Just met with two excavators who both had similar bids for my driveway. Here's the break down:
- Remove trees & stumps from driveway, building site & septic area.
- 4 loads of fill for driveway ramp to road.
- 6 loads of gravel for driveway (+/- 180' long x 16' wide)
Total - $3500
How's this figure sound? The lot is located in Upper Michigan.
Thanks,
Joe
For California that would be decent.
Fill at around $200 per load - Rock from the main supplier $440 for 10 yards - crushed slate is $200 but is rather soft.
Add the other work to that -it sounds fair.
This has nothing really to do with this thread topic, but I found it interesting, and this question rang a bell for me. :) Doing some research and trying to convince the local forest service supervisor of the need for some road work I came across the US FS cost estimator guide for most of the western states. A dozer class 2 operator (D4 and larger) gets paid (hourly); CA 67.24, AZ 40.35, UT 36.88, ID 43.73, KS 17.97, CO 38.59, NM 13.55 :o
Just the wages or the machine too? :-?
I assume just the wages as the fire guys get pretty good money.
Wages.
BTW, we (neighbor and I) are improving the road up the hill to my mountain place, plus some of the road to our communal gate. He's supplying the labor free. The TD9 is from a friends construction company at $100 per hour for the machine, fuel included.
I usually get $80 per hour for me and my Bobcat -- 963 105 HP.
It could be considered cheap or expensive depending on how you look at it I guess.
One tire cost $375 and could last about a year around here -- or could last 5 minutes if you hit the wrong rock. The tracks can protect the tires -- or destroy them by forcing a rock through the sidewall. I lost one in the first 2 months.
However you look at it - toys cost money. ::)
I figure it's reasonable as it includes the use of the truck/trailer combo to bring it in and take it back.
I either charge a pickup and delivery fee or for my straight time port to port. Somebody has to pay for this stuff. :) I only want to play with it.
In reality it costs a lot more than people think. Contractors Liability insurance is about $500 per month - vehicle similar - fuel $1000 per month - truck repairs -- equipment repairs --- now I'm getting depressed. :-/
Quote--- now I'm getting depressed. :-/
We don't want that. Sorry. :'( Sure it's all deductible but it's still money you don't have anymore. >:(
But yep, most folks can't see beyond what they perceive as "well he just had to push over a couple trees and he only spent 30 minutes pushing some dirt around".
I'm glad I don't have to drive anymore to make a buck.
As it is I get depressed thinking about needing new tires for my personal Jeep; that makes me cry. $950 w/o the spare. Unless I don't get the Mud Tread; I could save almost $200 with A/T. :-/
Yep -- many times I'll spend 2 or 3 hours getting ready to do a little job before I even get started -- or get back and start putting back together the things I broke while doing the job. Also - I'm about 40 to 75 miles from any place that has parts or repair stuff for this type of equipment.
There's always Okie rigging it - note - that is not a derogatory term -- I don't think there is another term for making do with anything you have or can make work until the proper part is acquired. Actually it is a tribute to Okie ingenuity. :)
Glenn, I thought of the term Jerry Rigged when I saw your Okie Rigged comment. When I looked it up online I found that the term actually started out as jury rigged - a nautical term not anything to do with a legal jury. Here is a link for any wordsmiths with the discussion I read (scroll down to the second article). It was kind of interesting. Frankly I'm sure that all of us have juryjerryokie rigged a thing or two in the past (and used a little duct tape, scrap wood, baling wire, etc. to do it!) Just a little old "necessity is the mother of all invention" at play.
http://www.wordcourt.com/archives.php?show=2004-03-10
Bellla
I guess there is another term for it, Bellla -- in fact I've even heard it. Just had a senior moment and I'm not quite there yet -- at least not by all standards. :)
Whatever it is, it is very common here due to the distance to the big stores. You have to learn to do it or be satisfied with being a failure... but then seems I've had to do it all my life. Where did I go wrong? :-?
You didn't go wrong Glenn!!! Anyone who can solve their problems with existing materials and good old Yankee ingenuity is far ahead of the game. Imagine where our Founders would be if they had waited for just the right watchamacallit to arrive from England. I marvel at some of the solutions some people come up with using items they have on hand - especially if they solve the problem and don't create a new one! I like to tell people that not only do I think outside of the box, I tear it up, fold it, and make something new out of it.
As far as the Senior Moment goes - I tell my kids it's MentalPause.
;)
Bellla
Reminds me of the gal who got up and found nickels, dimes and quarters in her bed every morning. Mentioned it to her doctor and he told her not to worry about it -- she was just going through the change. :-/
Sorry 'bout that. ::)
QuoteReminds me of the gal who got up and found nickels, dimes and quarters in her bed every morning. Mentioned it to her doctor and he told her not to worry about it -- she was just going through the change. :-/
Sorry 'bout that. ::)
Thanks for the chuckle!
:D
Bellla
My pleasure-- You are lucky you don't live around here or you would have heard it about 4 times already.
