New meat in the hot seat.

[Ryno]

Greetings Ladies and Gentlemen! Brothers and Sisters, countrymen, lend me your ears!

Looks like I'm the new kid in town today and have a few questions that I'd like some straight answers to. Ok, some humor expected.

First a little about me.

I'm in my early thirties looking for a career change.

I'm located in east central Illinois. I was born and raised here, spent about 20 years farming with my old man till we hung it up a few years back. I've been operating heavy farm equipment, trucks, and some construction equipment since I can remember. I've got a couple of years in the sandbox, the rest at the controls.

Honestly, I was operating solo at about 7-8. You can't get away with that these days.

I took up trucking in 2000 after a short career running the big commercial sprayers. Now, I'm basically burnt out of trucking, I've seen the sites, made the long runs, and now this is my local prison:

HELP!

My wife says I'm depressed, but I think that I'm just bored.

I've always had an interest in Heavy Equipment operation and now I want to get involved fulltime. I have some experience as I designed and built a Large Competition Sized BMX track within a Recreation Area that I also assisted in constructing with my father and other friends in the community back in the late 80's and early 90's.

I know I've got what it takes, but what's the best route from here?

School? Which one?

I've got three kids and I need to hit the ground running with expertise. I'm not sure I can spend 5 years with the mom and pop outfits learning the ropes from uncle coonskinner getting paid what I do now.

Any help would be much appreciated! I'm raw, but I'm smart, young, but wise enough to know that I don't know it all. Just because I've played in the dirt some doesn't mean I'm ready to hit the site. Thanks in advance, Ryan.

p.s. Anyone hear of National Heavy Equipment Operator's School?

 

[Steve Frazier]

Welcome to Heavy Equipment Forums!!:drinkup

From the sounds of it, you're going to fit right in around here!!:thumbsup

 

[Ryno]

Welcome to Heavy Equipment Forums!!:drinkup

From the sounds of it, you're going to fit right in around here!!:thumbsup

Thanks Steve, I think I will, but I'm a little discouraged as this post has gotten alot of hits and nothing more than a nice welcome from you. I appreciate that. However, I was looking for some advice from those either at the trigger or from those that own the triggers. I'll be patient, perhaps they just didn't have the time, maybe I'll start a new thread in another section. Thanks again!

 

[Jeff D.]

Ryno,

Welcome.I can understand why you'de get discouraged,with the lack of replies.I would/do also when I don't get responses to something I've posted.

Sometimes questions like yours are hard too answer,though.It's hard to give a guy advice on such a big desicion,without being in your shoes,and knowing your situation better.

Also,(at least I think this happens)a guy/gal will be checking in on a forum,reading post for a while,and get to feeling like they're familiar with the members.Then when they finally join,they hit the ground running,but the members haven't been able to get familiar with them yet.They're not sure what to make of them.

Try not to get discouraged,and keep posting.They'll get a sense of what you're like,and eventually you'll get answers.

I can't help you on your schooling questions,but I can understand your feeling of getting burnt out with the OTR trucking.I did too.I'd never do it again,and wouldn't recommend it to anyone I cared about.It's a tough life.

Take care,and good luck!!:thumbsup

 

[Ryno]

Ryno,

Welcome.I can understand why you'de get discouraged,with the lack of replies.I would/do also when I don't get responses to something I've posted.

Sometimes questions like yours are hard too answer,though.It's hard to give a guy advice on such a big desicion,without being in your shoes,and knowing your situation better.

Also,(at least I think this happens)a guy/gal will be checking in on a forum,reading post for a while,and get to feeling like they're familiar with the members.Then when they finally join,they hit the ground running,but the members haven't been able to get familiar with them yet.They're not sure what to make of them.

Try not to get discouraged,and keep posting.They'll get a sense of what you're like,and eventually you'll get answers.

I can't help you on your schooling questions,but I can understand your feeling of getting burnt out with the OTR trucking.I did too.I'd never do it again,and wouldn't recommend it to anyone I cared about.It's a tough life.

Take care,and good luck!!:thumbsup

Jeff,

Hey, I appreciate your comments here. You make some good points. Dittos on the OTR laments.

These are tough questions for a big decision. My idea was that there are likely to be some running around in here that once made some of the same.

I guess the big question is more about schools.

It's not a question of if I'm making the change, it's more about when, where, and how.

