Demolition, clearing and grading

[Landclearer]

Thanks guys. I was happy with the end product. I dug that pool again in the spring at a different neighborhood about 40 miles away from the first one.

 

[Landclearer]

A few pics of a lot I cleared a couple weeks ago. Pretty big for a residential lot around here. Had plenty of room to bring the grinder in. We also filled it and in a week or so have to come back in and fill the inside of the foundation in lifts.

 

[JNB]

Nice clean work once again. Always enjoy the pics!

 

[Landclearer]

Thanks JNB. I appreciate that. I also just took a look at your we site, very nice work you do. Again it is nice to see someone taking pride in their work.

Chris

 

[CM1995]

Looks like a fun project, neat and clean. Is that your feller buncher?

How well does the Peterson handle those palms?

I could use some of that sandy topsoil to cover up some nasty stuff down here.

 

[Landclearer]

Hey CM, yes that is our buncher. We have a Fecon mulcher for it as well. The Peterson does great on the he palms. I don't think I have ever choked it on a palm. If we have a lot of them to grind, I will put the 6 inch screens in it. I am sure we could import some of our topsoil for you!

 

[AlldayRJ]

Wow that pool is a monster. Is that final grade all done with the dozer on the house lot? Ive never ran one. Very nice

 

[Landclearer]

Allday, yes that was a big pool, I think I have only done one bigger but not by much. I did the grading on the lot with a dozer then rolled it. I am lucky, I get to operate all kinds of stuff so I never get bored.

 

[Landclearer]

I finished this clearing job last week. I think we are going to wind up hauling out 11 or 12 loads of logs. I was the buncher, excavator, trackloader, grinder and chainsaw operator on this job.

First pic is a big red oak stump, see the saw on top of the stump. This was one of many.

 

[Hitachi225]

Looks good! How many acres was the project? Were you running 4" screens on the grinder? do you guys re -use or re sell the mulch or leave it for the developer to deal with?

 

[CM1995]

I was the buncher, excavator, trackloader, grinder and chainsaw operator on this job.

I feel ya'!:drinkup

However there is quite a sense of accomplishment when you can look back over the job knowing you did it right by yourself. The rip-rap ditch job I did was the same way, did it by myself. Funny, that was the most profitable job I did last year.

Do you mainly do just clearing and demo? Or do ya'll also do the grading?

There is a hole in the Birmingham market for clearing contractors that can harvest the timber and handle the debris, the debris being the biggest issue. Any grading contractor can clear a site whether the trees have been harvested or not but the amount of debris to dispose of is the issue. We can burn from Oct to the end of May. The county in which I am located in has very little restrictions (other than the state burn ban) on burning, just pile it up and let it go. The county that Birmingham is located in requires a trench burner, inspections, etc like I posted in my thread.

Since construction is a year-round process in our neck of the woods, that leaves several months of the year where getting rid of the green debris is a headache. Small sites no problem, just load and haul it to a brush dump. Larger sites obviously create an issue.

The way I see it is you have to either be a large company in order to own, operate and most importantly make money with a grinder. Having multiple crews - one can clear the site, go on the next one and then the grading and pipe crews come in. It doesn't make $$ sense to me, as a small contractor, to own a grinder for what I do, unless that is what I focus on. Such an expensive piece of equipment needs to be earning billable hours.

I could see myself being a clearing only contractor, well demo too. My right hand guy cut his teeth in the woods and knows a lot about timber, sizing, market value, etc.

Do you sell your chips for boiler fuel and/or pulp? Do you haul the chips or contract it out?

 

[Landclearer]

Thanks! It was about 5 acres but it was not continuos. I was running 3 inch hex screens. We have a guy that hauls it for boiler fuel and we also regrind it and sell it for landscaping.

 

[CM1995]

Hitachi225 beat me to the punch while I was replying.

 

[Landclearer]

CM, I really don't mind working by myself. Like you said, it makes you feel good when you look back and see what you did by yourself.

