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Thoughts on breaking into concrete sawing?

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reggi

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I’ve done a bit here and there, self-taught and don’t yet own any big dollar saws.

I have a basic air powered slab saw for doing small trenches and things like that.

I would like to grow this end of the business to compliment my Brokk robot, but there are so many directions to go in and they’re all expensive.

What do you guys think? Just buy a chainsaw to do egress openings? Keep doing what I’m doing til I can afford a wire saw? A wall saw?

Or by a walk behind and go after infrastructure sawing - roads, bridges?

Thanks.
 
#3 ·
reggi said:
I’ve done a bit here and there, self-taught and don’t yet own any big dollar saws.

I have a basic air powered slab saw for doing small trenches and things like that.

I would like to grow this end of the business to compliment my Brokk robot, but there are so many directions to go in and they’re all expensive.

What do you guys think? Just buy a chainsaw to do egress openings? Keep doing what I’m doing til I can afford a wire saw? A wall saw?

Or by a walk behind and go after infrastructure sawing - roads, bridges?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
What are the guys using to do what YOU want to now do? There's your answer... how to get there is a process... one that can land you in debt or built upon with rentals that the customer pays for while adding an Equipment Fund charge to every client going forward... how much or how little and in what time frame is up to you...

Just keep in mind, if you go the debt route, it's like having an employee you can never lay off or fire, even if you don't have the business to support it...
 
Discussion starter · #4 ·
Yeah, I’ve got plenty of debt, know all about it. I want to add a service to my lineup if demolition services that will cash flow and get me in the sawing direction, apart from basic slab sawing. Thing is, most concrete sawyers already have everything it seems. Core drills, walk behinds, 72” wall saws, wire saws, plus the entire compliment of hydraulic power hand tools.

I’m obviously not going to break in with everything all at once. Just trying to figure out what sawing service offers the right combination of exclusivity (market)and affordability (for me) to get me up and running.

Renting is not really an option for most of this stuff. Even sunbelt doesn’t carry wall saws.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Yeah, they seem to have it all, but doubt it was all bought at once... but the good news is it sounds like you know your end game so it's a matter of working backwards from there to determine the process of getting to where you want to go...

If you think about it, it's not much different than quoting a job... nothing wrong with buying used from the guys who may have tried but decided it wasn't what they really wanted or auctions... ideal time is getting the cash allocated and saved now (and debt paid down) while things are fat using your existing client base, and be ready when the next downturn happens, so you'll be able to purchase at reduced costs with the added benefit of being one of the guys still in operation making it through the downturn...

Sometimes hard to put off that short term desire of wanting to do it now versus planning for it long term... you could add more debt and buy now and be paying for it even when the next downturn hits, but think of the alternative, where during the fat times you've paid down your debt, saved and allocated the cash to be ready to purchase what you need at the next downturn, and have no payments to worry about and still be one of the ones in operation to provide the services you are zero'ing in on to maximize your ROI (there's still going to be the work even in a downturn)...

Just some thoughts...
 
#6 ·
What type of sawing seems to be in most demand in your area? Maybe start thre and expend in to other areas after you get going. I know from putting in egress window I would only have a guy come and do mine that uses a wall saw not a chainsaw.
 
#7 ·
Got a buddy that does industrial/roadwork etc. All his equiptment is Vermeer (sp) & I think I ‘be seen some Husqvarna (sp) on 1 of his trailers. He cuts curb the whole 9. He’s on top of his hands to make sure they take care of his equiptment. Diamond blades aren’t cheap as I’m sure you know. I say give it a shot. He’s the only 1 I have ever seen on Industrial/Comm. jobs. He either knows his #s well or they like him. Runs a tight clean outfit. You could eat off the pavement behind this guy


Mike
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
Awesome advice, thanks guys. This isn't something I'm gonna do next week, but I'm always looking ahead to the next great adventure. Gotta pay off some stuff...
 
#9 ·
Seeing that you invested in the Brokk, you could look into also specializing in indoor work. Because fumes can quickly become an issue, I almost always have to get a saw cutter for interior work. Here in SFla, our exterior walls are 99% cmu, and you can't always cut from outside. Interior trenching needs to be done as well for remodels.

