Clearing property

[aramis720]

What does it cost to clear property in Puna? I'm assuming a bulldozer is necessary for the site I have in mind, which is ohia forest, guava, etc., and no big trees.

[rainyjim]

Going rate is ~ $6,000.00 USD per 1 acre to rip & roll your lot

[aramis720]

Thanks Jim. What about just to put in a driveway and a house pad?

[DanielP]

Size matters

[DanielP]

The transport, loading and unloading, fueling, etc. all cost the same no matter size. No telling what they gonna run into and how much finish material will be needed. Figure $3K.

[Peter Epperson]

I'm so glad that I was too broke to bulldoze my property when I built. We hand cleared and found a relatively level spot where we cast concrete pads on the lava for the house supports. As years went by we did bulldoze a driveway and years after that an orchard. My house looks like it belongs to the land and there are several interesting lava formations that are now part of the landscaping. If you bulldoze your entire property it will look a lot like the WalMart parking lot and it will be hard to ever create a natural look to your surroundings. Give your land a long, hard look and rip with care.

[aramis720]

Thanks Peter, good advice.

[Clayjacks]

Alright, I'll throw a related question in here:
Excavator or dozer?
Our lot is three beautiful acres of relatively level, but never-cleared
Ohia forest in Orchidland. Right now we'd like to cut a solid, curving
drive from the road to the back of the lot, disturbing as little as possible.
I understand that Ohia roots may as well be made of glass, so naturally I'm
looking for a delicate touch.
We've met with a highly recommended excavator operator who is said to really work with the land, and visited his current job site (the owner is loving it so far, as the work is clean and very aesthetic).
Here's where the question comes in: We have friends (and friends of friends) here
who posit that an excavator wouldn't ever be able to cut and finish a *solid* drive, and that we should be looking at a D9 or 8!
I say yikes...
Anyone out there with any insight or experience?

[Rob Tucker]

If you want to tread lightly you can use a smaller dozer than a D9. D9s are good for ripping, crushing and flattening everything... and they are not delicate.

On some of my sites we used a D4 which was smaller and cheaper. Fine for grubbing and light grading. A D4 is more delicate and easier on the overall. It is cheaper but in some ways it may take longer - smaller bites.

Call Bob Hill - 965-9149 He has done good work for me with a D4 or D5.

Lastly, if you have very specific concerns and plans you really need to be on site while this goes on.

[topograph]

I actually had the opposite experience from your friends- we had a D-8 do our driveway (~400 LF through mostly ferns, a couple of ohias, and some good sized pukas and rock shelves), but had to follow up with smaller equipment to get a good finish grade on it as the dozer operator could only achieve a rough grade.