Clearing a Fence Line

[HDRider]

Can someone ballpark a number for hiring someone to clear a fence line? What would you guess the per mile cost to be?

It would be going through some overgrown areas with big tree, many 16", some 24" and most less than 12" in diameter. What would I expect a well equipped crew to show up with, one excavator or an excavator and a dozer?

I am looking at either doing it in all one fell swoop or maybe breaking it up in three pieces.

It is about 3 miles or 14,000 feet or so of work...

 

[skyhightree1]

HD just give me a blank check and I guarantee you will have the cleanest fence line around. I am not in your area so I can't tell you what it cost in that region. I will tell you this if someone called me out to do it I would make sure if its near a property line make sure property line clearly marked first of all and do not remove and trees on the line. I personally for a dozer and 3 guys would charge between 1200-1500 per day depending on location and job but 1200 minimum per true 8 hr day.

 

[inyati13]

Can someone ballpark a number for hiring someone to clear a fence line? What would you guess the per mile cost to be?

It would be going through some overgrown areas with big tree, many 16", some 24" and most less than 12" in diameter. What would I expect a well equipped crew to show up with, one excavator or an excavator and a dozer?

I am looking at either doing it in all one fell swoop or maybe breaking it up in three pieces.

It is about 3 miles or 14,000 feet or so of work...

Most equipment operators are going to bill by the hour. They are good at estimating the hours after they see the job site.

Suggestion: If you do not have grade work to do, consider leasing a Cat D6R or M. A good size for those trees. Get someone to give you a quick crash course in how to push trees. These machines are eash to push with. Most are hydrostatic and you do it all with two joy sticks. Left is direction, right is blade operation. The bonus is that it is the most fun machine on earth to play with. Something about knocking trees down. Makes you feel like one of those super heros.

 

[HDRider]

So with a crew of three and a dozer, how long MIGHT it take?

inyati13, I am considering the option you are suggesting. There is no grade work. It is just clearing trees and a right of way.

Sky, in Arkansas you put the fence on the property line and legally can clear on both sides enough to prevent future tree damage, and you can maintain both sides to prevent future damage. If you set your fence back from your line, you basically gave up ownership of that property. I know this varies from state to state.

I am not there, so I can't call out and get estimates. I am just trying to get a rough idea at this point. Just trying to consider my options.

 

[cowboy43]

You could figure how many acres it will be then guess at how long it will take to clear an acre,
Example: 14000 ft times 30 ft wide = 420000 sqft divided by 43560 sqft per acre =9.64 acres rounded off to 10 acres you will be clearing. If it take 2 hours per acre to clear times $125 an hour for dozer , that equals $250 an acre times 10 acres equals $2500 plus move in time , I would budget $3000 for the job.

 

[inyati13]

So with a crew of three and a dozer, how long MIGHT it take?

inyati13, I am considering the option you are suggesting. There is no grade work. It is just clearing trees and a right of way.

Sky, in Arkansas you put the fence on the property line and legally can clear on both sides enough to prevent future tree damage, and you can maintain both sides to prevent future damage. If you set your fence back from your line, you basically gave up ownership of that property. I know this varies from state to state.

I am not there, so I can't call out and get estimates. I am just trying to get a rough idea at this point. Just trying to consider my options.

HDRider, why a crew of 3? Clearing is a dozer and operator job. What are the other 2 guys doing? If you are clearing and doing minimal dress work, taking the trees out and pushing them clear of the right-of-way, this would be fast work with a D6R or M. Should do a mile a day if growth is not dense.

 

[HDRider]

You could figure how many acres it will be then guess at how long it will take to clear an acre,
Example: 14000 ft times 30 ft wide = 420000 sqft divided by 43560 sqft per acre =9.64 acres rounded off to 10 acres you will be clearing. If it take 2 hours per acre to clear times $125 an hour for dozer , that equals $250 an acre times 10 acres equals $2500 plus move in time , I would budget $3000 for the job.

