Mini-skid-steers: Good things come in small packages
Published in: Landscape & Irrigation
Date: 1/1/2001
By: Bernosky, Tom
The new revolution has begun on transforming smaller landscape companies into multi-tasking, profit-generating, full-service operations. How’s this, you ask? Well, the new powerful mini-skid-steers have come of age. With a variety of wonderful attachments, one machine can now do the tasks of many. The best part is that these machines don’t require a large vehicle or massive trailer to tow. And because they are lighter, they are also easy on your wallet when it comes to fuel.
I know many people have seen them at trade shows and made comments like, “Oh, that’s too small,” or, “It looks like a toy.” If they took one to a job site, they would soon find out just how wrong they are.
Here’s a great example. Prior to this year, my company never messed with fence repairs, nor did we ever give a second thought to putting up a fence. That is, of course, until we purchased our first mini-skid-steer with a posthole drilling attachment and two different-sized augers. The next thing we know, we’re doing fences.
One of our first fence jobs was a very basic split-rail: just drill a hole, place the wooden post, tamp around the base, add rails; measure, do the next one, and so on, down the line. Would you believe that, with two workers, we did 20 holes and completed an entire fence in one hour? That’s right: a job that would have taken at least half-a-day without the power equipment was completed in one hour!
Why not the full-size skid? Well, if you have customers like I do, they don’t want their lawn destroyed by putting in a fence. But the mini-skids do little to no damage at all. For me that’s not just a bonus, it’s a must. I can’t afford to spend my time fixing up yards screwed up by machines — not to mention the extra expense to the customer if you put that in the bid. If a contractor leaves the place a mess, it won’t be a good reflection on his operation.
I also sing the praises of the trenching attachment. I’ve often watched a competitor struggle, sweat, grunt, groan, fight the load, swear and finally trench.
To trench, I can use my mini-skid with trencher and — bingo! — a 100-foot trench, 18 inches deep, takes a grand total of 1 hour, 20 minutes, including loading and unloading. No sweat, no tears, no bad words fouling the air.
Do the numbers
If you’re still not convinced about the versatility of the mini-skid, let’s do some figuring. The standard-size skid in the average landscaper’s tool arsenal is approximately 7000 lb. and has about a 40-hp engine. The average mini is approximately 1,450 lb. — about 1/6 the weight with a 20-hp engine, or half the power. Okay, who doesn’t get it now?
Let’s look at some other hidden costs not usually associated with expense of doing a job. What do the plates (tags, as they are known in some states) cost on a one-ton dump as compared to the license plates, or tags, on a half-ton? Well, the way it all comes down on paper is that it’s simply a lot less overhead to operate a mini than a conventional skid. This translates to more competitive bidding against firms with the bigger machines on niche-market jobs.
Let’s face it: you hesitate to buy large equipment in this day and age, with rising fuel costs, ever-increasing insurance rates, and trying to find someone that really knows how to drive that large truck. There remains a place for the full-size skid-steers, yes, for larger jobs. But I think you can understand now how the mini-skid may be a possibility for your company in the very near future.
Now let’s talk about storage space. This is also rarely spoken of, but if you don’t live on a farm and you operate in an urban or suburban setting, chances are you don’t have unlimited space to put stuff or store tools. Buying more property is an expensive move, mostly not an option. Lots of contractors rent storage space, especially in the winter; but this, too, can be very costly. You will find that the mini-skid and all its attachments fit quite well in a one-car garage. To me, that’s a major bonus. I don’t like leaving valuable equipment outside in the weather where it’s also possibly subject to vandalism.
New opportunity
My company made the right move by purchasing a mini-skid-steer, because it’s opened new doors and windows of opportunity that otherwise would not have been afforded us. I can’t say enough good things about the mini-skids.
You really have to take the time and go see the manufacturers who make these incredible machines and demo one for yourself. I think you’ll be amazed at their agility, power and versatility. Don’t forget to ask the dealer to showcase their attachments so you can see how truly functional these little critters are.
Remember: good things come in small packages. Even though the buckets are smaller than conventional size, I personally moved approximately 48,000 lb. of topsoil in just a few hours. Not bad, I’d say.
One final note: if you are looking to buy a new mini-skid, not all come with hour meters. I know ours didn’t, and I had to add my own. That’s not a problem, because for about $30 there are some really nice digital hour meters that show engine rpms (while running) and hours used (when shut off). Simply by drilling two holes and wrapping the wire around the plug you have functional hour meter.
In closing, I hope you enjoyed reading this article of my experiences with our new mini-skid machine. As always, your questions and comments are always helpful. Have a safe and profitable new year.
–The author is president of Green Thumb Power & Equipment Corp., West Mifflin, Pa.
COPYRIGHT 2001 Adams Business Media