I always tell them to Sassy about six times but that's OK because she always forgets the punch line, so it's like telling a new joke each time.
Saves on having to learn new ones though. ;D
This thread basically got hijacked but just to update everyone, I got the 2nd bid in writing and it came in @ $3,000. Needless to say, I accepted it since it's $500 cheaper than the first. Drive will be started in a couple of weeks :)
Not exactly hijacked. :-?
We were just idling until you got things checked out and got back to us with a report we could respond to. ;D
Sounds great. Money saved is money earned. :)
We kept it up near the top of the list so it would be easy to find. :)
The way I see it, our forum is like a finely tuned racing engine. ;D
If we shut it off and don't keep the driver occupied, he will probably run out to have a beer and won't be here ready to race when the light changes. :o If we keep him strapped in the seat, he's ready to slap the pedal to the medal (dang - I meant metal) and our team wins. :)
We keep occupied and interested, then, when a problem or question develops we are ready to pounce on it and tear it up. That's why we encourage all the new ones to get involved. Who knows when someone will have a question that they know the answer to. :-?
Note -- in reality -- I'm really not a teamwork kind of guy. :( I used to get called -- "Not a team player" in school -- a loner -- a rebel --- a smart alec. :'( The above example was just for illustration. ;D
Quotehe's ready to slap the pedal to the medal
you mean "drop the hammer"
10-4 :-/
Damn Mark --- don't make me think about talking on the CB anymore. Some truckers were hoping they had more power than me just so they could get out of range of my CB. They should be so lucky. ::)
Where else are you going to find people talented enough to link driveway construction, nautical language origins, "the change", and race cars into a user friendly, easy to understand conversation!
;D
Bellla
We have it all, Bella. ;D
Glenn, speaking for myself, you sure didn't need to use a disclaimer when referring to Okie's. Hey, I'm just glad you remember me!!!!!
Okie Bob
Let's go have a beer and solve some world problems!
BoB, You are one of my favorite characters. :)
I'll probably still remember you after I'm long dead and gone. If that's possible. We will have to get together some day. :)
Speaking of ethnicity and such, I'm Lithuanian. (Fair part-- German name). For those who don't know what one is, It's just a Pollock with his brains kicked out. :-?;D
Wow, a site where ethnic smears are self inflicted. How cool is that?
We have it all desdawg. At least I didn't whine about it. ;D
You guys had me worried. For a minute there I thought this thread was about a driveway.
Oh yeah -- if there are any more driveway questions or comments, please bring them to the front of the forum. :-? :)
Back to the driveway...
my prices in NW GA
tractor with operator $45 / hour (he has a frontend loader and scraper)
$65 an hour for the same with 2 more guys with chainsaws
crusher run - $280 a load (I needed 10 loads for my 1100 feet). THat's just spreading it with the dump truck I needed the tractor guy to smooth it.
There you go, Mark -- that worked out great didn't it??? :) We're right back on topic. Easy. :D
Glenn if it gets any better than this, I don't think I could stand it.
What is the closest 'big' city near you? San Francisco? Sacremento? Just curious as I do travel
CA a couple of times a year on business. How far would I have to drive to your place from a big airport?
Okie Bob
cost of things around here.... crane to lift my trusses if I decide to have them lifted vs. trying to heft them up between my son and I .... $90 / hour, including travel time. These are "bonus room gambrel trusses, with 28' long 2 X 12 on the bottom, and the ones bordering my dormers are double. I don't now how much they will weigh...let's just say a lot! Son thinks $300 is a lot of money, in a way it is, but time is money, and so is safety.
25 17 yard loads for my garage....... $100 per (first 20 sand, last 5 "pit run").
BoB, it says 139 to SF and 115 to Sac. 75 to Fresno. As PEG knows - we will drive a long way to meet you if that is all that will work.
You won't be scared if you see me for the first time and find out that I have two heads, will you. (Don't ask my wife -- she'll probably tell you -- yeah -- that's correct -- a big head and a bigger head. :-/ ( I just ran that by her-- she didn't think it was real funny -- that means she thought it was true.) :-/ ::)
You are of course welcome to drop in any time. My house is your hole in the ground. :)
Frank, that seems like one heck of a truss! Did you design them yourself? I'm surprised you need a 2X12 bottom cord with only a 28' span? I used all 2x4's for a 24' span and due to the lighter weight two men could lift them on to 10' side walls, no problem.
Glenn, I don't have any current plans to visit the People's Republic of CA but, seems I'm out there at least once a year and usually more than that. I do know I'll be back next September but that is in Anaheim. Looks like San Francisco would be my best bet? And, hey, if you can put up with my tail and horns I guess I can handle your two heads!
Okie Bob
That trip to Anaheim sounds kind of Mickey Mouse, but even if you happen to go to Anaheim and have a bit of time let us know -- My son is in Pasadena area -- I could possibly stand the city for that long.
May be that we could charge admission to see us to finance the trip. Step right up folks. :)