Man the cost to rent equipment seems to have gone through the roof in the last few years.
A skid steer or bobcat is $1200+ a week, and about the same cost to add a brush cutter. Can’t afford to pay that.
I might have found a little Kubota LA526 with a bucket,
7’ backhoe, front brush cutter, box blade and auger for a reasonable price, hoping to hear from the guy today.
He’s about $1000 delivered which also would help.
I need to cut in two roads, 1st is 110 yards and the second one is 240 yards. Thinking about 15’ - 20’ wide.
Also need a build site, probably 50x50’ to start with.
My math says in total that’s only around 1/2 acre.
Can I leave small stumps like 3-4" in diameter or should those come out? I don’t want to blow out my truck tires.
Also need to dig lines for water and septic system.
The auger should make quick work for a couple of fence post for the gate.
Now the million dollar question is, can I physically do it?
My mind tells me I can but my body doesn’t always agree.
@Jammo since I am kinda going through what you will be going through you won’t be able to do it all yourself without doing damage to your own health. My mom is helping me everyday. Even at 79 she is a big help and my son comes over when something is just too much for me to handle. You have Shelia to help which will be a big help and your boys if you can get them over. Your equipment will be absolutely key to getting what you want done. You will need a bush hog and without a 4x4 tractor it will be very hard to do all that you are talking about. Even doing the little bit that I have spreading out rock and dirt the 4 wheel drive on my tractor has been invaluable to making things possible. Without 4 wheel drive it would be impossible to do the little that I have done. So equipment is key. Plan everything that you need to do in order and see if you can get help to knock out as much as you can in one week. That $1200 may end up being a cheap payment to getting things done quickly and easier to getting moved and not paying rent for the lot that you are on. Also calculate the wear and tear on your body. I am sure that Shelia wants you around for a lot longer. Having the property all by herself isn’t what she wants and if you push too hard that might be the end result.
Yes, I push hard but that is what has let me build my strength back up even if I don’t have the endurance to go with it. I follow my Pulminologist’s orders and he is perfectly ok with me working and actually encouraged me to keep doing what I have been doing because evidently it is working to get me to a level that my doctors didn’t think that I would ever get to. So yes working is good to strengthen your body but by all means don’t stress yourself because when you do that also affects your liver and kidneys. Run it by your doctors and follow their orders. I know that I sound like the pot calling the kettle black but I know my body very well after pushing it all my life and I really do follow my doctor’s instructions and advice.
Met with 2 contractors today about hiring them to do the clearing I need done.
First guy has a small tractor and attachments and is priced reasonably at $75 an hour but would probably take a week.
Second guy has the equipment for any size job and could probably be finished in half a day, but he’s expensive.
But he’s willing too trade his work for guns.
Full day for 3 Kimber 1911s, new in box, DU & NWTF.
3 Kimbers , none delivered prior to work completed to satisfaction. $ saved for step two expedited. Stumps pulled not ground. You’ll have potholes eventually as the stumps rot down the road. Back-fill the holes and ditches on the right moon cycle and you won’t have to futz with them multiple times.
Tell me about the damn bees! They will bore unless you paint the wood, or better yet enclose rafter ends/eaves and paint them too. About to start enclosing all eaves with 1/4" plywood and apply latex opaque stain.
There are special spray treatments. Some is a regular spray can, some you mix with water, and some has a long tube to shove into the hole as far as you can and it’s a foam. It does work and kills them and the larva, but you have to reapply as needed to keep them away.
Our wood peckers around here don’t peck at the cabin. We don’t have a big problem with moles, but I did a little research. Apparently only two things actually work. Poison worms that they eat, and kill traps. They said find a straight section of their tunnel, stomp it flat. If it appears repaired the next day, it’s an active tunnel the use from their next to food forage area. Place the poison worms in tunnel or there are kill traps that you deploy on tunnel. The article that stood out was from Purdue University and they said repellants are a waste of money and removing food source by apply insecticide to kill grubs just makes them dig more to find food.
Met two guys out at my property today to get a third quote on cutting in a driveway.
Two young brothers showed up and I was immediately impressed with their politeness and mannerisms.
Talked about what I wanted done and they asked if they could walk the property and mark trees to help map out their plans.
So of course I let them go so their dilligance and when they got back we discussed their equipment and what not.
I was also impressed with their work ethic asking if they could come after school and classes. One’s a highschool senior and the other is in college.
They are the least expensive and have enough equipment to do the job the right way.
Long story short, we shook hands and I hired them on the spot for that job.
If they do good work then they will get the first shot at doing the next jobs I need done.
Congrats! If it’s not too late, look for a book called Be Your Own General Contractor. Don’t remember author, I read it in high school when I was dabbling at architecture.
This series might help, though money in books is money not available for other work…
Most people do log old growth before selling land anymore. It makes financial sense to do so but I hate to see old growth trees cut down for lumber and paper. I wish that there was a law where a percentage of old growth had to be left per acre.
Next November that free deer stand will come with a free Drunken Redneck, screaming at you to get off this-here proppity ‘cuz they is the only ones with purmishun from the owner to hunt here!
