A new Backhoeing Venture!

[edgephoto]

I would get insurance. One mistake or oil spill and you could lose everything.

You should be charging a minimum fee and at least $125-150 per hour.

 

[Swetz]

the 811 site:

https://call811.com/

Also, you must maintain the markouts even when you are done with your work...The company I work for got a fine for not maintaining the markouts when we were done...The theory is that if another contractor must dig, they will still have markouts for their work...I say it is just another way 4 them to get more $$$$!

 

[AzIron]

the 811 site:

https://call811.com/

Also, you must maintain the markouts even when you are done with your work...The company I work for got a fine for not maintaining the markouts when we were done...The theory is that if another contractor must dig, they will still have markouts for their work...I say it is just another way 4 them to get more $$$$!

That's stupid the law says here you dont touch locate Mark's period yes I have repainted them for me but every contractor is supposed to have a ticket number of there own and without your ticket number the law says you dont have a locate weather there's Mark's or not

 

[aighead]

Thanks for all the notes gang!

I think someone mentioned my mentioning not calling for utility markings? The times I've done that have been way back in the back of someone's fields but your point is well taken. I'm pretty scared of hitting a line and I'd really rather not have to deal with that kind of thing.

I may have made noise about this on other threads... My first real experience was renting a backhoe and a neighbor down the way asked me to come help dig a trench or something for some drainage control. Well, it was right along the side of the road and I was too dumb to know better, so out I go. I get a couple feet deep before we realize that I've cut through a phone line, that ended up costing the neighbor like 1600 bucks to fix. Luckily, I wasn't on the hook for it. Also, I'm not sure how I've avoided water lines, now that I think of it.

I've managed to snag a cable line that was, interestingly, going from my shed (presumably a hub of sorts), to my neighbors house. I was out there just straightening some stuff out and he comes charging out of his house asking about what I've hit... I did have utilities marked that time but I guess not well enough.

 

[Swetz]

That's stupid the law says here you dont touch locate Mark's period

Well, I work for a utility that the markouts show (gas and electric), so when we are done, we must "maintain" them. Yes, it is stupid...can you say government!!

 

[aighead]

So, I'm looking at the state 811 site, which is a big fancy mess, but it appears to be suggested that the excavator (me) do the calling before I'm digging. Is that right? Not the property owner?

 

[Swetz]

So, I'm looking at the state 811 site, which is a big fancy mess, but it appears to be suggested that the excavator (me) do the calling before I'm digging. Is that right? Not the property owner?

Yes...unless the homeowner is the excavator...LOL

 

[Steve Favia]

Here in Chicago each contractor has to call and get their own locates and dig number for digging in the same area,so you don’t have to worry about you’re locate flags or marks,I think technically you’re dig numbers are only good for 3 day’s without having to recall in the location,pain in the rear but has to be done.The contractors usually make the subs to call in their locates,for liability issues in case something gets damaged the GC isn’t involved.

 

[hosspuller]

A neighbor story ... Fellow asked me to help plant a row of trees with my tractor & 3 point auger. The row went very well and quick. A bunch of hard work with shovel avoided. It was so easy, he decided, the last was a hole next to the house near a propane tank. I asked several times about the line. He assured me the propane line was not in danger.
So I dropped the auger and started. Within minutes, the hole started to fill with water. Auger brought up a neat half foot section of Pex. We hit his water line dead center. But the topper was his wife was in the shower at the time. Visualize a mad wet hen ... I beat a hasty retreat to leave him to it.

 

[NH575E]

Unrelated but all this discussion of hitting utilities reminds me of the time I backed over a buried propane tank with my brush mower. We built our house on the property we were living in a mobile home on. I went all electric for the new house. I notified the gas company to come get the buried tank that went to the mobile home several times but they never responded. Time passed and I forgot it was there. It was a FULL 250 gallon tank. I remembered immediately when I heard the blades clanging on the top of the tank. It knocked the regulator loose but fortunately didn't ignite the leaking propane.

I called 911 and explained everything to the fire department. They had no problem at all getting the gas company out on a Sunday to vent the tank and burn it off. They came and got it in the next few days.

