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  1. R

    IUOE 542 apprenticeship

    542 is just plain hard to get in to. I'm an independent sitework/ UG utility estimator, I have a few companies I work for that are non-union, but do prevailing wage work almost exclusively. Maybe that's an option for you. One of my clients who does public water and sewer is looking for qualified...
  2. R

    Small Company using estimating software.

    Send me a PM, I'm quite sure I can help you
  3. R

    Bidding on land clearing

    If you are in PA, go onto the Pennsylvania Game Commission website under procurement. Lots of clearing jobs on there. I would suggest reviewing past bid results to see where your numbers need to be to be competitive.
  4. R

    Hardest piece of equipment and favorite

    Cat 12 grader was the hardest to learn, but I had an easy job to learn on, I had to maintain miles of haul roads at a landfill, took me a summer, but I got fairly proficient on it. Most fun was a 973 track loader, but the machine I was best on was an open cab 8N, spent thousands of hours on it
  5. R

    Moral Delema, need advice Please

    Morally speaking, and to keep my reputation intact, I'd eat the cost of the new one. But I'd sure show him the receipt for the replacement, and if this guy is even half a human being, he'd throw something in to help cover the incident, unfortunate as it was. I don't even know you, but if I was...
  6. R

    Subdivision Construction Topsoil Question

    if'n it be a 10 lot subdivision, and has maybe 900 foot of road terminating in a Cul De Sac, I'll strip the road and try to put the topsoil in 3 or 4 convenient piles close to the road, easy to load out when the time comes. I'm not willing to push dirt with blade more than a couple hundred feet...
  7. R

    Subdivision Construction Topsoil Question

    Sometimes, but not often, the developer will write in the scope of work what is to be done with the topsoil. Most of the times, as the estimator, it will be up to my discretion, and developer can either agree, disagree or provide an alternative. Most times, and if you have the room, it gets...
  8. R

    Livestock dugout cleanout question.

    yes, I would give yourself some additional time to flatten out those spoil piles. depending on how dry they really are, you could do the whole job with just a blade, or just a hoe. personally, I'd bid it with two machines, figuring one of them's gonna get stuck at some point in time:)
  9. R

    Livestock dugout cleanout question.

    Hey Chris, A picture is great, but still leads me to some questions. Is the standing water 6" deep or 3' deep? does it have any type of a hard bottom to it? What is the depth of the muck you anticipate getting out of there? Just off the top of my head, I'd dig a sump hole in the corner...
  10. R

    Engineers and dirt balance

    Any unbalanced earthwork is apparent as soon as I run the cuts and fills. Some sites just can't be balanced because they are bordered by existing hard structure on 2,3 or 4 sides, and they are what they are. Plenty of other factors can come into play such as getting sewer and water to leave the...
  11. R

    Hard to deal with noise complaints need help

    If it were me, I wouldn't make any calls about getting an assessment done. I'd get a 200.00 sound meter meter from Graingers, walk over to the property line & hold it up in the air. That way you'll have one on site and can test the sound level anytime you please.
  12. R

    Hard to deal with noise complaints need help

    If you are properly permitted, which it sounds like you are. I'd also assume you're in an industrial/ agriculture zoned area as well. Personally, I'd look into the township or county ordinances for your particular zoned area and see if they have a maximum decibel allowance. I'd then get a...
  13. R

    would you get involved?

    CM, as far as why would anyone in their right mind sign it, I believe it's an act of desperation. As an estimator for 21 years I have been involved with this situation about 10 or 11 times. I can recall where more than a few were very willing to sign. If the builder or developer got taken by an...
  14. R

    would you get involved?

    After reading some of the responses, I can easily see why some would want to run away from this job, especially smaller contractors. But I'm still of the opinion that I'd get involved, and would relish the opportunity. If the guys got money, someone's going to do the job. And if I knew that I...
  15. R

    would you get involved?

    The only way I'd get involved is if the owner hired an engineer with agricultural expertise and made a recommendation with his stamp on it. Fair and reasonable people have been known to sue people before. If things still didn't go right the second time around, you could still get dragged into a...
  16. R

    Becoming an operator for a utility company?

    To go from a beginner to an operator for a major utility is both a steep slope and a long journey. Those big utility companies seem to be a little touchy about who they want in the seat while digging through a maze of super high voltage wiring. They usually get the best of the best. it...
  17. R

    Prefab bridge idea

    If I was going with the flat bed idea, I'd have a 2' x 4' x 12' footer on both sides, and pin the bed to it. I'd also add some R-4 scour protection.
  18. R

    New Upcoming Heavy Equipment Operator

    Just a quick look at their website and a handful of very negative reviews I read would be enough to raise a red flag to me. Not in any way saying the reviews are true or false, and there's always going to be someone who went there and felt slighted, but where there's smoke, there's usually...
  19. R

    Anyone work with other excavators?

    Hey Rick, I would define a rock clause as a contractual provision for a pre-determined course of action in the event that you hit rock. Many times further defined as boulders/ bulk rock/ ripable rock/ bed rock drill & shoot/ trench rock/ mechanical breaking. Clauses aren't really a part of...
  20. R

    Anyone work with other excavators?

    We're talking about two different things. I had implied that when you are working under another excavator's " umbrella " , subcontracted to them, when you hit rock, it's on the excavator who hired you. Unless they would ask for a unit # up front for rock. ( which I have never seen , nor would I...
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