Discussion: what would you use/bid to move this dirt ?

[Someguy]

This is a theoretical situation for the purpose of discussion.

Lets say you are bidding on a road building contract that involves hauling 10,000 CY from borrow pit(s) and spreading it about 6 inches thick on a road bed 4 miles long. Someone else will handle the compaction, final grading and placement of the road surface, which is gravel. All you have to do is dig, haul and spread the dirt.

The dirt is dry clay. Its summer. You can use 1 or 2 borrow pits that will be placed beside the road, in predetermined locations.

The maximum size of the pit(s) will be 100x300 by as deep as you need. You'll need to strip and stockpile the topsoil where a pit is located.

You can use the road as a haul road, but you'll have to handle the traffic. Its a country road, probably 20 vehicles per hour.

How would you bid this project ? What equipment would you use ? How many hours would it take ? What rate would you use for each machine ? How much profit would you build in ? What would your final price be in $/CY ?

How would your bid change if you were allowed to dig the dirt from the tops and the ditch of 3 or 4 large hills in the road ?

Thanks

 

[crayton]

Just like when I asked on old guy to help me buy a horse. He said " get yout money out young feller, you'l learn damned quick".

 

[Someguy]

That is a very stupid reply on the part of the old man. Its always way better to ask questions and learn from other people's advice than to just wade in. If you guys don't want to discuss this stuff, I've got other people who will.

People put way too much faith in age when looking for advice.

Old people like to think they have all the answers but in reality it takes a combination of experience and analytical skills.

I know old people who are damn smart and have success to prove it.

I know old people who think they are smart and don't have jack to show for it.

I know young people who are very smart and are moving up in the world rapidly.

And I know young people that don't have a hope in hell.

 

[roddyo]

When Money is on the Line

Just like when I asked on old guy to help me buy a horse. He said " get yout money out young feller, you'l learn damned quick".

I got a lot more Faith in Old Men that's been around to block a time or two than Wind Jammers that have never done anything.

Just my 2 Cents

 

[JDOFMEMI]

Someguy

I think whats being said is that if you have a specific question, ask and you will recieve, and if you wish to have a general discussion on things, we are mostly up for it, but if you want to use the forum to bid your jobs for you, that may be asking a bit much.

As for the work, what do you have to start with? Is there a market to rent the right equipment if you do not have it? Do you have the skill to manage the project if you get it? Do you have the $$ behind you to finance the job for 2 months of work before the payment comes for the first month of work, if it comes in 30 days, and most are more like 60 to 90 days, so you have to carry 4 months of work expense before $$ come back in.

On the job, do you have to haul on road and be DOT legal, or will off road trucks work? How fast do you need to get it done?
That determines daily production.
Do you need to provede dust control?
Is there water if you do?
How about erosion control, and trackout protection?
Sweeping?
Do you need to put topsoil back?
Do you need to water the dirt for compaction?
Do you need to grade the borrow sites when done?
10,000 yards is a pretty small amount.
If I had a dozer, I would push off the topsoil, then push up 5,000 cy in each pit, then load out with a loader into belly dumps. Production depends on the size of the loader, and how many trucks. if the pits are optimally placed, max haul is 1 mile. If you only use 1 pit, to cut down on moving the dozer and loader, max haul is 3 to 4 miles. A good 966 can load 2500 cy per day, if there are enough trucks. That means 4 days to haul.

Remember, There are so many variables here that the cost is going to be between a little bit to a whole lot.

 

[crayton]

Sorry, I didn't mean to sound smart a##ed. This actually happened to me on my first scraper job. Guy asked me to dig a waterway about 1/4 mi long, survey it myself and give him a price per yd. took a friend along to run the transit and surveyed it. After we started moving dirt I discovered that my friend didn't know how to level the transit so the survey was off by about a foot. Bit the bullit and finished the job anyway and that was the shortest most expensive school course I ever took but probably got more good out of that than any schooling I ever took. Experience is something you never git until right after you need it. Try to get some idea how many yds you can move in a day or hour with what equipment you have and add about 25% and bid it . Don't forgit move in and out etc. Good luck.

 

[Construct'O]

Sorry, I didn't mean to sound smart a##ed. This actually happened to me on my first scraper job. Guy asked me to dig a waterway about 1/4 mi long, survey it myself and give him a price per yd. took a friend along to run the transit and surveyed it. After we started moving dirt I discovered that my friend didn't know how to level the transit so the survey was off by about a foot. Bit the bullit and finished the job anyway and that was the shortest most expensive school course I ever took but probably got more good out of that than any schooling I ever took. Experience is something you never git until right after you need it. Try to get some idea how many yds you can move in a day or hour with what equipment you have and add about 25% and bid it . Don't forgit move in and out etc. Good luck.

Personally i thought your first post was good information,and this one i would consider a real eye opener.Thanks:usa

 

[stock]

When I worked in the real world I always went to a QS to price that type of job and let him work out the fine print form the main contractor.