 

[skyking1]

@hosspuller , as my niece would say,
"not my circus, not my monkeys"

 

[aighead]

@NH575E That's terrifying! You got lucky!

@hosspuller It sounds like water lines can be tricky to mark, I'm not sure they mark any in my area, so I've start investigating ground penetrating radar, but my guess is several hundred bucks to come and map something out. We tried going to the city and looking up the drawings for the house and permits and stuff but it doesn't show where the water runs through the yard. I know where the shutoff is at the street and where it comes into the house but I have no idea the path the line takes to get there. That is very scary to me, because I do do some digging and it would be the only thing remotely in the area, all the rest of my utilities run in on the other side of the driveway, where the water, seemingly, runs straight through the middle of the yard. I'm pretty sure I'm not skilled enough to try dousing rods to mark the line.

 

[Swetz]

I'm pretty sure I'm not skilled enough to try dousing rods to mark the line.

LOL

Not sure about water, but the utility company I work for installs a locating wire when the plastic pipe is installed. The tracer wire is not touching the pipe, but is spaced a specific distance directly above. At one time, the copper wire was installed touching the plastic. One lightning strike of the tracing wire fixed that...BOOM... Actually the wire melted the plastic, and it leaked, then the boom. I think they even make a caution tape (caution gas utilities below) with the tracer imbedded in the tape...we do not use it tho. The tape and wire are separate entities. Also, as previously mentioned, we sand the facilities, so, note to self, if the dirt suddenly turns to sand, get the shovel and hand dig

 

[T-town]

Sand......
I'm waiting to get my electric onto the property...
High voltage line underground ( 400 ft)to a pad transformer. Then to a rack where the meter will be mounted... then underground in 2 directions ( house/pole barn).
The lines that they ( utility) put are in a trench I will dig.... 39" deep with 3"sand.... then they drop in their wire and I cover with 12" of sand. Then I will unroll some plastic pipe in the hole for phone/cable.... some fill and a layer of caution tape.
But I will need to document for the 'property file' the dimensions locating said trench.....since I won't be around 40 years down the road.

 

[Swetz]

Sounds like a good plan, T-town.

Pictures are your friend, but with a power line, they are easily found with the correct equipment.

 

[boone]

I say go for it. I wouldn't mind doing the same, but just being very selective on what jobs I pick.

I had a neighbor stop by couple of weeks ago, knocked on the door. Asked me if that backhoe was mine. He asked what I would charge him to push down his burn pile and smooth out a mysterious mound of dirt in their back yard. It was well away from the septic. He said it's an odd "out of place" mound of dirt. They asked the previous owners of the home what the mound was all about and he said they didn't know what it was.

I told him, 'Sure, I'll stop by Saturday and we'll shave it down and spread the dirt out. No charge, just helping out a neighbor.'

Saturday comes and I call him to tell him I'm on my way. Never heard from him. So, I decide to walk down there and see what I'm getting myself into. He was outside and he said his wife told the previous owners (I think they're family) that I was going to bring a backhoe and we were going to unearth the mound and smooth it down. The previous owners now remembered what was in the pile and recommended we not dig it up. Busted! The neighbor said the pile was the result of a bunch of garbage and unburnable junk. Could be rolled up carpet, mattress springs and who knows what else was piled on top of the ground they pulled dirt from the yard to cover it! The neighbor and his wife were ticked. So, he said he's not sure he wants to fool with it. Fine with me. I told him we could ease into it and I could give it a proper burial, but he's still mulling it over.

I would consider forming an LLC if I decided to do this for real just to protect myself from people I don't know. Good luck. Hope you get lots of work.

 

[aighead]

Thanks @boone that's a crazy story! It wouldn't be too hard to dig a deeper hole but who knows how much crap is in it?!

LLC is probably a good idea...

 

[aighead]

I've taken some notes over the past few weeks, as I'm getting into this. I'll share here. It's not organized very well, yet, but as I take notes I understand what is useful. If you see info, or lacking info, please let me know what is important to track.

It'll be a bit sloppy... Some I'v mentioned previously.

