How can i estimate a pond?

[Marroquin Machinery]

Good afternoon,

I am doing a 0.39 acres pond with 8feet depth taking out around 4,000 cubic yards of dirt and moving it less than a half mile away, (transportation cost is not on me) how can i estimate a price for it or how much should i ask?

Thank you!!

 

[skyking1]

I need a whole lot more information to even wing it. How big an excavator? How big a trucks how many trucks?
What are the conditions, do you have to do any road work to get the trucks in and out?
You say hauling cost is not on you, but you have to get those trucks to you to load them.
If you don't figure that out right, they might say yeah sure load the trucks down on this end and you've end up tossing that dirt all the way down there if it's too soft to support the trucks.

 

[Marroquin Machinery]

Excuse me for not provide enough information.

We will be using an 160g excavator (20ton) and an 700k Dozer (16ton) and we will be using two 18cubic yard dump trucks.

It’s not necessary to do any road for the trucks.

Thanks!!

 

[skyking1]

I figure 12 minute round on those trucks, hauling about 15 yards. The 160 can easily keep up.
That'll be 150 yards an hour. 1200 yards a day.
3.5 days to move the dirt and a half a day to shape it with the dozer.
That would be just one operator, because there's no reason a little pond like that to have a guy sitting on the dozer watching you bail.

 

[Marroquin Machinery]

Thanks for that Information!!!

So how much do you think i can charge them per cubic yard? i don’t work hourly.

Thanks again!!

 

[skyking1]

You'll have to figure that out I don't know what your costs are I gave you machine hours That's the language I speak.

 

[cosmaar1]

Thanks for that Information!!!

So how much do you think i can charge them per cubic yard? i don’t work hourly.

Thanks again!!

Don’t forget you have all of the inflow and outflow pipes, catch basins, etc.

If a dock is needed now is the time for that also.

What about the mess cleanup after? Are you responsible for landscaping, reseeding, etc.?

 

[joe--h]

Skyking says 3.5 days, but as you don't know what you're doing you're not going to match that time. How much longer I have no idea, but add some hours to cover your ass.
Joe H

 

[CM1995]

Thanks for that Information!!!

So how much do you think i can charge them per cubic yard? i don’t work hourly.

Thanks again!!

Welcome to the Forums MM! Glad to have you.

I have to ask if you don't work by the hour then why do you not know how to price a unit price or lump sum job?

There are three basic ways to price a job -

By the hour - set price for each machine and owner takes the risk

Unit price - set price per CY and other items. Excavator can make money if they are efficient and owner has a known cost

Lump sum price - This is my preferred method as we make more money this way. This usually involves material, labor and equipment. There is more risk on the excavator and the least risk on the owner but more money for the contractor to make if they know how to put a bid together. Owners tend to prefer this as it's easier to budget a project but not always the cheapest cost.

You are the only one that knows how efficient your company is at moving a CY of dirt, your overhead, mobilization costs and most importantly the profit you need to make.

We can give you all the production numbers for the equipment spread you want to use in the ground conditions you are moving but the final $$ numbers are up to you.

 

[aighead]

I'm always fascinated with the pond threads... I have a tiny pond, as seen in my avatar over there <--- and I've taken some stabs in the dark as to what it would cost me to do it up right. It already exists with an overflow drain, a shape I like, and a size I'm happy with, but it's only about 4-5 feet deep and it leaks a lot. I'm planning on just plopping a pump in the creek to harvest some water now and then to keep the level up (apparently what the previous owner did) but really I'd like to make it much deeper and line it.

My completely uneducated guess, with me doing as much work as I can with the backhoe (neighbor has a bulldozer he is fixing up and is willing to help also) and time is not an issue, is about $10k. I can dump all waste in my yard somewhere. I'd like clay lining but that adds substantial cost and equipment and operators I don't have, so I expect to put a vinyl liner in. No idea if my guess is good.

 

[cosmaar1]

I'm always fascinated with the pond threads... I have a tiny pond, as seen in my avatar over there <--- and I've taken some stabs in the dark as to what it would cost me to do it up right. It already exists with an overflow drain, a shape I like, and a size I'm happy with, but it's only about 4-5 feet deep and it leaks a lot. I'm planning on just plopping a pump in the creek to harvest some water now and then to keep the level up (apparently what the previous owner did) but really I'd like to make it much deeper and line it.

My completely uneducated guess, with me doing as much work as I can with the backhoe (neighbor has a bulldozer he is fixing up and is willing to help also) and time is not an issue, is about $10k. I can dump all waste in my yard somewhere. I'd like clay lining but that adds substantial cost and equipment and operators I don't have, so I expect to put a vinyl liner in. No idea if my guess is good.

I’m currently in the middle of a 3 year effort to build my 3/4 acre pond. Lots of trees taken down and whatnot. Due to higher prices now I’ve estimated it to cost around 8k. This includes renting a dozer, materials, dock, etc. My property is mostly clay, so all material is onsite.

Personally I would not do the liner. If you were ever to need to clean it out, bye bye liner. You would be better off trucking in some clay locally and doing it right.

 

[aighead]

I totally agree with you but my instincts are if I don't do a liner it'll never be a thing. The liner is a shortcut for me and even at that I don't know if it'll ever get done. Really, I just want a natural swimming pond and the water in there right now seems sketchy. I did just buy a pump to keep it a bit fuller with creek water but we'll see how that goes too. We've got clay but I don't think the concentration is high enough. We'll see, it's a big project that certainly doesn't have to happen.

 

[skyking1]

It is the long way around, but you could barter backhoe services for the trucking and clay to line your pond. It is the long view. Sometimes it works