Thanks again!

 

[Jeff D.]

This is just a thought but,
Since you've already a CDL,and experience,maybe you could get a job driving dumptruck,end dump,or belly dump for a larger construction firm,and slowly make the transition into the excavators etc. within that co. when there's a chance.

That could save you having to do the schooling,and it been my experience that there's always jobs involving driving open.

Often times it seems it more of being in the right place at the right time,than anything else.Atleast get yourself into a co. and keep bugging the boss about letting you prove yourself to them,if there's an opening.

It's an idea atleast.

 

[Ryno]

This is just a thought but,
Since you've already a CDL,and experience,maybe you could get a job driving dumptruck,end dump,or belly dump for a larger construction firm,and slowly make the transition into the excavators etc. within that co. when there's a chance.

That could save you having to do the schooling,and it been my experience that there's always jobs involving driving open.

Often times it seems it more of being in the right place at the right time,than anything else.Atleast get yourself into a co. and keep bugging the boss about letting you prove yourself to them,if there's an opening.

It's an idea atleast.

Thanks again for your input.

About 2 and a half years ago I started driving for a local O/O in the middle of winter with the promise of getting dump work. That is what was advertised, but he explained that all that he had till May was dry van and a little tanker work. To make a long story short, he had a few screws loose and I had to leave in May. Come to find out, he's made kind of a name for himself for being a jekel and hyde type, real shifty. So I've been spotting for this small company I'm with now ever since, hoping to make it from the spotting side of the company, onto the farm. They have a huge farm, an awesome do it all shop, and plenty of year around work.

The more I sat and thought about it, I can always farm. In fact I've had farmers come to my house and try to recruit me either in person or through my landlord, but there is no real future with them.

I went to college for a while to become an Architect, so construction has always tugged at me.

I've given alot of thought to this idea and I do have my eyes pealed with one prospect that I'm going to follow up on this week. As I know that I'd be laid off this winter, I'm thinking that the timing might be right to spend about a month at a School in Florida. It would be handy to come back in the spring with an accredited school endorsement to present. Even so, I'm still looking for input and any additional, outside of the school, but inside the industry, information that I can get about them and the industry in general.

They are the National Heavy Equipment Operators School out of the Jacksonville, FL. area.

In addition, I'm interested in looking into other programs, perhaps closer, better, and more widely known and accepted.

I want to hit the ground running and maybe do some traveling to get the right job.

Thanks again for the idea, I might just end up going this route when the dust settles. :thumbsup

 

[Grader4me]

Welcome to the forum Ryan. You just be patient...these guys will give you excellent advice and will help you all that they can:yup

 

[Steve Frazier]

Click on the search icon above and enter "school". I know there were a couple threads running about schools, I think one was in Florida too.

 

[jmac]

Are you interested in starting your own? I owned another company that was doing fine in a completely different industry. Decided I needed a change and bought a skid steer, trailer and truck to do skid steer work part time. Did this when I was almost 40 years old. Advertised in the local paper and picked up enough work to feel good about the investment and my summers started to fill up. 2 years of that and my big brake came when a family member introduced me to a large GC in the area and he gave me my first large site job. Scared me to death that I would not be able to do it but rented dozer and excavator and some other stuff for the summer. Asked allot of questions did allot of research and was able to complete job get paid and buy the dozer and excavator at the end of that summer and put my rental money towards the purchase. That same GC gave me another job and another and then I was able to quote and get other site work jobs from other GC's. You just never know what can happen and like Jeff says rite time rite place. I have reinvested ever penny that I can back into the company and buying stuff every year. I think that I have everything I need to do most jobs and better at quoting and doing them faster with every opportunity that comes my way. The negatives are that as you buy more stuff you put pressure on yourself to get more work to pay your overhead. O by the way I sold my other company and don't look back, move forward only! The point of this long post is that IMO if you want it bad enough and can get some backing and maybe catch a lucky brake you and anybody that wants to can do it. The best part is , I like you enjoy construction work always have, that is the most important part again IMO. I got another 20 years to work might as well have fun doing it!
John

 

[Ryno]

