Dean O

had a similar situation a few years back, the guy wanted 20k for it, used to be a saw mill, but was over grown, knotweed, piles of junk and some very run down small buildings. claimed that the council had similar and that it had industrial use. I checked with the council - commercial use had lapsed, and unlikely to be put back on... so I simply got it valued - came back at 3 grand. in real terms I thought it was still probably worth a little more than that, but due to no commercial use wasn't any good for us. a neighbour to the land bought it from him for 6K. I guess what I'm saying is that if your serious then paying for a valuation might cost - but also save you some - even if it results in you not buying the land or disagreeing with the valuation and putting in a higher bid

because the base is OK the quick answer, and possibly the cheapest seems to be tarmac - plopped on top. services underneath tho, ours and a neighbours. probably most hardwearing would be the concrete paviers, especially the thick (100mm ish) ones - but possibly most expensive? the issue might be that to lay the paviers I may need to dig out the perfectly good base in order to maintain the level between the drive entrance and the house damp course level? to be honest it needs to last 5 years or there abouts as we hope to move by then

I'd like to sort my driveway well, my wife would like me to sort our driveway with vehicles parking and turning on it with nobbly tires I'm picturing tarmac being ripped up pretty quickly, although its probably the quickest/easiest solution - especially as I don't want the driveway out of action for too long. its currently compacted stone/dust, which is actually very serviceable but not particularly pretty. any one out there have a similar situation and what have you found to be the best solution? thanks Dean

Hmmm, Thanks for the info - that's a shame. - I'm still fixated by the range of things I could utilise a digger for tho' doing a little bit more research... Takeuchi TB016: Hydraulic Pump Flow Capacity 8.7 gal/min 32.8 L/min the flail (model: LS TE-LT) has three sizes: 600mm – 800mm + 1000mm these require flows of 17 – 35 + 50 L/min respectably so perhaps a little bit of hope for the smallest of the range (not the one id instinctively go for tho')

I wouldn't buy new, the amount of depreciation is just eye watering. I've bought at three years old, low mileage ex lease and been lucky (though not completely issue free), however I would say that I have formed the opinion from the experience of others - that commercials (particularly vans tippers etc.) are built to last three years - its almost like the manufacturers know that because leasing has become so popular - their offerings only need to last the period of their lease - and then once through auction can begin to fall apart. I had the conversation with my accountant of should we be leasing - he didn't seem to think that it was overwhelmingly better than buying outright a nearly new second hand vehicle - my understanding is that it's depreciation as an asset is written off yearly in any case so it balances out... I'm still tempted by leasing tho' particularly for the issues raised by ritchie_B

been thinking of getting a pedestrian flail, been impressed with the kersten so far, haven't looked at scag yet, but I'm put off by a machine that is restricted to a single operation - for those flails which are mounted to 2 wheeled tractors I simply don't have the use for other implements however I can see a need for lifting, grabbing, moving - first thought flail and small skidsteer - no response from boxer yet, but obviously going to be a large outlay anyway (albeit a very productive setup) so how about combining something like a Takeuchi TB016 Mini Digger (£7k?) with a 800mm Robustrack flail mower as seen on the bay (£1600) oilflow seems to be compatible - and while I imagine would be a compromise against a dedicated machine might be a handy tool for similar money to a new good scag/ferris/kersten? anyone give me some technical insight (as I have none) or reasons for it being a crap idea? anyone tried or currently run this sort of set up? many thanks Dean

thanks guys - been quoted 17.50 plus vat - per t so not a million miles off - he just said it like he plucked the figure out of the air, then added the vat, ha ha. will be needing around 80 t so it all adds up.

any body have any idea what I should expect to pay for type 1 (quarried limestone with fines) delivered? per ton...... 10 ton at a time if it has any bearing? thanks Dean

Thanks Murray - I haven't, but I'll see what they've got.

I'm after a pedestrian flail mower - any purveyors in the south wales area/ m4 corridor I'm sure there was someone in cross hands but the seem to have disappeared? I'm looking for something quite heavy duty for gorse regrowth approx. 1 metre high due to access the alternative is clearing saw/ chainsaw. thanks Dean

Why do you feel that this sort of work is more beneficial? not to sound cynical, but from my experience - for this sort of client - the price will come before your credentials.

thanks for these guys google searches weren't bringing much up. Ive emailed everyone you've suggested but not come up trumps yet so keep em coming. thanks Dean

can anybody recommend any plant growers/ whole sale suppliers in the south wales area. our usual supplier seems to have gone awol. looking for quantities of plants for small planting schemes - common containerised shrubs such as choisya, euonymus, hebe etc and small diameter (10-12s) trees (acers, birch, rowans etc) many thanks Dean

and.... Id be even more annoyed I could have priced 70 quid dearer.

we had the 230 road tow on demo today but I had already let them know I was weighing up the idea of a tracked version to replace our safe track greenmech. they weren't certain but said possibly July seems like there's been a 3 month wait on the 230 since launch - hopefully TW will not allow this with the tracked machine too.

