New here, in search of advice.... *kinda long*

[Stroker]

Glad to see that a message board for heavy equipment really does exist! My name is Roger, Im 27 living in Raleigh, North Carolina and I started operating heavy equipment when I was 18 while going through the HEO program at Wilson Tech, in Wilson, NC. After that I worked for a couple of large contractor's running everything from backhoes, excavators, dozers, motor graders, ect.... I however hung it up a few years ago when I went to work for the family business. I "thought" a slack, 40 hour, air conditioned office job was what I wanted. I loved it for a while until I took a few side jobs for friends doing some dozer work on a buddies farm and just last weekend digging a dyno pit for a local performance shop. I realized while I was on that crappy rental backhoe that I really enjoyed that type of work. That feeling got kinda lost by the big contractor employers I worked for where you busted your ass 60+ hours a week, but were basicly just a number to the people really making the money.

I feel like I am now in a position in life where I can take a risk with starting my own small business. The reason being is I can continue to work my current job to pay the bills if work for my new business is slow or doesn't take off at all. Ive been thinking of a somewhat small operation that I could do everything myself while Im just getting started, like a mini excavator or backhoe, skid steer, and single axle dump. I have all the confidence in the world in my operating skill. But going from an operator used to being on a big highway job or grading for a shopping mall to much smaller scale residential work which I am in no way familiar with will be a big change.

I know different parts of the country might have a greater demand for certain types of work. But my question is, if you were my position just starting up. What type of niche would you try to pursue in the begining and what kind of equipment would you buy?

Thank's, and sorry for the long post....

[Steve Frazier]

Welcome to HeavyEquipment Forums.com!!:drinkup

Sorry I missed your first post.

I think you're on the right track in thinking compact equipment. Since this would start as part time work, your initial investment would be lower than bigger machines. This equipment can be moved by 1 ton trucks too, again a less expensive investment. Funny thing is these machines command the same rate as a full size TLB. So even with part time work you can meet expenses.

I'm in NY where we are experiencing a building boom, I'm always busy. Everyone I know with compact equipment is busy as well.

[Stroker]

Thanks for the welcome! I have enjoyed reading this site for a couple of days now.

From what Ive heard from other people Ive asked around my area. Anybody with equipment, big or small is getting work. The work is out there. You just have to find it. My problem is I don't know what services or niche I should try to get into. All of my experience has been with large contractor employers. So all of my experience is on large scale projects like highways, office parks and shopping malls, where as the majority of my work when im self employed will be in a residential type market.

It seems everybody I ask gives me a different answer. Some have said get on with contractors doing site prep, digging foundations and footings. Others say try to get liscensed for septic tank installs or with plumbing contractors for trenching of pipe from street to house. Then there is always the landscape aspect of owning equipment like a skid steer and mini excavator.

I may just have to take the plunge, get my business started, then go from there. I do have somewhat of a head start atleast. A 2000 F-350 is already my daily driver and I also own a 24ft, 16,000# deck over trailer that I used for mud racing a few years back. So thats a few thousand dollars worth that Im already bringing into to the game.... :)

[Steve Frazier]

Just use caution when working for contractors. I find I have more trouble getting paid by contractors than anyone else. I'm pretty choosy about the ones I'll work for.

[Bob Horrell]

When I start a job with a new contractor I ask up front when I will get paid. When told when, I say "I will hold you to that, if you are late don't call me for another job". This has worked on all but one contractor. That guy didn't pay me for 8 months. And he had the guts to call me two more times to work while he still owed me money. I actually got the check six months out but it took 2 months before it cleared the bank.

[CascadeScaper]

I'll post my .02 on here. I think everyone is going to tell you to get "specialized" but that's just as perplexing as it sounds. The problem with specialization is that if you get setup to do one type of work and you're not making the payments, you are up crap creek without a paddle. I think the best thing to do is start talking to people and get some jobs lined up BEFORE you buy equipment, rent for a while. Once you figure out what equipment you're renting most and what types of jobs you'll be doing, you'll get a better idea of where you want to go and with what equipment you'll be taking with you. That's my best advice, I know you just want to run out there and buy a machine, we all do! Hell I want to buy a 312 tomorrow but letting the work come to you then buying equipment when you're just starting out is your safest best. Plus, you can figure out what type of work you don't want to do. I rented a Cat 304.5 to place a retaining wall and decided retaining wall work isn't really what we needed or wanted to be doing, so we saved ourselves about $12K and bought a smaller machine. The cost of that rental saved us thousands upfront and many more in the long run.

[LaLaMan]

Subscribe to all the industry mags

[Stroker]

Subscribe to all the industry mags


Which ones would you reccomend?

[CascadeScaper]

As far as industry mags go, I'm subscribed to Equipment World and Grading & Excavation Contractor. I like Equipment World because it has some good articles every once in a while about how to buy/maintain/rent equipment, as well as some good business practices. I find it interesting to read how some of the big guys do work.