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Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 11:08 pm
by montygti
Is there a rough idea on how much volume a 25ton excavator can shift. Only a real rough idea as im trying to work out how much it will cost to build a fish stock pond. It just top soil and grey clay underneath. Just trying to find out whether the idea is feasable.
cheers
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 6:07 am
by cookiewales
montygti wrote:Is there a rough idea on how much volume a 25ton excavator can shift. Only a real rough idea as im trying to work out how much it will cost to build a fish stock pond. It just top soil and grey clay underneath. Just trying to find out whether the idea is feasable.
cheers
A lot gb will know the m3 but would be for a proper driver am sure he will be along 
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 7:31 am
by lutonlagerlout
I have seen a large machine do 44m3 in a day but this was only an 8 tonner and was limited by the 2 muck lorries on turn around
the muck away would be the limiting factor
LLL
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 8:30 am
by mickg
I was working next to a new build house a few years ago and there was 8 wagons on turn round all day for 3 days being filled with a 20 ton machine, don't know the m3 volume what was moved but it was mass earth removal for a very large 3 storey house with one of the floors being the basement
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 10:20 am
by Tony McC
A 25T machine can easily shift in excess of 150m³ per 8 hr day in good ground, but shift it to where?
If you're hay-making (digging, slewing 180°, dumping, then re-position, dig-up depositing spoil, slew 180°, dump....etc) then the productivity drops because of the mutiple handling.
If you're loading dumpers or wagons, then the limiting factor is how quickly you can get an empty vehicle into position to be loaded. An 8w wagon holds 9m³ and takes 15-20 mins to load *safely*.
As with all excavators, it doesn't matter so much what the machine can do, it's what the driver can do that is more critical to productivity.
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 7:46 pm
by GB_Groundworks
as tony says, how long is a piece of string
what you loading, what the load dump return cycle time, what are the haul roads going to be like? how many times you handling the muck
whats the bucket, whos driving it etc
we are working on a fishing pond at the mo weve got 2 js130s in there, loading a fleet of 6 ton dumpers and tracked dumpers
what size pond were you thinking off
might be better with a blade and an excavator, also theres the time to landscape the pond and then the fill if tipping on site to allow for.
rough cost would be £2.50 a m/3 assuming 500m3 and a haul of under 100m total, with ok access etc
Edited By GB_Groundworks on 1384977176
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 8:43 pm
by montygti
I know it was a bit of a how longs a piece of string but im just in the planning stage at the moment.
Access is fine.
The pond will be 10m x 22m x 1m deep just a rectangle but i want 3 of these.
What i was thinking was stock pile top soil with help of dumper.
Dig a key trench round the whole thing and pack with clay.
Then basically form the ponds and then dump topsoil all around.
The spoil will be used for the banks so really its only a case of excavating about 600mm once top soil removed and using this to build the banks. All spoil is being kept on site.
Is it just worth me drawing up plans and then just getting quotes from groundworkers?
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 9:12 pm
by GB_Groundworks
so 500 tons or so for each pond,
rough cost assuming ground isn't saturated for those ponds id want about £4000-£4500 a pond, this is for 2 men, excavator, dumper, diesel, low loader movements, for 3 this would come down though.
but you are going to need some overflows, inlets, paths and pegs etc
yes get some drawings and get a few quotes to your specification so you can compare them you are down Bath way arent you
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 9:32 pm
by montygti
Yep just outside bath. I wasnt thinking it would cost anywhere near that. When we had the horse arena done the digger bloke there said to build a pond 38 x 20 with a couple of islands would take him a week and quoted a max of 2grand.
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 9:39 pm
by GB_Groundworks
snap him up then,
fuel 180 litres a day at 84p litre = £800
move machine there and back = £400
driver 5 x 140 = 700
dumper + driver = £120-150 a day so £600
then
depreciation and wear and tear on machine about = £4/hr so £160-£200
insurance
profit
etc
if he wants to work for free let him
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 9:49 pm
by montygti
So whats the best way to get quotes. Is it just a case of ring up groundworkers or would it be worth it to ring some of the bigger companies such as H E Services?
Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 10:26 pm
by GB_Groundworks
Recommendations are the best way
If not get a few quotes and see who you feel happy with, lowest price isn't always the best
If you have the time go see their work or speak to previous clients
The big plant hire guys you'll get a driver but might want someone overseeing the job etc
Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2013 10:27 am
by Tony McC
I'd get a price from a full-time pond builder, one from a civils team such as Giles, and one from an excavation co such as HE. They won;t be quoting like-for-like, obv, but it would give you a good insight into what was on offer and which provided better value for money.
Very often, it's best to hand the whole job over to one outfit. Only one arse to kick then if owt goes wrong and none of the 'it weren't us it were them blame game which wastes so much time.