# Building something different



## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

So last year my dad’s government job of 20 years was privatized to a company two hours away and offered to him at minimum wage. So he decided to take the offered buyout, I was swamped with plumbing and quite frankly starting to get bored with roughing in houses and service work. So I decided then to branch into excavation and septic due to needing it done constantly. So far since then I’m averaging 3200$ a week in excavation plus plumbing. I purchased a cheap dump truck, old ford 7.3. After about 3 jobs it’s way too small. 
So I’ve decided to say screw it and I’ve purchased a international 4300. So I’ve got a box I’m looking at but also might just go new. It’ll also be set up for sewer installation.


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Dpeckplb said:


> So last year my dad’s government job of 20 years was privatized to a company two hours away and offered to him at minimum wage. So he decided to take the offered buyout, I was swamped with plumbing and quite frankly starting to get bored with roughing in houses and service work. So I decided then to branch into excavation and septic due to needing it done constantly. So far since then I’m averaging 3200$ a week in excavation plus plumbing. I purchased a cheap dump truck, old ford 7.3. After about 3 jobs it’s way too small.
> So I’ve decided to say screw it and I’ve purchased a international 4300. So I’ve got a box I’m looking at but also might just go new. It’ll also be set up for sewer installation.





That sounds great man. I'll say it nicely before the others bark at you, I hope you have a trench box :smile:






.


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## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

Just signed all the paperwork and it’s headed for the body builder in the next week. I should have it completed in the next 8-10 weeks. Going to have it outfitted with toolboxes so it will carry water service supplies and sewer supplies aswell. That way the regular cube doesn’t have to follow it around.


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## chonkie (Jul 31, 2014)

Congrats on the new purchases and venture into a new market. Truck looks good, so does the Cat. Are you also excavating the spots where the tanks are set? How deep are yalls tanks usually set? Just wondering if that Cat would reach down far enough. What kind of tanks do you set or have set?

Last place I worked, we always had to have someone dig for the tanks, which sort of baffled me why we didn't do it since 99.99% of the homes we built were on a septic. 
Kind of made me want to get my own excavator and start doing excavation and maybe site cleanups, etc. 
Always loved getting to use one, the boss would rent one when we would be installing a french drain and/or gutter drains, or the panel type leach field systems, sure beats the hell out of a shovel.

Ps. That's some bs about your dad's job.


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

It is a matter of Liability Insurance, typically most plumbers Insurance only
covers what you can dig with a shovel, a backhoe requires a whole 
different Insurance level even if it is just rented, :biggrin:


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## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

chonkie said:


> Congrats on the new purchases and venture into a new market. Truck looks good, so does the Cat. Are you also excavating the spots where the tanks are set? How deep are yalls tanks usually set? Just wondering if that Cat would reach down far enough. What kind of tanks do you set or have set?
> 
> Last place I worked, we always had to have someone dig for the tanks, which sort of baffled me why we didn't do it since 99.99% of the homes we built were on a septic.
> Kind of made me want to get my own excavator and start doing excavation and maybe site cleanups, etc.
> ...


Typical around here it’s a 7’ deep tank. Plus I typically over dig a foot then drop a foot of A gravel or recycled concrete on the bottom and level and tamp it for a solid base. That is the long stick version. We’ve had it down 10’ digging for the municipality.
Yes it is, although he’s much happier now but just goes to show how big corporations dont seem to care about their employees.


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## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

MACPLUMB777 said:


> It is a matter of Liability Insurance, typically most plumbers Insurance only
> covers what you can dig with a shovel, a backhoe requires a whole
> different Insurance level even if it is just rented, <img src="http://www.plumbingzone.com/images/smilies/biggrin.png" border="0" alt="" title="Biggrin" class="inlineimg" />


I’ve always had excavation on my insurance rider. That way I didn’t have to worry and even when having other contractors digging for me we were double covered.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

My Master said he tried the excavation market years ago. Maybe it was timing, but he lost money mostly because of the liability insurance cost.


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

skoronesa said:


> That sounds great man. I'll say it nicely before the others bark at you, I hope you have a trench box :smile:
> 
> 
> Today Feb 12 2020,
> ...


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

This is a Utility company laying a underground cable


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

Dpeckplb said:


> I’ve always had excavation on my insurance rider. That way I didn’t have to worry and even when having other contractors digging for me we were double covered.



I have the XCU coverage on my insurance, but im not sure if it covers digging with any type of machine, ill have to give a call next week and see what type of excavating it covers...


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## goeswiththeflow (Feb 24, 2018)

skoronesa said:


> That sounds great man. I'll say it nicely before the others bark at you, I hope you have a trench box :smile:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I don't think being concerned about someone's life can be considered barking. Where I work, I am the one who usually does the most barking, and I don't care who thinks what about it. In fact, the worst offender is the guy I like the least in the whole company, to put it nicely. Even if I don't care so much about him, his wife is a sweatheart, and it's his 4 kids that I think most about.


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## goeswiththeflow (Feb 24, 2018)

Plus, I guess it would make things inconvenient for me, if not losing my job entirely since a lot of small companies seem to fold when one of these tragedies strikes.


