A digger suitable for site clearing and housebuilding digger.

[Mike Hill]

If they are going to be loading trucks with it regularly,then they need something on the larger end of the scale.In my experiance diggers are a bit like chippers in that when you double the size,you trebble the efficiency. 

 

I wouldnt be too concerned about resale value in the fact that any money lost off sets the cost of hire or hiring in.  Personally I would look at a 8 to 14 tonner.The haulage costs will be the same and the "hour toll" will be lower on the bigger machine.

 

 

[Mick Dempsey]

Got a mate who built his own house, bought an old backhoe/jcb unit very cheap. 
Dug the footings, moved materials about. 
Did the lot. 

Edited 6 hours ago by Mick Dempsey

[dumper]

25 minutes ago, Mick Dempsey said:

Got a mate who built his own house, bought an old backhoe/jcb unit very cheap. 
Dug the footings, moved materials about. 
Did the lot. 

Got to go wheeled jcb/massey/cat etc digs clears loads forklift and dare I say cherry picker, harder to master than 360 but far more use not expensive and with a large plot and a few hours practice not hard to drive

[Haironyourchest]

+1 for the auld backhoe. Much more versatile for a long term project.

[Deafhead]

As good a 3cx as you can afford.

[difflock]

Spuddog,

But a 6 to 8 tonne machine has much better reach and capacity. Somewhere in my brain remembers a 6 tonne Tracked machine as being regarded as well farm friendly, since easy to move behind even a moderate tractor, and still knacky enough for older more  confined farmyards.

And any wheeled digger would be less than useless, here where we live, since it is all rank, or in places, cut out peat moss, but still wibbley wibbley wibbley!

Edited 3 hours ago by difflock

[dumper]

You never said it was a bog go 12 -13 tonnes easy to find larger machines last longer easier to fix you can get forks to unload move gear around wider tracks same size buckets as 8 tonne far better reach so less moves on the bog. Chap up road did his with a 40 year old Hymac and sold it on for same money