or not. A '92 model is an old machine...is there A Gehl dealer close? Are you going to be working on it yourself or having the work done? Can you get parts quickly? Those are important items whether the machine is old or new. Not trying to be an a**, but are you expanding under the banner of your franchise? Whether you are or not, remember that to many customers (especially women) perception is reality. Right or wrong that's just the way it is. Showing up with a '92 machine was impressive when Bush Sr. was in office, but it screams "beer money guy" twenty some years later. Unless of course, your target customers are into the classics. I know you didn't ask for responses in this particular post, but why would you need a 70hp excavator to install culverts? I set a bunch of culverts every year along with gravel driveways and usually use my tractor. If I know that the ground is exceptionally rocky, or if I'll be setting precast concrete ends, I'll take my ctl instead for the additional breakout and lifting power. I can honestly say that I can count on two hands the amount of times I've needed a mini-ex for long culvert runs in the last five years. Why not rent a skid or ex when you need them until you actually know what you need? Build the rental fee into the price and gain a bunch of knowledge along the way with nice newer equipment that you don't have to work on.
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We're both "one man shows" and our projects seem similar so I'll offer this. Whatever size excavator you buy will be just the size you don't need most of the time. Make good friends with a bunch of different rental companies and you'll usually be able to rent just the size you need when you need it. If not, be flexible with your schedule and arrange projects around availability and your workload. I have absolutely no use for a wheeled skid, but wheeled or tracked I've never wished for something smaller. Often I've wanted larger. Get the largest you can afford. You shouldn't EVER be charging less for your own machine than you would be adding in the cost of a rental to do the job anyway. When you have your own machine available you'll find yourself thinking that you could charge a little bit less and for sure get the job. That way of thinking is a road to ruin as far as I'm concerned. Not actual "construction", but a case in point...Around here there are tons of guys with an old tractor out brush hogging for $25-$35 an acre. They'll load up and do the job to make $100. I'd rather go broke watching Magnum PI reruns. As far as doing larger projects...its just a bunch of smaller ones all linked together. I'll give you two examples. #1 - A 3500 ft driveway with five culverts and a creek crossing with a one-day ex and a two-day rental ctl, finished the grading / crown with my tractor then spread all of the gravel loads (no topping) with my tractor in two (very long) days. One day to button things up. The only help needed was for laying geotextile since we rolled it out during the spread. If the gravel supplier would have been able to send all bottom dumps it would've gone faster. End dumps and truck/pup combos take a bit longer to spread. #2 - A 2.5 acre parking lot. It was covered in grass, but didn't need a lot of grading. Two days of ctl rental stripping grass and grading for better drainage. Two and a half days spreading gravel (no topping) with my tractor and compacting with a vibratory roller. I don't don't ever tailgate trucks, but that's my personal preference. Between the heat, wind and pace, 'bout killed three laborers rolling out geotextile on both jobs. As part of my point...when I did those two jobs, all I owned was a tractor and boxblade. Everything else was rented.
Well that's all food for thought. FWIW, when I say "one man" I mean "one human". I think for me it's not a question of adding more equipment to my stable, I think I've already decided to do that. NOW I need to make SMART purchases.