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## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

It showed up today. Had dad take me and the fiancé up to pick it up. The company that built the box did a super nice job on it. So much more little fine details that the mass produced boxes don’t have. The fiancé was bugging me to let her drive it all the way home. I’m going to keep the smaller truck around for hauling the packer/fuel/trench box I’m currently building while in quarantine.


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## SchmitzPlumbing (May 5, 2014)

congrats on the big boy toys. i would love to see more posts like this. i posted pics of my mini and barely got a response


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

nice truck....the first scratch hurts bad and then not so much....


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## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

SchmitzPlumbing said:


> congrats on the big boy toys. i would love to see more posts like this. i posted pics of my mini and barely got a response


That sucks, I’ve really been enjoying excavation work more than plumbing. Probably because it’s a change of pace. I’ve even been doing excavation work for the local heating and cooling company and the local electrician.


ShtRnsdownhill said:


> nice truck....the first scratch hurts bad and then not so much....


I already threw a big rip rap stone in the back to yet it over with haha. It’s funny how we spend $40,000 on a a car and cringe when it gets a dent or scratches. Spent the same on a dump truck and it’s like oh well.


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## jeffreyplumber (Dec 7, 2009)

Beautiful Truck good luck with the septic system end of buisness. Something I never been involved in. Thanks for showing us


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## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

jeffreyplumber said:


> Beautiful Truck good luck with the  septic system end of buisness. Something I never been involved in. Thanks for showing us


Thanks, truck had to go back to the dealership today to have some kinks worked out of it.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Dpeckplb said:


> It showed up today. Had dad take me and the fiancé up to pick it up. The company that built the box did a super nice job on it. So much more little fine details that the mass produced boxes don’t have. The fiancé was bugging me to let her drive it all the way home. I’m going to keep the smaller truck around for hauling the packer/fuel/trench box I’m currently building while in quarantine.


Very nice truck,I just bought a used one ton dump but it nothing like this,this a nice rig


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## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

sparky said:


> Dpeckplb said:
> 
> 
> > It showed up today. Had dad take me and the fiancé up to pick it up. The company that built the box did a super nice job on it. So much more little fine details that the mass produced boxes don’t have. The fiancé was bugging me to let her drive it all the way home. I’m going to keep the smaller truck around for hauling the packer/fuel/trench box I’m currently building while in quarantine.
> ...


Thanks, I started with a one ton dump but it wasn’t big enough. It would tow the mini but that was it. No material so on sewer replacements I’d have to drop the machine then go get stone. And I’m doing more excavation work aswell now which requires materials. 
My one ton is a 99’ and it has all the typical 21 year old truck problems.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Dpeckplb said:


> Thanks, I started with a one ton dump but it wasn’t big enough. It would tow the mini but that was it. No material so on sewer replacements I’d have to drop the machine then go get stone. And I’m doing more excavation work aswell now which requires materials.
> My one ton is a 99’ and it has all the typical 21 year old truck problems.


Yes I know exactly what you mean


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

Dpeckplb said:


> Thanks, I started with a one ton dump but it wasn’t big enough. It would tow the mini but that was it. No material so on sewer replacements I’d have to drop the machine then go get stone. And I’m doing more excavation work aswell now which requires materials.
> My one ton is a 99’ and it has all the typical 21 year old truck problems.


Does this new truck put you over the CDL limit When pulling the trailer and excavator??


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

sparky said:


> Does this new truck put you over the CDL limit When pulling the trailer and excavator??





Have you ever heard of Schrödinger's uncertainty principle? It's where the act of observing something changes the outcome. His registration and license are perfectly legal but if a dot officer were to actually observe him pulling the trailer than it would change the status of his legality.


*SCIENCE!!!*









.


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## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

sparky said:


> Dpeckplb said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks, I started with a one ton dump but it wasn’t big enough. It would tow the mini but that was it. No material so on sewer replacements I’d have to drop the machine then go get stone. And I’m doing more excavation work aswell now which requires materials.
> ...


I’ve had my full CDL for about 9 years now. The truck could be registered under the 22,000# threshold like Penske or u-haul do on their trucks. But both dad and I have the full CDL.
The truck is registered at the 33,000 international rated the truck for.


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## sparky (Jan 8, 2014)

skoronesa said:


> Have you ever heard of Schrödinger's uncertainty principle? It's where the act of observing something changes the outcome. His registration and license are perfectly legal but if a dot officer were to actually observe him pulling the trailer than it would change the status of his legality.
> 
> 
> *SCIENCE!!!*
> ...


Beat that dead horse lolololololo


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

sparky said:


> Beat that dead horse lolololololo


 ok....


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## ironandfire (Oct 9, 2008)

Dpeckplb said:


> It showed up today. Had dad take me and the fiancé up to pick it up. The company that built the box did a super nice job on it. So much more little fine details that the mass produced boxes don’t have. The fiancé was bugging me to let her drive it all the way home. I’m going to keep the smaller truck around for hauling the packer/fuel/trench box I’m currently building while in quarantine.


 Pretty swank.


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