How Much Would I Need To Spend?

ruskent

I am in the middle figuring out if I want to go all sub or invest alot of money into my business.

How much would I need to spend to get a reliable 12 ton excavator, used of course. Might put 400-500 hours on it a year max.

Right now I sub out excavation. Its easy to get stuff excavated. Its hard to sub out all the other things that you can do with the machine. I really need it for backfilling retaining walls, not having to excavate the job at once, etc, etc.

This is just a idea. How can i know if it makes financial sence, if I do not know what it will cost me.

Blackhammer

It really depends on how old the machine is. A local rental yard is selling several kobelco 120's for 40-80k depending on year and hours. 4-500 hours a year I think you could pay for the machine in no time and make it worth your wile to own. I know that in Florida work is tight but if the job permits I try to stay away from subbing out work.

mmexcavation

A 120 is too big for what your talking about, thats a 30,000 pound machine. Your looking about right, a 12,000 pound machine is about right. Thats gonna be a 50 in most of the new numbered machines. Here in Asheville, NC you could get a machine 98-01 for about $17,000-$20,000 a good sound dependable machine with 2000-3000 hrs. Sounds like you could even step back to a 35 which is about 8,000 pounds. It wound be easier to pull (either the 35 or the 50 could be pulled with a 3/4 ton pickup) and will still do almost anything. Only reason I'd go with the 50 over the 35 is if you encounter a fair amount of large rock to move around.

Blackhammer

He is looking for a 12 ton machine. 12 tons is 24,000 pounds. I was right in what I posted.

mmexcavation

Sorry about that guys, I'm bad to just read over things like that. Well of course 12 ton is 24,000 lol. Thats about a 100-120. The 120's usually run around 28,000 pounds maybe 30,000 pounds for some. Didnt mean to jump right on your toes there BlackHammer. One thing I would recomend and I'm sure you would too is if he doesnt have a dozer also, I would find a 120 with a blade. They dont put them on machines that big much but they are out there. I think there great if you dont have a dozer on site, whats your take on them?

Blackhammer

No harm on the toe stepping. Simple reading mishap.
I second the dozer blade. I Haven't seen one on a steel track machine that large. The largest I have seen is on like a 80. I have a Newholland 30 with the dozer blade and for backfilling trenches it gets used as much as the track loader.

Big Chris

I don't see many that big with a blade either... BUT my neighbor has had a CAT312 with a blade sitting at his farm for a few weeks now. One of his friends owns it. Nice machine.

ruskent

So how much do I need to spend?!?! I have another big job in the design phase.

Main reason that I want to buy equipment is to save labor! A 10 dollar an hour laborer cost me over 2k a month after taxes, wc, etc. If i can get a decent machine for 1k a month, I should be good as long as the work keeps coming in.

Some of you are talking about blades. Would I be better looking for something like a 311 so I can get the backfill blade? Is it useful, or does it just get in the weigh? I am really look to buy a mini and a full size excavator.


These large jobs I do last 2+ months so paying to move the machine is not that big of a deal.

cdub

I think a backfill blade would be really useful depending on what your doing with the machine. It wouldn't make a little bulldozer but it would save a lot of time on cleanup.

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Blackhammer

Maybe you should be talking to a bank. I thought your questions were answered. You are looking at about $20 per thousand financed on a 5 year note. For a grand a month your budget is 50 grand. You should start looking at some local dealers and hopefully they can help because we tried.