Are you interested in starting your own? I owned another company that was doing fine in a completely different industry. Decided I needed a change and bought a skid steer, trailer and truck to do skid steer work part time. Did this when I was almost 40 years old. Advertised in the local paper and picked up enough work to feel good about the investment and my summers started to fill up. 2 years of that and my big brake came when a family member introduced me to a large GC in the area and he gave me my first large site job. Scared me to death that I would not be able to do it but rented dozer and excavator and some other stuff for the summer. Asked allot of questions did allot of research and was able to complete job get paid and buy the dozer and excavator at the end of that summer and put my rental money towards the purchase. That same GC gave me another job and another and then I was able to quote and get other site work jobs from other GC's. You just never know what can happen and like Jeff says rite time rite place. I have reinvested ever penny that I can back into the company and buying stuff every year. I think that I have everything I need to do most jobs and better at quoting and doing them faster with every opportunity that comes my way. The negatives are that as you buy more stuff you put pressure on yourself to get more work to pay your overhead. O by the way I sold my other company and don't look back, move forward only! The point of this long post is that IMO if you want it bad enough and can get some backing and maybe catch a lucky brake you and anybody that wants to can do it. The best part is , I like you enjoy construction work always have, that is the most important part again IMO. I got another 20 years to work might as well have fun doing it!
John

Thanks John!

After dad and I stopped farming he asked me what he should do now. I said that he ought to find something he loves and enjoy his work. I've always tried to live by that advice. That is why I am at where I'm at.

I took a local job spotting trailers on third shift so that I could basically rest at work because it was dead on thirds and invest in my own ventures during the day. I was making progress and then I was forced to work 60 hrs a week with variant shift schedules because they lost alot of drivers quick, then my best friend and right hand man moved to Belize. Not only did that bring things to a slow trickle, but I got way behind around home. Now I'm on first shift and limited.

I'm getting caught up and looking for a skid steer, or a fair sized tractor with a loader and a three point. I've got a 3/4 ton 4x4 truck, triple axle trailer, and an old Grain truck that I need to finish work on. I would like to start a skid steer service, but I know little about getting started. Any help that you or anyone can afford to give would be invaluable.

Here was/is my overall plan:

I would like to have a variety of services available that would in effect make use of all that I have in experience and equipment. Construction and/or destruction would be premier. I can do landscape, mow and lawn care, clear timber, trim trees, clean up storm damage, clean up farm lots, scrap iron removal, recover and transport vehicles, haul grain and livestock, and remove snow.

I have contacts that would buy any useful timber and I could do well clearing and selling scrape iron back to the junkyard.

The idea is to get busy enough to be self employed with limited overhead by diversifying. Then reinvesting into the areas that are most successful, ultimately buying larger equipment a little at a time as need be.

I'm done working for rich people that don't care and see it as a gift from on high that they give you a little job with no future or benefits to begin with. Technically, I'm unskilled labor, but nothing could be further from the truth.

I've always been entrepreneurial, I was raised that way on the farm. I do my most rewarding work when I'm my own boss. I work hard for everyone, but most employers are thankless, to them you're just another magpie. When you're on your own and do good job the customer let's you know. I have good salesmanship and fine customer service skills. I'm serious about getting the job done right.

So as much as I've outlined a game plan, I'm short on resources. It's a beginning. Meanwhile, I was wanting to get into Heavy Equipment Operation with some accreditation to gain experience and more money to invest in the future, it would also come in handy to fall back on if things were to get slow.

I liked your idea with the renting and then putting that money toward purchase at the end of the year. How did you manage that?

I'll bet you were a little apprehensive, but you knew it was your right time and place break, so you sold out and played your hand. Nice.

Thanks again John and feel free to post long with anything you have to offer. Take Care, Ryan.

 

[Steve Frazier]

Just pay attention at how much money you are spending on rental fees. When the monthly rental fee meets or exceeds the monthly payment to buy, it's time to purchase.

A problem I ran into is trying to cover too many bases. I ended up having tools or equipment sitting idle costing money and not making any. It's nice to be diverse, but it can eat in to profits too.

 

[jmac]

I agree with you Steve it is hard to be jack of all and master of none. You do need a certain base of equipment depending on what you are doing. IMO this is what you start with and progress to the next.

Stage 1) skid steer
Dump trailer
Truck to pull

Stage 2) attachments
Soil condition
Auger
You can rent other attachments as you need them but soil conditioner you need more than one day at time

Stage 3) mini ex and dump truck and equipment trailer
At this point advertise, advertise, advertise, and you should be grossing around 100k per year.

