Timber and hiab truck hire: Advice please

[adam4838]

Hi All,

 

Relatively new here and after some advice.

 

I am toying with purchasing a truck in the region of 18 - 26 tonnes with a hiab for the larger jobs. Thing is, its a lot of money to spend for it to spend most of its time in the yard.

 

Those of you who have one, do you get much work subbing it out with an operator to other companies for collection and haulage?

 

I am in North West and would value your feedback and how much work it may be able to bring and what a day rate would be?

 

Thanks in advance!

[Peter]

If you want it to work all the time you will need to look at other markets than just tree work, moving machinery or containers etc.

Obviously for haulage work you will need a full O licence.

[treequip]

Wot he said

 

In fact unless you are contracting the entire tree job you will need a full O licence to move any goods for other contractors.

 

Once you are in that position there is plenty of small work out there, ebay purchases often need uplifting and shifting. A small haulier near me offers a lift and load your trailer or full delivery service through ebay, keeps him in more than beer money.

[adam4838]

Thanks both, good advice.

 

Pete, do you do mainly tree work and timber shifting with yours then? Is there much work with assisting smaller outfits with larger jobs?

 

I'm aware of the ops licence and all the rest that running a truck brings. Would you say yours has been a good investment?

[Peter]

Not a great deal, no. Most small contractors seem reluctant to spend on moving timber. The attitude tends to be, it all has to ringed up for firewood anyway, so it might as well be done on site. There are exceptions, but to keep a truck busy with timber all the time you would need to cover a big area, or get a proper 8 wheeler timber truck and do proper round timber haulage as well.

 

I like having the smaller truck though, so I can get on driveways etc.

 

I won't be getting rid of mine any time soon, put it that way. Can't imagine having to go back to handballing timber.

[windfall]

My mate has a timber trailer he also uses for jobs carrying large ground pipes..

[grumpydavesmith]

The company i work for has one and it hardly gets used, its just eating money sat in the yard. We mainly use the tractor n trailer which has a timber grab n is much more versatile n doesn't get stuck on soft ground or need someone with cat c to drive.