(G and T) Back of yard scrub 240'x8'
Start @1130a 8/15/21
Break 2p back 315p
Break 538p back 600p
Done 645p
5 hours

Half tank of fuel- 50 bucks

Made 300 bucks, not enough. Should be 700. Profit 250, 50/hour. No real maintenance money.
Test pricing for G and T

9/8/2021 (G and T) Start 440p, end 6pm quarter tank of fuel, 5 minute drive over. Loosen some dirt- 10'x3' 10 minutes, smooth out mounds in ditch- 40'x8' 20 minutes, pull big stump 4'x7', 30-50 minutes and stump disposal (probably did preliminary 20 minutes of digging on this, but several weeks earlier), smooth area, not compacted, of stump digout- 15 minutes.

9/11 start at 1015a, added 10 gallons fuel, started with 2/3 tank, ended with just under half tank. Lots of driving, minimal hoeing
3 hrs. Break at 115p- back 215p
Moved lots of dirt to back fence line for a berm- how many trips? 30, for 3/4? Of fence line? Maybe 2/3.
Break 330p to BS with G&T, start 440p quit at 500p

Random livestock disposal-
Cow (Allen, N's friend) or horse (Marilyn, N's friend and John, back yard neighbors), about an hour, plus transport. Quarter tank of fuel. 120 bucks or a big rock, should be 3 big rocks. Should also be dependent on livestock location, ie. how much gross work is there to do?

(N's nephew, Don) Pull a hay baler out of the woods. 2 hours, 2 miles away, 100 bucks and a piece (8" metal wheel {like a steering wheel but small and not used for steering} off the baler. Sketchy job due to putting it on a trailer and wet path, spent lots of time getting unstuck from relatively flat, wet spot. Should have been 200 bucks or some more stuff off the baler (big flywheel!) Bring a ratchet set or drive back later.

 

[cosmaar1]

I've taken some notes over the past few weeks, as I'm getting into this. I'll share here. It's not organized very well, yet, but as I take notes I understand what is useful. If you see info, or lacking info, please let me know what is important to track.

It'll be a bit sloppy... Some I'v mentioned previously.

(G and T) Back of yard scrub 240'x8'
Start @1130a 8/15/21
Break 2p back 315p
Break 538p back 600p
Done 645p
5 hours

Half tank of fuel- 50 bucks

Made 300 bucks, not enough. Should be 700. Profit 250, 50/hour. No real maintenance money.
Test pricing for G and T

9/8/2021 (G and T) Start 440p, end 6pm quarter tank of fuel, 5 minute drive over. Loosen some dirt- 10'x3' 10 minutes, smooth out mounds in ditch- 40'x8' 20 minutes, pull big stump 4'x7', 30-50 minutes and stump disposal (probably did preliminary 20 minutes of digging on this, but several weeks earlier), smooth area, not compacted, of stump digout- 15 minutes.

9/11 start at 1015a, added 10 gallons fuel, started with 2/3 tank, ended with just under half tank. Lots of driving, minimal hoeing
3 hrs. Break at 115p- back 215p
Moved lots of dirt to back fence line for a berm- how many trips? 30, for 3/4? Of fence line? Maybe 2/3.
Break 330p to BS with G&T, start 440p quit at 500p

Random livestock disposal-
Cow (Allen, N's friend) or horse (Marilyn, N's friend and John, back yard neighbors), about an hour, plus transport. Quarter tank of fuel. 120 bucks or a big rock, should be 3 big rocks. Should also be dependent on livestock location, ie. how much gross work is there to do?

(N's nephew, Don) Pull a hay baler out of the woods. 2 hours, 2 miles away, 100 bucks and a piece (8" metal wheel {like a steering wheel but small and not used for steering} off the baler. Sketchy job due to putting it on a trailer and wet path, spent lots of time getting unstuck from relatively flat, wet spot. Should have been 200 bucks or some more stuff off the baler (big flywheel!) Bring a ratchet set or drive back later.

definitely need to make a bit more money.... everytime I fix something on my machine it’s a hundred dollar bill.

 

[aighead]

Only a hundred bucks, huh?