# Starting Out In Excavation



## kid creole (Jul 11, 2006)

what kinda entry level jobs does excavators and graders have to offer?


how much knowledge and experience can i except in two months?

have any of you been certified as an operator?


what do ya'll know about http://www.atsn-schools.com/???


seems expensive to get certified a an operator $15,000.00????
how necessary is it?

how do excavators charge for they re work?

how do i know I'm hiring a good excavator?


lotta questions i know so thanks in advance for even lookin at em:thumbup:


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## Glasshousebltr (Feb 9, 2004)

I don't pay much attention to certification when it comes to equipment operation. If a fella doesn't know squat, it will show quick, I just stand clear in the mean time.

Bob


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## kid creole (Jul 11, 2006)

stand clear funny


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## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

*what kinda entry level jobs does excavators and graders have to offer?*

-_shovel and a rake_ :w00t: 


*how much knowledge and experience can i except in two months?*
-_You can learn alot in 2 months, but how you use your knowledge is what counts. It does take years to perfect and no operator is perfect. There are alot of egos in this business and everyone thinks that they are the best. They may be good, but somewhere, there is someone better._

*have any of you been certified as an operator?*
-_nope_


*what do ya'll know about* http://www.atsn-schools.com/???
-_nothing_


*seems expensive to get certified a an operator $15,000.00????
how necessary is it?*
-_ Not worth it IMO. You are better of starting as a laborer and learning as you go._

*how do excavators charge for they re work?*
-_re work ?? Do you mean "their" work ??_

--By the hour, yard, foot, load, etc.. You need to know what it cost you to actually run a business and what it takes for you to make a profit. Without know any of these, it is a sure path to disaster.

*how do i know I'm hiring a good excavator?*
-_ Ask around about the person, somebody has to know him and if they are any good._


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## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

what kinda entry level jobs does excavators and graders have to offer? *unless i see in a resume they've been operating machinery, and have references to back it up, they'll start out as a pipelayer's helper. when time allows and conditions exist, i throw them up in the seat and see what they have.*

how much knowledge and experience can i except in two months? *depends on your desire to learn*

have any of you been certified as an operator? *no*


what do ya'll know about http://www.atsn-schools.com/??? *nothing*


seems expensive to get certified a an operator $15,000.00????
how necessary is it? personally, *i look for ability and desire, and after 20 minutes in the seat. i'll know in that time whether or not i have an operator i can groom or not*

how do excavators charge for they re work? *every scenario's different, the only time i go hourly is on repair work*
how do i know I'm hiring a good excavator? *ask for references*


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## kid creole (Jul 11, 2006)

THANKS Glasshousebltr,rino1494 and dayexco.

ok first of all lets get to my motivation for wanting to do this and maybe from there i can get more expert advice. we are building homes in the Charlotte NC area.

these homes are to be built then lived in by us(2 years) and then sold. i believe that the grading and excavating of these homes will be very costly.

i also believe that this type of work is more forgiving of mistakes. i guess my question is could any of you go in the field "green" for around 2-3 months and come out and excavate your own land? and would it be worth it financially?

we would be renting equipment in the beginning and possibly purchase midway through development.

i have 14 years of industrial construction experience including operation of forklift,drought and cherry picker. but not enough to say i'm an operator.


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## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

kid creole said:


> i also believe that this type of work is more forgiving of mistakes.


Not when you have DEP after for erosion, someone swings a boom into some power lines, somebody rips out a gas line or a trench caves in on someone. 

Personally, for what you want to do, you are better just hiring someone to do the work. I think it you would be better off cost wise anyway. What would happen if you score up the dipper cylinder after banging it off a rock. Do you have $4,000 to repair the cylinder ?


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## dirtdiggencat (Jun 8, 2006)

i dont intend to be naughty here but,,,, most mistakes in this field are not very forgiving,,,, son you may even get one of your party or yourself killed tryin to cut cost with what appears to be zero experience here.


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## kid creole (Jul 11, 2006)

THANKS rhino and dirtdiggen
just moving earth around fella's..i'm very safety conscious and yea zero experience but about to have 2-3 months.

equipment will be rented..

I'm not gonna kill anyone I've been in extremely more dangerous situations than civil construction. 

not just chosen this to save money this is the only residential or commercial work i would like.

i really appreciate your feedback.


