# What would $20,000 buy me?



## bobcaygeonjon (Aug 30, 2007)

HI, I'm a Mason who is going to build his own house in Ontario, hopefully breaking ground early 2009. So there is going to be a lot of excavation with the basement, septic, ground source heat and landscaping and I have been thinking of buying and running my own excavator which I could later use as a part of my business. I have ran an ecavator before but not for about ten years. 
So I'm looking for opinions. should I just forget it and hire someone or can I just hire the machine and run it or what could I buy for lets say $20,000. (am I dreaming)?
Thanks


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## jmic (Dec 10, 2005)

bobcaygeonjon said:


> HI, I'm a Mason who is going to build his own house in Ontario, hopefully breaking ground early 2009. So there is going to be a lot of excavation with the basement, septic, ground source heat and landscaping and I have been thinking of buying and running my own excavator which I could later use as a part of my business. I have ran an ecavator before but not for about ten years.
> So I'm looking for opinions. should I just forget it and hire someone or can I just hire the machine and run it or what could I buy for lets say $20,000. (am I dreaming)?
> Thanks


 Think about taking one out for a monthly rental, getting all your work done and sending it back. You'll be way ahead of the game. I don't think 20K will buy you much, and I'm sure what ever you find for that kind of money will be a mechanical nightmare. :w00t:


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## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

jmic said:


> Think about taking one out for a monthly rental, getting all your work done and sending it back. You'll be way ahead of the game. I don't think 20K will buy you much, and I'm sure what ever you find for that kind of money will be a mechanical nightmare. :w00t:


I agree, you can rent a machine for a month for under $5,000 plus fuel. The only problem is having the liabilty insurance to rent the equipment.


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

Sound advice.


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## backhoe1 (Mar 30, 2007)

depends on how mechanical you are, $20,000 could buy an older, smaller machine that maybe needs some TLC. You would definitely want to make sure the major components were in good shape.


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## dirt diggler (May 14, 2006)

keep in mind ... you need a way to mobe your equipment ...


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## dougchips (Apr 23, 2006)

dirt diggler said:


> keep in mind ... you need a way to mobe your equipment ...


Move it to the left....just one key. (mobe)


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## bobcaygeonjon (Aug 30, 2007)

Thanks for all your replys so far. 
I dont know anything about excavator size etc but in my head I was thinking of a small machine that I can tow with lets say a F-250 but big enough to dig basements in soft ground. Dont want to be ripping throough rocks. Could you give me an idea of the name or category of such a machine so I can do a search? Being a mason it would be a great tool to have. I am asked to do a lot of hard landscaping work. 
So lets say $20,000 isnt enough. How much should I be looking at?

Or am I still dreaming?:sleeping:

How about I buy 20 shovels and drive round the HD car park?


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## jmic (Dec 10, 2005)

bobcaygeonjon said:


> Thanks for all your replys so far.
> I dont know anything about excavator size etc but in my head I was thinking of a small machine that I can tow with lets say a F-250 but big enough to dig basements in soft ground. Dont want to be ripping throough rocks. Could you give me an idea of the name or category of such a machine so I can do a search? Being a mason it would be a great tool to have. I am asked to do a lot of hard landscaping work.
> So lets say $20,000 isnt enough. How much should I be looking at?
> 
> ...


Your last statement may get the job done quicker than a machine big enough to tow behind your F250. The mini excavators are handy as hell but I'd hate to dig a cellar with one. You really want a min. size of a 15-16 ton machine for digging cellars, IMO.


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## Driftwood (Feb 15, 2004)

*Lets' Cut To The Chase*

$20,000 WILL BUY YOU AN HE## OF A WEEKEND IN VEGAS :thumbup:


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## bobcaygeonjon (Aug 30, 2007)

Driftwood said:


> $20,000 WILL BUY YOU AN HE## OF A WEEKEND IN VEGAS :thumbup:


 
Please dont say stuff like that. arty:


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## MonsterToys (Oct 25, 2007)

If you are concerned about saving money, but adding to your fleet, you may want to consider a lease to own program. This way you are assured a quality excavator or at least one that has a full warranty, while slowly paying for it. $20,000 is a little low for the type you are seeking but is not impossible to work with. You may get lucky and be able to find a decent used one if you look and have the time.


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## Big Chris (Dec 3, 2006)

bobcaygeonjon said:


> Thanks for all your replys so far.
> I dont know anything about excavator size etc but in my head I was thinking of a small machine that I can tow with lets say a F-250 but big enough to dig basements in soft ground. Dont want to be ripping throough rocks. Could you give me an idea of the name or category of such a machine so I can do a search? Being a mason it would be a great tool to have. I am asked to do a lot of hard landscaping work.
> So lets say $20,000 isnt enough. How much should I be looking at?
> 
> ...


 
If you are looking to buy one machine you may want to consider a TLB. With a mini ex you would want some way to move the excavated material away from the hole so you would need a dozer or a skid. At least with the tlb you could dig some and then move the pile with the loader, then go back and dig some more... You could drive it to job sites if you had to or tow it behind the truck on a tri axle or tandem dual gooseneck trailer. Very heavy load behind any pickup... You may be able to get a better tlb for your price range than a big mini ex. Either option is far from ideal for digging basements but the tlb may make more sense for future jobs with your business.


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## bobcaygeonjon (Aug 30, 2007)

Ok thanks for all your replys.
Gonna have a think about it :blink:


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## LNG24 (Oct 30, 2005)

Big Chris is Right! Many a basement have been dug out with a Backhoe in years past. Today everyone has an Excavator due in part that you could dig a basement in a day. The problem with the minis, and I love the minis, is that you need to also have the skid steer to move that material out of the way. 

I dug out a number of additions with my Backhoe (New Holland LB75B) and I see them going for around $28-$30k in new condition. Put some years on it and you could easily pick one up for around $20-25k. 

A backhoe will be slower, leave tire ruts, but if you can only afford One Piece of equipment, that would be it. I had a 4 way bucket on mine so I could grab stuff with the front bucket like large boulders and place them exactly like I wanted. I also had a set of forks and used those to off load various pallats of material, pipe, cement block, cement, stone, trees. With a set up like that, you could do everything around the new house, including the septic, landscaping, grading etc.


Here is a pic of my old equipment. Remember, you don't need a truck and trailer with the backhoe either. You can register it and drive it on the street.
Good Luck.


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

Nice Set-up, Digger. :thumbsup:


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