I am trying to decide on a garage/pole barn for my house that is 24 x
Define 'small tractor', please. Sounds like a lot of dirt to move. Don't forget you also need to dig out for the slab/footers and such, not to mention any grading for the driveway and apron to make them driveable and self-draining. Rather than risk killing a borrowed tractor, I'd either hire the dirt work done, or at least rent the proper equipment. Lotsa freelance backhoe guys out there- it may be cheaper than you think, especially if you can be flexible about when the work gets done. And if you have never done dirt work, it ain't as easy at it looks. Along with getting all the grades right, you have to be able to 'read' the dirt as you go, to make sure it is all tamped down so you don't get sinkholes after the first rain. I'm no expert, but I know enough about it to know having experience makes a difference. (I grew up in residential construction, so watching Big Yellow Iron was a favorite pastime of my misspent youth.)
aem sends....
My father has a 40 horse power Mahindra tractor.
Last January I needed to level a 40'x40' area so we could build our new house. Like you, our building site was about 1-2 feet higher on the top end of the slope. I called every excavator in the phone book. Half never answered my call, others never returned my messages, some said the job was "too small", and the remainders who did say they were interested never bothered to show up. With little time to waste I decided to rent a Bobcat (skid steer loader) and try leveling it myself.
The time of year meant the conditions were wet and muddy, and I had never used a Bobcat before. I'm sure a professional with a small cat could have leveled the site in a few hours or less. It took me a day and a half, but even with the delivery and pickup charges it cost me less than the lowest bid I had received. I was surprised by how much the loaders big tires just spun in the wet mud. Made it much harder to level. And, I got the loader stuck at least twice when I got off into some deeper mud. Had to use the bucket to kind of "pull" myself out. But, in the end I got the site leveled, I learned something new, and I had a blast driving that machine around all day.
We poured the footings and foundation walls on top of the leveled ground, so I did not need to dig out trenches for footings or anything.
About 6 months later, when it was time to backfill, I didn't even bother calling an excavator. I rented the bobcat and backfilled myself. It turned out rather nice, and again, I had a blast. The ground was a lot drier this time around, and I had a little experience under my belt, so the backfilling went much smoother.
Next summer I'll need to have some more dirt brought in to fill in spots that have settled since backfilling. Not sure if I'll rent the bobcat again, or whether I'll rent something with a rototiller. We'll see...
Anthony
When you get ready to top dress, see if you can find someone who rents a Harley power rake with a skid steer or tractor.
is 24 x
ways to
front
cut out
between
our new
the top end
never
the job was
had never
could have
half, but
the lowest
tires just
the loader
site
leveled ground,
even bother
drier this
in spots
bobcat
see...
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.