• Thank you for visiting HeavyEquipmentForums.com! Our objective is to provide industry professionals a place to gather to exchange questions, answers and ideas. We welcome you to register using the "Register" icon at the top of the page. We'd appreciate any help you can offer in spreading the word of our new site. The more members that join, the bigger resource for all to enjoy. Thank you!

Best equipment for house work on 3.5 acres - lots of trees, dirt to be moved, and then some.

houseprojects

Active Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2025
Messages
42
Location
Western NC
Hi.

If there is one thing that I could change about myself, it would be to be less indecisive. However I also like to think it's a result of being thorough... or what I tell myself.

For the last 6 months or so, I've toyed with the idea of getting a machine to make my life easier at my house. Not too long ago I moved to WNC and with that decision left a lot of friends and family behind. Before the move, when I needed some extra help, a few phone calls got me the manpower I needed to get some stuff done. I don't have that luxury anymore - now when I need help, I muscle through it myself. It takes me longer than it would otherwise and I yell at the clouds more. A lot more.

My neighbor has a nice Kubota tractor. He's an older gentleman (maybe in his 60s) and he is way more productive in his yard than I am (I am 35) in mine. Seeing the perks of his tractor is what initially got me looking for equipment. My search went on and off since it wasn't a dire need for me early on. Not to mention, I could not believe my eyes when I started seeing the cost of tractors. $20k-$30k was the going rate for the machines I was looking at. Bit of a sticker shock to me as I was expecting the machine I was looking for to be in the mid teens. Every time I went looking for some tractors, I lost motivation since the tractors in my price range looked more like mowers than tractors.

Fast forward a few months to Sept 2024 and hurricane Helene. I had over 20 trees uprooted on my property. This is in addition to the 10-15 trees we tagged to get cleared around the house and in the backyard. I'm not cheap, but also like to make sure my money is going in the right places. Rather than spending $11k-$13k to have a tree removal service clear my property from the fallen trees, I figured it was the right time to try and rent some equipment to get a better feel for what I would like to own myself. I rented a Vermeer BC1000XL wood chipper and a Hitachi ZX26U5 (6,000lb mini-ex). Figured with the thumb, I'd have the versatility I needed to move and stage all the logs, and the bucket would allow me to remove some roots.

I. LOVED. IT. I was hooked on the fact that having a machine took my productivity to a whole different level. In two days time, me and my brothers took care of almost all of it.

After that rental, I have been all over the classifieds, doing research, and trying to make sense of what equipment is best suited for me.

For a little more context, some work that is at the top of my list (in order of importance)...
- Still have (3) trees down: two pines and one red oak.
- About 10 or so root balls that need to be picked up and moved from the front yard.
- Need (4) trenches dug (15ft-25ft long) to address all the crushed corrugated piping that diverts water from gutters.
- Have ~40 4x4 posts to pull out of the ground from an old fence.
- Have a front patio to install, including installing a retaining wall roughly 30ft long, 2-3ft high.

Being that I had a great time with the excavator I rented, my search naturally started there. The 6,000lb machine, though very efficient was a smidge smaller than needed (after all, I initially put in for an 8,000lb machine but it wasn't available). In my area, a decent running mini-ex goes for $17k-$20k in the 8,000lb range. I have seen a few come up in $14k range, but those sell FAST. There were a few I inquired about that were listed just a few hours prior and they were marked sold before I got an answer. Regularly I see machines in the $10k-$14k range too, but they're beat to **** and come with a lot of "buts"... no service history, "worked great when it ran", etc.

Truth be told, I feel like a skid steer with a bucket and grapple would get me 60% of the way there with what is currently on my plate. I see some really nice Bobcat 743Bs on the market for $12k. Some with the attachments I'd need. Maybe getting a skid steer and just renting a mini-ex for the jobs that really need it?

I've recently even delved into the market of backhoes too. Those poor things get no love. I see tractors sell for 2-3 times the price of a backhoes, and I feel like a good portion of people that buy tractors just get them for the front loader and backhoe attachment? Backhoes are cheap (compared to tractors). $12k-$18k (depending on the age of the machine) will get you a 12,000-15,000lb machine that provides a tremendous amount of power and utility. I can do with a bigger machine as I have the space to do my work, so naturally the tractor fell out of contention with this discovery.