thanks guys - I've managed to find a small telehandler that will do the job, and luckily it hasn't cost the earth. I'm glad I didn't depend on the guy we've got in with the excavator - after talking to him again today he was thinking of taking his micro digger.. I was planning on somehow slinging the trees at the root ball rather than on the stem (as I was under the impression that this was a no-no anyway) any tips or tricks?

had a response from the supplier - sounds like they will be arriving on a curtain sider. think a 2.5 digger might be able to off load by slinging the root ball, without damaging the stems. they are pricey trees so don't want to skimp - I just cant find a little loader. Dean

I guess you or the client will need to line up a sawmill who will take it - might be worth asking their preference before commiting - else if left till after cut at 8 foot every one would have taken it at 12. but to answer your personally id cut at 8 (or less if chainsaw milling for my own use) just for ease of handling

we've ordered some trees that I have considered large - tho some on here would consider them medium perhaps various girths between 18cm and 25, and with top heights up to 5 metres tall. the question is how best to handle them. we recently planted a tall (for its category) liquidamber 12-14 and we managed that from delivery van to arb trolley - then onto a plant trailer then to hole without taking off the arb trolley which worked fine but at these sizes I don't think this will work I was hoping I could track down a small avant or similar locally (Swansea) but cant trace one. I've questioned the supplier on delivery vehicle and are awaiting a response - curtain sider, tail lift or other. I'll have a small excavator/mini digger on site so I may be able to sling the root ball for short movements but I may have to move them on site by upto 60 metres depending on how close we can get a vehicle how do any on here approach this? many thanks Dean

just to update on this one thank you all for your input - this left me with a sleepless night but turned out OK in the end. I attended a site meeting the TO looked around and some of the pruning work was discussed - the spec had suggested a 4 mtre lift - which the TO wanted to be assured wasn't going to be a case of stripping the stems clean to this height (this was of benefit to us as while I understood how this 4 metre lift would be implemented the client did not and would have been expecting a good hammering to the trees). it was said that the removals were not in question and the situation just a formality/technicality (I suppose a fell is a fell and its hard to discuss the spec on these) - but I didn't know how this was going to pan out. Its difficult to believe that the fells could not have been completed prior to discussing the pruning and lifting works to enable the site access to continue. what has happened as a result is that the builders have entered the site and stripped it while they wait for this to be cleared up. This will make our work there a nightmare. we are in limbo waiting for the go ahead. There is probably more to this story - a councillor lives in the properties bounding the site and has been quite opinionated regarding the proposed work there - so perhaps some pressure being applied - We haven't worked under this TO as she has been recently appointed so might just be making sure that we are cosha. or perhaps the client has simply rubbed this TO up the wrong way in the past. I will never know - and mine is not to reason why.... thanks again guys Dean

Is there anybody local to Swindon with a wee chipper? A friend of mine requires a tree removed with awkward access. Please get in touch and I'll pass on your details. Many thanks Dean Email to. [email protected]

there's a guy on ebay based in pwllheli £290 - I assume for a day search for sawmill and he pops up.

It would be useless me thinking of a good tactical approach to keep all happy - that's not going to happen. there is a tpo on the row of trees blocking the access, two or three are down for removal for the access so even if I were to carry on around the other three boundaries (still in breech of the condition) which aren't tpo'd the issue for the client is still the hold up for the site access. am I culpable where there is planning consent (which I believe over rides the tpo) but with conditions. whatever is agreed on site the site access is still the site access so this surely cant be in dispute between the client and local authority??

thanks for your input guys the discharge of the condition - particularly with regards to the removal of trees for site access - seems a little protracted to me, the La surely know the score here when they say yes you can build .... but the client cant even realistically get the rpa fencing into the site without site access so its a little bit of a chicken and egg scenario. the TO has said no works till the condition has been discharged - which I assume will require the meeting to agree works then an application for the discharge of the condition to be made. (how long will this take) my personal feeling is that we shouldn't go in and carry out works until all this has been settled. I cant claim ignorance now that the TO has made me aware of their stance so I really cant continue. I would prefer not to loose this client although - this seems to be a problem of their own making however I'm going to look like the baddie to both the la and the client at the meeting tomorrow - its going to be like attending my own funeral.

Ive been led into what feels like a mine field provided a quote for works based on a tree survey and the preliminary recommendations made within it. asked to carry out works got to site met with consultant and site official to go through works - became clear there was some additional works - in the main this additional work has been the removal of 2 trees for the site access (a road coming into the site from what may be called phase 1 - already developed) planning permission already granted..... so good to go on trees which require removal to facilitate the development? developers obviously under pressure to get going - so therefor so are we. we are told there is some clarification required with the to regarding trees that require pruning works - and the extent of this work so continue with removals. we begin..... I return to office and it turns out there's a planning condition to have a pre works meeting regarding the arb work with the TO, this obviously hasn't happened, TO's obviously not happy. Developer is not happy (delays and cost) I'm not too pleased either. reading into things this seems to be over the recommended line of pruning to trees which will end up in rear gardens - but as a result the whole site is covered by this condition. my understanding is that the planning permission gives the go ahead to facilitate the development, however given this condition we have called off site (having already started works). have I done the right thing? I feel I need to do the right thing by the client but also need to respect the TO's stance that no work can carry on until the meeting has taken place and the developer has submitted an application to discharge the condition.