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## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

dirtdiggencat said:


> most mistakes in this field are not very forgiving


haha.....how's that sanitary line coming along


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## dirtdiggencat (Jun 8, 2006)

my point exactly rino!!!! RoTFL!!:thumbsup:


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## PipeGuy (Oct 8, 2004)

kid creole said:


> ...just moving earth around fella's..i'm very safety conscious ...equipment will be rented..
> I'm not gonna kill anyone I've been in extremely more dangerous situations than civil construction.


Hmmmmmmmmm? :no:


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

kid creole said:


> what do ya'll know about http://www.atsn-schools.com/???


Well I briefly hired a man who had gotten all his training from one of these "operator training academies". 

He was a real nice guy and they taught him very minor basics, things like check out the machine every morning, grease it every day, clean the tracks that sort of thing.

He had a commercial drivers license, thanks to them, so he was legal to drive a dump truck, but had no experience. (no, he did not drive mine)

They ran him through a training course that essentially showed him how to use the controls on such a wide variety of equipment that he had little seat time in any one machine.

He did not even know the concept of, when you raise the bucket on a skid loader, you had best roll the bucket out, or cover you balls! cause you will get a surprise in your lap!:w00t: 

I worked the fella for a couple weeks, when I could be right there, showed him a few tricks, but in the end I let him go.

I have had operators work for or with me that have *years* of experience and yet some do not know something as simple as how to keep a ramp into a hole in the ground level.

Some of the things we do to save time, or save the machine, take years to learn. Sometimes decades, hell, I'm still learning. This is not the sort of thing that can be learned in a 6 week stint from someone who may have _absolutely no practical experience _about the subject. 


Good luck

And oh yeah, what PipeGuy said.


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## kid creole (Jul 11, 2006)

well thanks for your advice.
i don't know what pipeguys advice or response means?? 

ill look into it further.. prolly just learn from the guy we hire might be ready on the third home we build.


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## PipeGuy (Oct 8, 2004)

kid creole said:


> well thanks for your advice.
> i don't know what pipeguys advice or response means??


In part it means get the proper insurance and keep the policies current.


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## kid creole (Jul 11, 2006)

THANKS pipeguy already got that covered .if any body gets decapitated by a backhoe were insured. anything else you would like to add??


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## Cully (Aug 20, 2006)

if any body gets decapitated by a backhoe were insured. :eek

I'm sure that persons family will find comfort in that. Please let us know where and when you are planning to do your excavation so that we can stear clear of that area


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## kid creole (Jul 11, 2006)

well already explained the work was to be preformed in Charlotte N.C.???don't intend to really hurt anyone cully? just responding to pipeguys meaningless advice. as for as your post goes ???again meaningless....
THANKS to TGEB,DAYEXO and RHINO. we will figure it out as we go..


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## dirt diggler (May 14, 2006)

It's not really about knowing how to run the equipment. 

It's knowing how to accomplish whatever you're trying to accomplish. See what I mean?? An operator who knows how to run a piece of machinery is fine --- but an operator who can also visualize and understand what you want done is who you need.

I'm tired -- did i say that clearly?? prolly not

In other words --- I can sit there and move a pile of dirt around on a backhoe. Does that mean I can go dig a house foundation?? NOPE!!!

See my post in the "General Discussion" section --- "Monday Morning Quarterbacking"

one of my "lessons learned" have been --- "if you realistically should not be doing it yourself --- sub it out"


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## kid creole (Jul 11, 2006)

thanks for the info dirt.


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## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

Been awhile since you logged in last, hey??

How is everything going ???


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## farmboy555 (Aug 13, 2006)

You want to be a equipment operator? Why don't you start out in your free time / if you have any and help someone that has equipment. Even if it's for free. Get your feet wet and see if you have what it takes. I myself started out on farm equiment, a little 350 John Deere at 14, a 977L Cat 18. I like it myself. Good Luck and go for it!!


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## Dozer Junky (Jan 4, 2007)

*Greatest Handle Ever...*

See Below


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## Dozer Junky (Jan 4, 2007)

GREATEST HANDLE EVER....

Goes to "Dirt Diggler"! I can almost hear the funky porn music palying in your excavator!:notworthy :notworthy :notworthy

LOL!


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## MuddyMike (Jan 8, 2007)

practice makes perfect IMO you always have to be aware of whats around you when in a machine


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## Dirtguy (Dec 17, 2006)

"Dirt Diggler", LOL that's great, wish I had thought of that!


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## Dirtguy (Dec 17, 2006)

BTW, MuddyMike, you have to tell me about the Enzo in your avatar!


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