Going full circle to my opening statement, I am quickly learning the benefits of each type of equipment. Excavators, backhoes, and skid steers are at the top of my list. Deep down I want a 8,000lb excavator, but my ceiling is $16k. Not a penny over for the initial purchase. A backhoe, which to me seems just as utilitarian as a mini-ex, can be had for cheaper and has more earth moving ability. Ideally I'd like to rent a backhoe to experience the shortcomings of it, maybe size is an issue. But spending the additional coin on rentals just takes away from me getting what I want sooner.

Having written all that, I guess I've lost the initial intent of my post. I think I am just looking for some feedback from fellow members that were in my spot before. I know there are a lot of people here that just homestead and have the machines to do it more efficiently. Any other shortcomings of a backhoe that would veer me back to where I started, getting a mini-ex?

I've done a lot of reading here, but any other feedback I can get would only help.

PS - If it wasn't obvious from my post, I am shopping used only. Most of the machines I look at are 15-30 years old.
 

MG84

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2023
Messages
918
Location
Virginia
Best all around machine for your situation would be a backhoe. They aren't as nice to run or as 'cool' as a mini ex but for all around versatility and value they can't be beat. There are two routes you can go, both have pluses an minuses:

First is a 30-40yr old full size backhoe, should be able to find something in your price range that still has some life left. Plenty of muscle for any job, far more than even an 8000lb mini ex. Get all your heavy work done, then sell it and buy a small tractor. Second option is a compact backhoe such as a B21, B26, L35 Kubota or the like. You'll be looking at machines that are 20-30yrs old and likely you'll still have to shop around to find one in your price range. These wont have the muscle of the larger machines, big projects are going to take longer, but most of what you listed is still doable. These will also have a 3pt hitch and pto to run a wide variety of tractor attachments. You can take the backhoe off and run a mower, tiller, log splitter, etc.
 

Georgia Iron

Senior Member
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
1,036
Location
USA - Georgia
Occupation
Concrete building slab and grading contractor
Skid steer is the way to go. you can move dirt, carry pallets and stones, rent a trencher for the drain lines, rent an auger to set post, pull up post, carry trees do it all. Best machine hands down. Not sure if you can find a good one for your budget. So if not maybe a backhoe. They are hard to grade with.
 
Last edited:

CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
14,446
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
Welcome to the Forums HSP! Glad to have you.

743B's were some of the best machines the real/original Bobcat company ever made. Absolutely bullet proof. Not saying that's what you need just giving some history on those machines.
 

cuttin edge

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
Messages
3,071
Location
NB Canada
Occupation
Finish grader operator
But then what? 3.5 acres is not a lot of ground. Unless you have a farm, how can you justify it? Are you going to sell it for what you paid when you are done, or just park it until you need it. Owning equipment is expensive if it's not making you money. If you were shocked at the price of a new Tractor, some of the parts for equipment can be in the tens of thousands of dollars, and if you buy too old, parts can be like hens teeth. I mean if you have money to burn, then by all means. If your property has hard ground, a backhoe can cover a lot of ground faster. A lot of travel can wear out the under carriage on an excavator. A backhoe has longer reach, some have extend a booms. You can move a backhoe on the road. Say if you were to put it to work, you could drive it there,. No trailering
 

cosmaar1

Senior Member
Joined
May 14, 2020
Messages
664
Location
Ohio
I bought a backhoe for my situation. 19 acres. I built a pond with it and rented a dozer. I’ve dug up probably 200-300 trees including stumps. My dad added a manual thumb to it so I can stack and move trees.

It has done anything I’ve ever wanted. The only other combo that would have worked for me is a medium sized excavator and off road truck. We are talking about 10x of what I paid for my 555e at that point.
 

skyking1

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2020
Messages
8,478
Location
washington
Still have (3) trees down: two pines and one red oak.
- About 10 or so root balls that need to be picked up and moved from the front yard.
- Need (4) trenches dug (15ft-25ft long) to address all the crushed corrugated piping that diverts water from gutters.
- Have ~40 4x4 posts to pull out of the ground from an old fence.
- Have a front patio to install, including installing a retaining wall roughly 30ft long, 2-3ft high.
That is a short list.
I know that having your own machine is so very sexy and special, but renting nice new equipment and giving it back is far more empowering.
You tried it and liked it a lot.
Try it again. Make a plan, rent a 35 or 50 excavator, knock out that list and live the high life of fast, efficient, tight new equipment.
That looks like a long weekend of work, but for the fact that you would be dinking around with the downspout piping a whole day because it just takes time. So now you are at 3 days. That is the break point for a week rental.
I can get a 50 or 55 for 1400 or so a week.
The alternative is buy a piece of iron old enough to vote, and hope you don't get a big breakdown on it. 16K wrapped up in hopes and dreams.
Even IF it never broke, you could rent something nice every year for a week, for 12 years and still be money way ahead on opportunity cost. That is the money you shelled out to start with, that would otherwise be making money.
 

skyking1

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2020
Messages
8,478
Location
washington
great tool for finessing out that 6" rock that is bothering you. Just have to get the right cutter against it, or is it the left? Aww heck back up to it and use the left ripper, it has the best visibility.
 