I am not clearing all the property, just the fence line.

Mathing it out - 14,000 feet to clear, 20 feet wide = 280,000 sq ft / 43,560 = 6.43 acres

By using your method, it comes to a little over six acres. By your measure, clearing my fence line is a 12 hour job. Being conservative and doubling it, say three days work. That is $3,000.

Is that what you were saying?

 

[HDRider]

So with a crew of three and a dozer, how long MIGHT it take?

inyati13, I am considering the option you are suggesting. There is no grade work. It is just clearing trees and a right of way.

Sky, in Arkansas you put the fence on the property line and legally can clear on both sides enough to prevent future tree damage, and you can maintain both sides to prevent future damage. If you set your fence back from your line, you basically gave up ownership of that property. I know this varies from state to state.

I am not there, so I can't call out and get estimates. I am just trying to get a rough idea at this point. Just trying to consider my options.

HDRider, why a crew of 3? Clearing is a dozer and operator job. What are the other 2 guys doing? If you are clearing and doing minimal dress work, taking the trees out and pushing them clear of the right-of-way, this would be fast work with a D6R or M. Should do a mile a day if growth is not dense.

I am conservative by nature. I used Sky's three man crew in my calc.

A mile a day puts me at three days too, like the other estimate.

Two different ways getting the same answer tells me that might be close to right.

 

[inyati13]

HDRider. Don't listen to Sky. He is a blood-sucking contractor just wanting you to keep his crew working. You don't need a crew of 3. You are not taking the trees down in pieces. :lol:

 

[cowboy43]

Why do you need a 3 man crew with a Dozer ? All you need is an operator.

 

[skyhightree1]

LOL HD all depends on terrain. If all it took was a dozer and operator thats what I would send. I was just giving worst case scenario whereas some places you can't take a dozer and thats where the other crew members would work where the dozer could not perform. I hope you get what i'm saying. If all it took was a dozer then thats all I would send. I clear alot of fence lines here and we alot of places that unfortunately a piece of equipment just isnt going to work. I send those guys in to clear there while dozer does what it can. Maybe I should have explained myself better.
BTW... inyati is right lol.. dont tell anyone

 

[hurleyjd]

Where are you going to pile the brush your side or the neighbors. If yours you need to plan a pile and where it goes will need a little clearing also.

 

[skyhightree1]

This had a ton of oak and pine stumps and in 2 days was clean . It isn't a fence line but you get the point if all you gotta do is run a dozer or loader won't take long as long as the terrain is suitable for it.

 

[inyati13]

Sky, even if you are a contractor I still love you brother. Remember, you and I share the same Mother!!

On handling the cleared debris. I just assumed it would be windrowed on one side or both. I cleared a fenceline for my neighbor. He wanted the debris including old woven wire, posts, large rocks, and trees pushed into hollers along the way. That kind of effort takes time.

 

[skyhightree1]

Sky, even if you are a contractor I still love you brother. Remember, you and I are share the same Mother!!

ya dam right lol You can't trust those contractors though ;-)

 

[inyati13]

Sky. Is that your Tracked Loader? Looks like a nice one. If I get back into equipment (doubtful) that is what I would get. About that size.

 

[skyhightree1]

Sky. Is that your Tracked Loader? Looks like a nice one. If I get back into equipment (doubtful) that is what I would get. About that size.

Yes sir it is Thanks. I think you should get back into equipment brother.

 

[skyhightree1]

HD this is not a fence line but I posted it before I think its a trail I made for the wife and kids to ride the ranger and 4 wheeler on. Is this what you are trying to achieve around your property?



this is how I tend to pile stuff upalong the way if alot of material I will push in lil openings or make an opening.

 

[HDRider]

That's it Sky.

 

[skyhightree1]

That's it Sky.

Well I cleared about 3/4 a mile if not a mile through the woods like that and took 2 days but I was taking my time and not rushing. I did it with a small track loader.