I think I would say we do 40% clearing 40% grading and 20% demo.

You are lucky about the burning. Not many places you can burn around here anymore. Other than a farm cleanup job we did, we have not burned a job in 10 years. We had to grind because if you don't grind, you don't clear around here. If you did clear and pile something and tried to hire a grinding contract to come in, he would kill you on the price. Dump fees are out of sight so like I said, you have grind to clear.

We are unique because one day we might be clearing and next grading and we don't have many people. I think we are always busy because we do so much but that means you need a lot of equipment.

As for the chips, the only chips we haul is what we are going to make into landscape mulch out of. We could haul our own but that means another truck, another diver and more headaches.

If you ever decide to jump into clearing and need a grinder, I would be more than happy to talk to up you about them and give some insight and opinions.

Chris

 

[Fastdirt]

Oh those mulch piles under the conveyor remind of a job I had in my 20's working for a clearing contractor. I ran a 963 pushing those piles out from underneath a Diamond Z grinder all day. Open cab and sawdust in my eyes, ears, shirt collar etc. It was very itchy. Also my buddy's family clears for Georgia Power and they use those tracked machines like yours. Those must be the new way these days. We had to make roads for the Diamond Z and use a Military tractor to get it to the piles. Maybe that has changed but it could be the tub grinders will do more than those you feed I would think. I'm just not up on it these days. We sure ate up some acres in a days work, but that was after D8's piled it all up. Your pics are great and I love that you run all the machines, saw, and control it all. It sounds ideal really as long as you have your health. Obviously you are not a lazy man.


The pool pics were great. I got a similar big commercial coming up and am looking forward to it.

Very nice gear. Thanks for putting the saw in the pic for scale. Without a reference you just can't tell size of stumps. It's like fishing stories

 

[Landclearer]

Fastdirt, I feel for you. Pushing down mulch piles with an open can is no fun. I have run Morbark tubs and to be honest, I would not trade the tracked Peterson. The tubs can handle huge stumps without any processing but tree length stuff and palms are a problem. With the 300 Volvo, breaking down the stumps is not a problem. With the tracked machine, no need to push down the mulch, just move the machine up.

I bet you are looking forward to doing a big pool. I can see how tight some of the pools are you do and it would be a nice change to actually have a little room to work. Be sure to post some pics!

As for the stump,I figured in better put the saw in there or like you said it would be a fish story.

 

[contractchaser]

Landclearer- I'm in South Florida, granted a quite a few mile away from you. But I was wondering, what are you guys charging per acre on small sites say 1-2 acres to clear?

 

[Landclearer]

Contractchaser, it all depends on the site, ground conditions and what is on it. With that said $7000-$10,000 per acre. Hope that helps.

 

[CM1995]

CM, I really don't mind working by myself. Like you said, it makes you feel good when you look back and see what you did by yourself.

I think I would say we do 40% clearing 40% grading and 20% demo.

You are lucky about the burning. Not many places you can burn around here anymore. Other than a farm cleanup job we did, we have not burned a job in 10 years. We had to grind because if you don't grind, you don't clear around here. If you did clear and pile something and tried to hire a grinding contract to come in, he would kill you on the price. Dump fees are out of sight so like I said, you have grind to clear.

We are unique because one day we might be clearing and next grading and we don't have many people. I think we are always busy because we do so much but that means you need a lot of equipment.

As for the chips, the only chips we haul is what we are going to make into landscape mulch out of. We could haul our own but that means another truck, another diver and more headaches.

If you ever decide to jump into clearing and need a grinder, I would be more than happy to talk to up you about them and give some insight and opinions.

Chris

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions in detail.

There might come a day I take you up on the offer, we're far enough away not to be competition.

 

[nedly05]

Nice looking work, I was always interested in the grinder business, I think its something I took to when I lived in Florida. Your equipment and trucks are beautiful. What are the specs on the little pete? Do you have to deal with snakes a lot? Seems like you would see a lot of rattlers in those woods.