Telecom/Cell tower site work, are they all this big of a cluster?

So I ended up getting approached to have a cell tower built on my property, it all ended up coming together and its currently under construction. Over the course of the leasing process I made it clear that if anything were to get subbed out I wanted right of first refusal for the site work that was to be done, long story short I put together a bid for the access road based on the cocktail napkin drawings and "we're covering out asses" specs that the "Engineers" put together via google earth and never having set foot on the site. It was on the high side but it was a literal translation of their specs, soil stabilization, and doing it right and left a clause open to how it was being bid and if they deemed materials and practices to be more cost effective we could pursue cost savings based on their discretion. Didn't get the job and the next thing I know there's a Bobcat tracked skidsteer, beat up komatsu mini hoe, and a rental Cat 315 w/ a back fill blade in my back yard and the biggest **** show I've witnessed in quite awhile commenced. The access road was 1200' long working in a 30' ROW and was supposed to have a 15' base and 12' top. The tower area was 100x120. My biggest concern leading up to this was having someone local end up with it and having all of the topsoil disappear. This proved to be unfounded because these guys weren't even smart enough to strip it to begin with. My measure for half assed used to be a farmer with an excavator or a logger with a dozer, but its been solidly beat out with Telecom and a 315 with a back fill blade now. After they destroyed 1/3 of the tower site I finally hollered loud enough to get the remaining topsoil stripped and saved which they're now burning up to clean up the rest of the mess they made. I don't think I've seen one thing that didn't have every corner cut or done totally half assed due to laziness or simply stupidity at this point. This leads to my question, anyone familiar with this industry, is this how they all go? For how little there is to these things I'm amazed that the design, engineering, and construction can be this much of a cluster, just straight up boggles my mind.

The other guy came in cheaper. Isn't that how it always works?
We had a tower built on our property a couple years ago . 30 year lease. 1300/month with 3% increase every year. What kind of deal you get?

I turned down a tower for $600 / month 25 year lease. And I had to pay for a commercial liability policy. Move along Verizon...

It all goes to the lowest bidder and you get what ya pay for. If the contractor is from out of state, things can be worse since they may not be familiar with local conditions. Any competent contractor should know that the topsoil should be stripped regardless.

[QUOTE="Silveroddo, post: . My measure for half assed used to be a farmer with an excavator .[/QUOTE]

Hey now, I resemble that quote... And yes, that's probably a pretty good indicator because I can flat destroy some stuff.

You know, I was asked years ago about having a tower. I asked them if us being 1/4 mile right off the end of the airport runway might be an issue? Took them a few weeks to come back with a "Yup, won't work.". I'm like really, you had to go ask? Sounds like they aren't any better now.

skata said:

The other guy came in cheaper. Isn't that how it always works?
We had a tower built on our property a couple years ago . 30 year lease. 1300/month with 3% increase every year. What kind of deal you get?

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Our local rates are about half of that, I'm getting $100 more a month than the guy next door thats had one up for 20 years. Its not great but its better than a poke in the eye, its also on a piece of land that didn't have any real value or any way to generate revenue so once this circus is over I probably won't have any complaints. It was also that or let it end up on the neighbors and still have to look at it and not get paid, lol.
I think the thing that surprises me the most is that its an engineered and inspected job and the works thats been turned out doesn't meet spec or drawings and its literally the worst I've ever seen. I was there when they proof rolled it and had to explain to their inspector why the pipe that was installed high on the low side and low on the high side wasn't going to do anything but create another mosquito hatchery. Apparently literally showing him where and how the water flowed and what the high and low sides were wasn't enough, I got a follow up phone call that afternoon because there was still confusion.

redneckracin said:

It all goes to the lowest bidder and you get what ya pay for. If the contractor is from out of state, things can be worse since they may not be familiar with local conditions. Any competent contractor should know that the topsoil should be stripped regardless.

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They're from out of state, and straight up morons. I told their project manager that the guy running the job would be running the remote on a whacker packer on any job I've ever been on. We also went rounds on the topsoil because they tried to tell me they did strip it and didn't build on it, to which I asked "If they stripped it, where is it?" I got crickets on the other end.

How big of a tower? While I'd like the income I can't imagine having a big ol' tower out back. I'm currently about a mile and a half from like 7 pretty good sized radio (presumably) towers that I see in my eastern horizon (along with the dump about a half mile past that!) and they make the wife crazy with their random light blinkings.

While not a cell tower, I have several power lines and gas lines running through my property. When you sign to give them the 'right of way' agreement (some were done before I purchased it 35 years ago) they act like they own it and can do what they want, when they want. It's like the document doesn't exist! I continually have trouble, cutting trees(out of right of way) and more, leaving messes that I have to clean up, but they know their lawyers are bigger than your lawyers. It's very frustrating when you own and pay for land and don't get the respect that is deserved. They shake there head 'yes' when your telling them, then do whatever! Probably whispering 'F*** him' and laughing as you walk away!

Pretty hard to argue when there isn't a pile there!

The people who commission the building of and own the towers are the problem. They don't care about issues around the tower, just get it built and producing revenue as fast as possible. Some of my previous customers used to complain that they don't like to pay their bills on time either. I know of a couple of companies that just change their business model and quit dealing with them just to stay in business.

We have three cell sites on our ranch. The access road is about 1200 ft. When Sprint first came in in 2000, I specified base rock from a local quarry that I knew was good stuff. When Cingular now ATT came in they laid a fabric down and spread a few inches of some kind of sandy granite material over it. Really hard to grade, fabric comes up. When Verizon came in I tried to specify a limestone topping that comes from some distance. The engineers put their heads together and came up with the same sort of sandy granite material that doesn't stay packed. The sand all washes into the field below. It seems like engineers don't know what to use on a road that will not be paved.

These are "stealth sites" in a coastal zone on 12' towers on a hill. We get $2-$3000 per month for each site.

TomA said:

We have three cell sites on our ranch. The access road is about 1200 ft. When Sprint first came in in 2000, I specified base rock from a local quarry that I knew was good stuff. When Cingular now ATT came in they laid a fabric down and spread a few inches of some kind of sandy granite material over it. Really hard to grade, fabric comes up. When Verizon came in I tried to specify a limestone topping that comes from some distance. The engineers put their heads together and came up with the same sort of sandy granite material that doesn't stay packed. The sand all washes into the field below. It seems like engineers don't know what to use on a road that will not be paved.

These are "stealth sites" in a coastal zone on 12' towers on a hill. We get $2-$3000 per month for each site.

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That's a good deal. You could live off having a few tower leases. It's nice have those checks come every month. I wish I had another property that they would put a tower on. Though the tower I have now is 100 feet and has space for total of 4 carriers. And if other carriers come on, it would add I think 200 month for each additional carrier.

2-3k is nuts! Well done!