A new Backhoeing Venture!

[Finca SDR]

I help out the neighbors too, but payment is always beer and a hand when needed. An extra hand at a much needed point is worth a lot, at least 2 me as I dont have ne 1 2 help out with the heavy stuff.

That's good to cultivate those relationships with buddies and neighbors. But by the same token I think it's important to cultivate people you hire for odd jobs here and there. If one has land to work occasionally they'll need a farmhand. And then you can take them to work on jobs off the farm, if one does contracting or landscaping or whatever and needs a helper.

Sorry to get off topic again

 

[Swetz]

In Spanish they say "at the blacksmiths house there's wooden knives"

LOL!!!

 

[Willie B]

I, on the other hand am addicted. I like to dig. Didn't get enough sandbox time as a child. Furthermore, I need a way to put conduit underground. I see two great challenges:
What is underground I want to avoid damaging?
How do I repair it to look like I never was there?
Locating requires a $10,000. tool.
Restoring to perfection would require hand tools, or Very expensive machines. Raking/rock picking hours exceed digging /filling.
While no two jobs are alike, some things are constant: Every customer wants to know to the penny what the final job will cost. In every case, it must be cheap. After the excavation is complete, there better be grass better than before & NO pebbles on the lawn.
Oh, the driveway gravel must color match the rest of the driveway.

In my opinion, Chinese, women, fussy old men, ALL ethnic groups, gays .................however they identify, everybody is an impossible excavation customer. ALL will treat their lawn as "the old women of both sexes" treat their floors.

"only dig up my lawn if it is flawless 1 minute later! Whatever you do, don't step on the floors."

 

[Finca SDR]

I, on the other hand am addicted. I like to dig. Didn't get enough sandbox time as a child. Furthermore, I need a way to put conduit underground. I see two great challenges:
What is underground I want to avoid damaging?
How do I repair it to look like I never was there?
Locating requires a $10,000. tool.
Restoring to perfection would require hand tools, or Very expensive machines. Raking/rock picking hours exceed digging /filling.
While no two jobs are alike, some things are constant: Every customer wants to know to the penny what the final job will cost. In every case, it must be cheap. After the excavation is complete, there better be grass better than before & NO pebbles on the lawn.
Oh, the driveway gravel must color match the rest of the driveway.

In my opinion, Chinese, women, fussy old men, ALL ethnic groups, gays .................however they identify, everybody is an impossible excavation customer. ALL will treat their lawn as "the old women of both sexes" treat their floors.

"only dig up my lawn if it is flawless 1 minute later! Whatever you do, don't step on the floors."

Yeah... I just try to be clear with my customers expectations, tell them it's gonna make a mess, and I charge by the hour. Cleanup is expensive if they want me to do it but I can bring guys if they want.

 

[Willie B]

Yeah... I just try to be clear with my customers expectations, tell them it's gonna make a mess, and I charge by the hour. Cleanup is expensive if they want me to do it but I can bring guys if they want.

I think my world is different from yours.
Anyone I bring with me, I am responsible for. I must have workmen's comp insurance. The work I usually do, OSHA would be hard pressed to find, but laborers are non existent. Beggars stand in a sea of help wanted signs. When it's down to hand work it's me & Seth.