Well I've had a right tough time of it the last couple of months. Really made me question why I run my own business, but you get times like this and I've just had to put my head down and keep plodding away. Working on my own really hasn't helped as these jobs are getting quite large in size now and there's realistically only so much one man can do, regardless of the fancy tech and spinning buckets. But its been very profitable and moving on from the last 2 months, I am going to concentrate more on work that utilises the digger and my skills on them. I can earn good money doing it and they don't earn anything sat at the yard while I am off doing some landscaping or whatever. I certainly wont be laying a patio again any time soon!
So job 1 was a "mile a day" track at a local infant school. Basically a type 3 path with grit spread to level it up, then a carpet goes on top, nailed into the grass either side. Was quite pleased with how this one dug and the combination of the 2.7t and 1.5t dumper worked really well on this job, as I could stick to the path when moving about and not ruin the rest of the playing field.
Job 2 was building a MUGA (Multi use games area for all you acronym lovers). A 32x16m car park base basically, that's edged and has a shock pad, then carpet on top, again, nailed into the surface. Now the problem arose here because right at the end of the job, the contractor who I was carrying out the work for, decided to suddenly give me a tolerance of 6mm across a 3m edge. Now I've not heard of such a tight tolerance being applied to what is known as a dynamic base before - and it wasn't in the contract either! A tarmac base yes, but they are machine laid. My Idig gets me to within 10mm either way so after many hours of hand screeding (on my own in that really hot period in August) I had it down to 10mm or less across the 3m straight edge. This was deemed not acceptable apparently and we fell out about it. My point being they couldn't prove that 6mm was the required tolerance, and with the attitude they were showing, it seemed some kind of game I felt to knock me. There was also an argument about some extra stone I had required which I proved was due to their calculation error in quantities (they supplied materials) - they were blaming my digging. Eventually we agreed to split the cost on another contractor coming and "levelling" it (because what I had done was obviously a f****ng mountain range!) Cost me about £500 and the lesson we have learnt is - agree tolerances before pricing, don't work on labour and machine price only because it would seem you are still responsible for everything anyway, and don't work for that company again!
Anyway, moving on, Job 3 was then a private garden revamp, thought this would be a nice little local job, but its been hard work, job was looking great until I pointed it with a resin compound called Joint It - because the customer wanted a fancy colour.... It stained the slabs with some kind of oil which I am reliably told will fade with sunlight. But the customer understandably isn't happy with that answer and I am slowly trying multiple cleaning products to work out what will get it off. So far, a degreaser seems to be making fair progress but its hard work with a scrubbing brush by hand, I'm doing a bit as and when I can. Long story short, not paid on this one yet... couldn't use my digger on it because of gate access, job seems to be never ending with the customer wanting his fencing replaced too and inexperience of using a resin jointing compound has effectively ruined what was looking a lovely job. I might still have to smash it all up and re-lay it yet.
To top it all off, my cattle have had issues with fly strike this autumn and one has had to have an eye removed. Took up well over a day of my work time, god knows what the vet bill will be and I feel really sorry for the poor girl. Another lesson learned - having cows is a very expensive way to buy burgers!
Job 4 was a nice block paving job at a local private school, I've since won another 3 jobs there and they seem really keen to give me more work so that's great. They pay on time, easy to work for, don't argue prices and are 15 mins from home.
Job 5 was the first bit of machine driving for 6 weeks or more! Bit of ditching for a guy who lives literally between the racecourse at Ascot. God knows what that property is worth! Nice to spend a sunny day on the little 8015.
And Job 6 was the first outing for the 8026 for a few weeks too, A bit of land clearance, removing gorse and levelling an area for a new orchard to be planted. Nice views on this one looking out towards the Surrey Hills.
Still its good to be busy I guess!
stock.diggersndumpers.co.uk
Did some decking, then returned to the self build house to backfill around the slab for a scaffold mat and install a land drain. Tilty was invaluable for this one as the space left around the outside of the house is now really tight. Other than that, mooved my cattle to keep them on good grass, dug an electric main trench on another development with the every reliable 8015 and have just started what will become 6 weeks of school works in various places so busy busy.
