Where did I get the idea it would be so quick and easy to have the lot cleared? We just had the last clearing guy come look at the property, so it has been a whole week of showing the lot and getting bids. Here's how they stack up:
#1 is a tree cutter. He really just cuts trees, doesn't really clear whole lots usually. The advantage to that is he would take each tree individually without damaging the surrounding trees, and encouraged me to leave a couple of mimosa's and some wax myrtles. The downside is he wouldn't take the stumps or root mat. His bid was $9000, if he didn't have to haul away the chipped up brush.
#2 is a professional site clearer. Business cards, nice written bid - he knew what he was doing. He had the equipment and the know-how. Upside - he's a pro. Downside - he wasn't too concerned about possible damage to surrounding trees, and a high overhead. His bid was $6500.
#3 is the guy recommended by our friend who put a modular in this subdivision earlier this year. This guy just grabs the trees, shakes out the dirt, and bulldozes everything. His good points - he was cheaper. But we know he would take some supervising to not just rip up the lot. His price: $4500. A thousand more than the price we had invented based on not much.
#4 is my hope. There's a trend to low impact lot clearing. This guy does the local parks. He has these machines with wide treads that just chew up the trees, brush and pinestraw, grind the stumps down to ground level, and leave behind a fluffy mulch. You can grow grass on it within a year. He also called a friend of his who will probably remove the trees for no cost because he will sell them for pulp, and this will bring down the cost of mulching what's left behind. You can see the definite benefit to using this guy - low impact, great ground left behind, no haul-away costs. Downside - the stumps would have to be cleared by someone for the septic lines, for an additional cost. He's going to call Monday morning with his price. I really hope its lower than Mr Rip-it-up, and low enough to justify paying someone to remove some of the stumps. If his friend comes and takes the trees at no cost to us, it may lower this bid to an acceptable level.
And that's more than you ever wanted to know about the options in lot-clearing.
The mosquitos are incredible out there lately. I saw an eastern box turtle the other day. There are crab-spider webs EVERYWHERE!
2 comments:
And the winner is? Sounds like you are doing a great job!
M
I love it... I will pre empt this with I am laughing my fool head off. So If I enjoy your process a little too much, I ask for your forgiveness in advance...LOL Anyways... One serious thought before I have some fun. The stumps must be left anywhere a sand mound exits. I built My sons sand mound by hand with a little Kabota I had. It took 95 ton of sand. Wow... Our cost with no labor exceeded 15 grand. Of course that included a septic and grey water pump system for the sand mound. I designed and engenered it myself, submitted it and to my surprise he now has a a pot to wee in... ( I am full of humor incase anyone forgot ) The cheapest system for bad perk is the two tank system. One collects the solids. The other is filled with sand. This system allows for a approved leach feild that looks like an under ground tunnel system for ground hogs. If you have a good perk, then a ytank and the tunnells will work for minimul cost. Like under 5 grand complete. Yeah, good stuff. Remember though I have built a hundred homes, the ground there may have special rules to abide to. Other than that. I am the code man. BOCA, NEC, NBC and more. Well This is awsome. Hope I can be of some help and get to know all of you. BRO/Uncle Joe
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