Stage 4) dozer, roller, large excavator.
At this point you should be doing larger site jobs etc and should be grossing 150k to 250k in sales and allot of other issue. LLC, workers comp, disability, payroll, insurance, CDL, print takeoffs, storage of equipment, accountants, attorneys, advertising, and allot more that comes your way.

Take it in steps that you can afford, plow snow in the winter to help pay bills.
Grow at a pace that you gross sales will allow. Get a line of credit at the bank if needed. Contact every builder, GC, builder groups in your area and keep promoting yourself to as many contacts as possible.

I was scared to death when I laid down my hard earned cash on the first piece of equipment and still scared to purchase the last, it is not easy, but nothing ventured nothing gained. Another key is to get in tight with a local Excavator that does trucking. Use him for all your material and ask for advice often. The guy I use call's me a pain in the axx but is willing to help me with stuff I can't do and gave me allot of good advise. He does this because as my business grows he sells more material. He helped me on my first plan take offs, he has pulled me out when I have been stuck, he helped me get my CDL, He has given me job's that are too small for him etc. The wealth of knowledge he has is endless.

I could go on and on but the first step is getting started, insurance, A DBA, checking account and step one will get you started. Always spend money on advertising this is the only way in the beginning you will get jobs. Local newspaper works best IMO.

This is all just my opion and sure many have done differently but get all the advise you can get and sift through it and use what you can.

Oh by the way I can't spell worth a sh*t so sorry for bad grammar.

 

[Ryno]

I agree with you Steve it is hard to be jack of all and master of none. You do need a certain base of equipment depending on what you are doing. IMO this is what you start with and progress to the next.

Stage 1) skid steer
Dump trailer
Truck to pull

Stage 2) attachments
Soil condition
Auger
You can rent other attachments as you need them but soil conditioner you need more than one day at time

Stage 3) mini ex and dump truck and equipment trailer
At this point advertise, advertise, advertise, and you should be grossing around 100k per year.

Stage 4) dozer, roller, large excavator.
At this point you should be doing larger site jobs etc and should be grossing 150k to 250k in sales and allot of other issue. LLC, workers comp, disability, payroll, insurance, CDL, print takeoffs, storage of equipment, accountants, attorneys, advertising, and allot more that comes your way.

Take it in steps that you can afford, plow snow in the winter to help pay bills.
Grow at a pace that you gross sales will allow. Get a line of credit at the bank if needed. Contact every builder, GC, builder groups in your area and keep promoting yourself to as many contacts as possible.

I was scared to death when I laid down my hard earned cash on the first piece of equipment and still scared to purchase the last, it is not easy, but nothing ventured nothing gained. Another key is to get in tight with a local Excavator that does trucking. Use him for all your material and ask for advice often. The guy I use call's me a pain in the axx but is willing to help me with stuff I can't do and gave me allot of good advise. He does this because as my business grows he sells more material. He helped me on my first plan take offs, he has pulled me out when I have been stuck, he helped me get my CDL, He has given me job's that are too small for him etc. The wealth of knowledge he has is endless.

I could go on and on but the first step is getting started, insurance, A DBA, checking account and step one will get you started. Always spend money on advertising this is the only way in the beginning you will get jobs. Local newspaper works best IMO.

This is all just my opion and sure many have done differently but get all the advise you can get and sift through it and use what you can.

Oh by the way I can't spell worth a sh*t so sorry for bad grammar.

John, you can misspell and botch grammar all you want with encouragement and advice like this. I appreciate all the help you, Steve, and others are affording. I just finished one of 'those discussions' with my wife about all I have in mind. Thanks to this site and all the fine posts I'm in the green with a go. I was able to show her what's up in here, she read through, we discussed it further, and she's feeling alot better about it all. That's priceless! :yup

I'm headed into phase one once I acquire a skid steer. Any suggestions?
I'm thinking I'd like an older affordable outfit. I'm mechanical, so working on one is actually desirable at this point. I like to know my machines. It needs to be compatible and versatile

What is one of the all around best units in the economy class?

 

[Ryno]

Welcome to the forum Ryan. You just be patient...these guys will give you excellent advice and will help you all that they can:yup

Thanks for the welcome! It's coming to pass.

 

[Steve Frazier]

Take a look at the skid steer forum, there are comments on a number of different brands. If you don't see what you are looking for, start a thread there.