I wouldn't worry too much about a deep-cut slab saw, a wire saw, or even a wall track saw in the early stages. They have their uses, but even as a demo guy, a majority of my work can be done with a 20" handsaw and decent sized slab saw. And being equipped to do interior saw cutting can really set you apart.
 
Discussion starter · #10 ·
Pompanosix said:
Seeing that you invested in the Brokk, you could look into also specializing in indoor work. Because fumes can quickly become an issue, I almost always have to get a saw cutter for interior work. Here in SFla, our exterior walls are 99% cmu, and you can't always cut from outside. Interior trenching needs to be done as well for remodels.

I wouldn't worry too much about a deep-cut slab saw, a wire saw, or even a wall track saw in the early stages. They have their uses, but even as a demo guy, a majority of my work can be done with a 20" handsaw and decent sized slab saw. And being equipped to do interior saw cutting can really set you apart.
Click to expand...
That’s good to hear I can dovetail in some cutting with the robot without going nuts on a big saw. Thanks. Trenching indoors would be an ideal service, I’ve done some of it and am looking for more.

No more digging by hand!
 
#11 ·
Just a heads up. A concrete chainsaw is NOT ideal for Egress Openings. I had a hydraulic chainsaw when I was specializing in egress window retrofits. It is slow, not as accurate as you would hope, and the chains are stupid expensive.

It is an ideal tool for beam pockets. But that's a lot of beam pockets.
 
Discussion starter · #12 ·
Lettusbee said:
Just a heads up. A concrete chainsaw is NOT ideal for Egress Openings. I had a hydraulic chainsaw when I was specializing in egress window retrofits. It is slow, not as accurate as you would hope, and the chains are stupid expensive.

It is an ideal tool for beam pockets. But that's a lot of beam pockets.
Click to expand...
Good to know, that’s about what I gathered from Randy’s post. Might stick to trenching now since the competitive advantage is in having a machine to dig with.

Side note, I sold a job a while back to cut access in a brick wall. I was going to do it with a cut-n-break but the GC went ahead and broke a big hole in the wall, basically to size. So there are only a few spots that need much cutting/truing up and I dont think the cut-n-break will be a good fit anymore. Ideas?

Worst case I guess I could say the scope has changed since I cant use that saw anymore without butchering the opening.
 
#13 ·
I love my cut n break saw

I am a mason that does a lot of openings

I might actually add a chainsaw to my collection as well as the cut n break

If the opening is already close to the size then I would use a conventional saw on both sides instead of the cut n break


David
 
#15 ·
Windycity said:
I love my cut n break saw

I am a mason that does a lot of openings

I might actually add a chainsaw to my collection as well as the cut n break

If the opening is already close to the size then I would use a conventional saw on both sides instead of the cut n break


David
Click to expand...
Concrete chainsaws have their place, but I wouldn't make it the backbone of an operation.
They do perform much better in Masonry compared to cast concrete.
Have you used one before?
 
#16 ·
Lettusbee said:
Concrete chainsaws have their place, but I wouldn't make it the backbone of an operation.
They do perform much better in Masonry compared to cast concrete.
Have you used one before?
Click to expand...
Yes I have used one before

I prefer the cut n break due the cheaper cost compared to the chain but I do a lot a sawing in concrete CMUs and the cut n break isn’t always the best for the hollow core block


David
 
Discussion starter · #19 ·
Windycity said:
If the opening is already close to the size then I would use a conventional saw on both
Click to expand...
Cool, any tips on getting a nice straight cut? This is a three wythe brick wall, about 150 or maybe 200 years old.

Well probably closer to 150.
 
#20 ·
Ed Corrigan said:
Do the webs screw you up?
Click to expand...
A little bit yes especially when one blade is on a web and the other blade is in the hollow core, this causes the biggest issue which is…..

small chips that get hung up in the cut area that either get bound up in the blades or jump around in the hollow core where you have to dig them out…. It is not a huge ordeal but it is a little bit of a time waster. I’ve been using the saw for a couple years so I kind of know the tricks to keep that from happening

Regardless it is a great saw


David
 
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