# Help expanding



## YHCG INC. (Jan 1, 2013)

Hey guys,

Im from Maine and I'm part owner of a landscaping and tree service company with my father in-law. I have always wanted to have my own excavation company and have some experience in the field, my grandfather has a company that i worked for. I work full time as a firefighter and do this as a side job, I'm looking to start expanding it further into site work and excavating so when i retire from the FD i have something else. 
Right now we do general landscaping and property maintenance along with tree work. I was looking for some ideas on how to head in the direction of site work / excavation. We have a Kubota L2900 with a front loader and plan on buying a 9ft back hoe this spring for it. We are having a hard time getting the word out there and finding that kind of work cause everyone knows the business as landscaping and tree work. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated! Thanks for all your help!
Dan


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## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

Do i understand you correctly that you have a 29 Hp tractor and you want to get started in excavation work? If so, forget about the tractor. You are going to need a mini ex at the least and a skid steer. The tractor could suffice for the skid, but it will be alot slower and weaker. Trying to run an excavation company with a small TLB is a waste of time.


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## YHCG INC. (Jan 1, 2013)

I understand that. Thats why its called expanding..... i am not going to go invest a bunch of money into equipment without the work lined up. We use the tractor for small jobs now like driveways and walls. We plan on using the backhoe for utility work. Once we get more work we will buy mor equipment but we are not going to have a bunch of overhead with no work. For now we plan on renting equipment and using what we have until we can get more work. A skid steer is defiantly first on the list to buy. thanks for the advise!


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## backhoe1 (Mar 30, 2007)

I started 6 years ago with a full size backhoe, skidsteer, and 2 dump trucks. I didn't have the equipment to do most jobs that came my way. I found it very hard to "get in" with any customers that amounted to anything until I had full size excavators and loaders. Every conversation sounded like this: 

Me: Hi, my name is Joe. I just started an excavating service.

Them: What size hoe ya got?

Me: I have a 580 case backhoe, extendahoe and 4x4.

Them: How are you gonna get anything done with just that?

Me: I can rent anything else I might need.

Them: So can I.

What I'm saying is you"ll haveto have equipment in order to get the jobs.


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## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

When you find out, let us know because in this crappy economy, we are all trying to do the same. Diversity is the key.

If you are looking to get hooked up with general contractors, they want someone who can do anything. When a contractor calls me up and says I have a job to do and it involves a sewer tap that is out in the middle of a street down 15' deep in rock, they want you to say, "I'll get it done."


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## jhark123 (Aug 26, 2008)

Rino is correct.

We want one, maybe two excavators to deal with.

I wouldn't consider hiring you unless you have a 120 size excavator, full size backhoe and a dozer. You will also need a 12 yard dump and another opperator.

I also will want your equipment to be newer and look good.


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## Gld700 (Aug 12, 2012)

Agree with rino. Pretend u are the customer and maybe u are wanting a variety of work done( clearing,drives,sewer,etc). As with most customers these days u are going to get at least 2 if not 3 different bids. Ask ur self would u give it to the contractor who doesn't even own his own equipment or the one whose out working his/her own everyday ?????


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## Gld700 (Aug 12, 2012)

Also around here for most things renting is outrageous and really depletes what little profit margin we have:sad:


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## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

Look, 99% of everyone here has started out small. My dad used to work for a large contractor back in the 70's and into the early 80's. He quit and bought an old case 450 dozer. Brought it home, unloaded it off the trailer and the motor blew. He rebuilt and and he used my uncles Case 580 backhoe to do some jobs. He got hooked up with another excavator and they teamed up to do jobs together. Eventually he got screwed out of $40,000 by the guy. He then was referred to a home builder in the area by a neighbor who had worked for the builder. This builder was looking for someone else because he was tired of his other excavator. Word got out and he was doing work for other builders. Things snowballed and he was doing over 30 homes a year by himself. He befriended a couple guys that owned dumptrucks and they did his hauling. I came into the picture about 15 yrs ago and I wanted to expand to do larger jobs. I put my mouth to work and was calling commercial GC's looking to be added to the bidders list. I also joined a local networking group and befriended an architect and a civil engineer which gave me a ton of leads. 

Since you already have a business, you should start by using your own sources. Since you do landscaping and tree trimming. Look to your suppliers. Who delivers your topsoil ? Certainly they deliver to other people such as homeowners or home builders. Ask them to mention you to a home builder. Do one little job for a home builder and it could be your big break. You provide tree trimming, what about lot clearing and stump removal. Contact a home builder and ask them if you can give them a price on clearing their next lot. Put an ad in the paper showing that you can do lot clearing, driveways or drainage ditches. 

Nothing comes easy and you need to put your feet and mouth to work for you.


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## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

plus, you have an edge over the rest of us...as a retired fire fighter....you'll no doubt have a retirement check, plus health bennies the rest of us have to pay for. if in your area is like it is here...the retireds price their work that way also...taking jobs away from contractors years in the biz that paid taxes for the wages, bennies when they were active. good luck.


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