Mini Ex and labor rates

dirtydeed

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Just wanted to get an idea of going rates (fully loaded either hourly and/or daily) for small excavation jobs. These would be pretty simple mini excavator trenching digs (under 8 feet in depth) for water/sewer line replacements for commercial and residential jobs.

I realize that these can vary significantly by area/market, but was hoping to gain some prospective from others.

Thanks in advance.
 
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GreensvilleJay

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Up here,north of the 49th, all trades are over $100/hr(plumbers,carpenters,mechanics) so that's what I charge and get. The complainers about my pricing.......doctors and guys driving $100K pickups.., go figure !
 

dirtydeed

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The complainers about my pricing.......doctors and guys driving $100K pickups.., go figure !
I totally agree with you on that...my worst customers in the past were the ones with loads of money. They wanted everything for nothing and just didn't appreciate what someone's time was worth. Most times, they had the missus sign the contract (I wholeheartedly think that they were embarrassed that they couldn't do it for themselves).

When I turned their jobs down, they would be dumbfounded and butt-hurt that I dismissed them and their job. :oops:
 

North Idaho Wolfman

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Price is variable for the location, call some local excavator and get some numbers, then you'll know what the competition is getting.

I will politely suggest you check all local requirements for underground work, licenses, permits, insurance, bonds.
This can vary from county to county, city to city and if you go over state lines that can vary too.
Getting busted for doing unlicensed or unpermitted work when it's required can cost you a ton.
And remember always call the local dig (clearance) line before you dig, it will cover you if you hit something you shouldn't have.
Hitting a fiber line that you didn't know was there, will bankrupt even a rich company.
 

lugbolt

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as a tech I can relate.

People hire me because they can't do something that they need done. The complainers are typically the guys who show up with a 100K pickup pulling their equipment in/on a $10,000 trailer and live in a multi-million dollar house. I ain't forcing anyone to pay, they have a choice to go elsewhere. But should they choose to do business with me, I'm going to go above and beyond if at all possible, if they let me. Sometimes people are just crazy. OCD. Well, everyone's different.
 

Bmyers

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The insurance can be a shocker. Although, since you are generally doing smaller projects, the umbrella policy will most likely be less than $5 million and those are still doable. Once you get to $25 million, the different umbrella carriers are wanting to dived that portion up till you hit the $100 million dollar mark. Where I use to deal with just one umbrella company, now typically I have to deal with 3 to get the coverage we need for the various projects (primary insurance carrier, and two umbrella policy carriers).

Good luck on your business.