Welder Dave

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Messages
15,100
Location
Canada
$12K seems high for a 743B. I think a tractor with a 3pt. hitch and loader is the best bet for a small acreage. Very versatile. Rent a mini-ex for the little bit of trenching you need to do. You could get an older tractor with a loader and a few implements for under $16K. 3.5 acres isn't a large area that will need constant work. If you go with a skid steer see if you can rent a backhoe from a local dealer. They aren't the best but will do what you need.
 

MG84

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2023
Messages
918
Location
Virginia
That is a short list.
I know that having your own machine is so very sexy and special, but renting nice new equipment and giving it back is far more empowering.
You tried it and liked it a lot.
Try it again. Make a plan, rent a 35 or 50 excavator, knock out that list and live the high life of fast, efficient, tight new equipment.
That looks like a long weekend of work, but for the fact that you would be dinking around with the downspout piping a whole day because it just takes time. So now you are at 3 days. That is the break point for a week rental.
I can get a 50 or 55 for 1400 or so a week.
The alternative is buy a piece of iron old enough to vote, and hope you don't get a big breakdown on it. 16K wrapped up in hopes and dreams.
Even IF it never broke, you could rent something nice every year for a week, for 12 years and still be money way ahead on opportunity cost. That is the money you shelled out to start with, that would otherwise be making money.
That's too sensible, no homeowner wants to hear that lol. Whats he going to do with the $16K burning a hole in his pocket?
 

CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
14,446
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
$12K seems high for a 743B.

Not if it was in good shape. I'd take a decent shape 743B over any newer Bobcat retired out of a rental fleet.

Friend of mine ran many of those in a landscaping business years ago. He said recently if he'd known how dependable they were he'd bought a couple of extra and put them in the barn. :)
 

cuttin edge

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
Messages
3,071
Location
NB Canada
Occupation
Finish grader operator
I'm not calling the OP out on wanting to buy a machine. I would love to have a backhoe or tractor sometimes, especially in winter, but my driveway is only 60 feet long. But it's an expensive thing to sit in your yard, and not be bringing in any money. I have a neighbour with a little John Deere tractor. Bucket, blower, factory cab. Plows his driveway, no one else. In a big storm, it might take him 30 mins. Sits behind his house all year when it's not snowing. This fall, something happened to his pto. Cost him almost ten grand to fix it. No hours on it, but no warranty. Co worker has a case backhoe. He has a wood lot, so he gets some personal use out of it, but it sits a lot. Couple years ago he replaced both back tires as they were rotted from sitting in the sun. He has since had covers made for them. I look a a machine like a tenant living in your basement. They need to earn a living, and pay you rent.
 

MG84

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2023
Messages
918
Location
Virginia
In all seriousness, renting isn't a bad option. I have a full fleet of equipment for a one man operation and still rent various things every year. The OP would probably be best served by buying a small cheap tractor to use around his place and rent a mini ex, skid steer, etc as needed.

That said, in my experience its less than 25% of the time a rental is a nice new, fully operational piece of equipment. Usually its run in to the ground, never maintained, every joint st sloppy as all hell, anything electrical is a disaster, and those are the good ones. Maybe our rental houses around here are just awful, IDK.

I just rented an offroad scissor lift from one of the major rental companies for a large pole barn we were building. First one the 4wd didn't work, out riggers didn't work, and to start it you had to manually choke the engine because the choke solenoid was also shot. Struggled through with that for a couple days a took it back. Second one sprung a hyd leak as we were loading it on the trailer. Third one the fuel gelled up and they couldn't get it running. Fourth one they found at some distant branch and trucked it in and it finally worked. I appreciate the fact that they will get you the equipment you need, in working order, but all that fiasco cost us a week of work. Now we've had multiple snow storms, ice storm, and soon we'll be going on nearly a month where the temps haven't gotten above freezing. We should have been completely done with the building before Christmas, but now who knows when it will get done. That extra lost week is all we needed.
 

CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
14,446
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
Some people have boats, others play golf and some have sports cars. Why not have a piece of scrap iron to piddle around the property if you can afford it?

Don't look in my gun safe.. :cool:
 

CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
14,446
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
In all seriousness, renting isn't a bad option. I have a full fleet of equipment for a one man operation and still rent various things every year. The OP would probably be best served by buying a small cheap tractor to use around his place and rent a mini ex, skid steer, etc as needed.

That said, in my experience its less than 25% of the time a rental is a nice new, fully operational piece of equipment. Usually its run in to the ground, never maintained, every joint st sloppy as all hell, anything electrical is a disaster, and those are the good ones. Maybe our rental houses around here are just awful, IDK.

I just rented an offroad scissor lift from one of the major rental companies for a large pole barn we were building. First one the 4wd didn't work, out riggers didn't work, and to start it you had to manually choke the engine because the choke solenoid was also shot. Struggled through with that for a couple days a took it back. Second one sprung a hyd leak as we were loading it on the trailer. Third one the fuel gelled up and they couldn't get it running. Fourth one they found at some distant branch and trucked it in and it finally worked. I appreciate the fact that they will get you the equipment you need, in working order, but all that fiasco cost us a week of work. Now we've had multiple snow storms, ice storm, and soon we'll be going on nearly a month where the temps haven't gotten above freezing. We should have been completely done with the building before Christmas, but now who knows when it will get done. That extra lost week is all we needed.

That sucks.

We rarely rent as I hate rental unless it's something like the scissor lift like you rented or a boom lift for some odd ball demo. When I do rent it's from the Cat Rental store. The dealer usually has good operating equipment, mostly 1-2 years old.

Did rent a smooth drum roller from IR a couple of months ago because our 84" pad was being used for fill and DGB was going down at the same time. It was a Bomag and we weren't impressed but it was new and had a cab with A/C. The kicker is IR was $1500 a month cheaper than Cat for the same size. Bomag it is.

Come to think it we need a dedicated smooth drum roller. :D
 

MG84

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2023
Messages
918
Location
Virginia
That sucks.

We rarely rent as I hate rental unless it's something like the scissor lift like you rented or a boom lift for some odd ball demo. When I do rent it's from the Cat Rental store. The dealer usually has good operating equipment, mostly 1-2 years old.

Did rent a smooth drum roller from IR a couple of months ago because our 84" pad was being used for fill and DGB was going down at the same time. It was a Bomag and we weren't impressed but it was new and had a cab with A/C. The kicker is IR was $1500 a month cheaper than Cat for the same size. Bomag it is.

Come to think it we need a dedicated smooth drum roller. :D
A Cat rental store just opened here a few weeks ago. I will definitely be checking them out next time I need to rent something. The one I do business most with is United because its the only game in town. There are some mom & pop type rental stores in the area that are decent, but they are geared more towards homeowners and handymen.
 

LCA078

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2019
Messages
457
Location
Austin, TX
I rented a Vermeer BC1000XL wood chipper and a Hitachi ZX26U5 (6,000lb mini-ex). Figured with the thumb, I'd have the versatility I needed to move and stage all the logs, and the bucket would allow me to remove some roots.

I. LOVED. IT. I was hooked on the fact that having a machine took my productivity to a whole different level. In two days time, me and my brothers took care of almost all of it.
I think that's the dilemma you're dealing with. On one hand, you know how fast and efficient you can be with the right, fully functioning equipment for the job at hand. On the other hand, you know how much fun it can be having your own equipment to go play anytime you want. Trying to satisfy both of those will cost too much so you need to focus on one or the other. If you just want the job done, rental is probably better (and hiring it out is probably best). If you want to play a bit getting your hands dirty by turning diesel into smoke and noise, then wait until the right machine comes available. May be a long wait but don't get too antsy and buy someone else's problems.

A few years ago I was researching smaller used excavators in my area and I noticed the real smaller ones carried a premium. My only guess was because smaller contractors could easily move these from job site to job site with pickups and decent trailers. Once you got over a 15k-20k pound machine, prices were a bit lower in the sense you got a lot more machine, or bang for your buck, because transport costs would go up for the contractors. But that was all before covid so no idea if this logic still holds true.

On the extreme side of this, someone here a while back bought a massive shovel just to move big rocks on his small property because the shovel was pennies on the dollar at auction. I wish I knew whatever happened in the end to that story...
 
Top