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Equipment and Engines By Lynette Von Minden Powering Up When and how to add backhoe loaders and compact excavators to your equipment fleet Photos courtesy of JCB. T en to 20 years ago, if you asked property owners what types of equipment landscapers are most likely to use, their responses would probably have included lawn mow- ers, shovels, rakes, tillers, edgers and spread- ers. Why? Most people thought of landscape contractors as the people who in- stall and maintain lawns and gardens for a living. Although that simplistic definition is still somewhat true today, it’s also a fact that many contractors have expanded their serv- ices over the years. Customers have come to expect a wider variety of services, and, as a result, contractors are using more heavy equipment than ever before. Today, landscape contractors may also in- stall in-ground irrigation systems, build re- taining walls and water features, clear brush, and perform snow removal and a number of other tasks that require power and strength. While it’s certainly not uncommon to see a landscaper using a skid-steer loader or compact track loader, many contractors are also adding other types of heavy equip- ment to their fleets. Backhoe loaders and compact excavators are two such machines that many contractors finding very useful as they expand their service offerings. Accord- ing to Chris Giorgianni, general manager of 20 Landscape and Irrigation July/August 2011 product marketing at heavy equipment manufacturer JCB’s North American head- quarters in Savannah, Ga., backhoes and compact excavators can give contractors the extra power they need to complete larger projects in less time. “Skid-steers and track loaders are great when it comes to all-around versatility,” said Giorgianni. “However, say a contractor decides to add pond installation or retain- ing wall construction to his list of services. He could probably accomplish both those tasks with a skid-steer or a track loader, but it would take longer than if he had ac- cess to a compact excavator or backhoe. The extra time involved leads to higher labor costs that could cause him to lose the bid on a job.” Giorgianni explained small to mid-size backhoe loaders can both excavate material from a job site and move larger, heavier loads of mulch, stone or other materials. Because some backhoes come with a “quick hitch” mechanism, contractors can also use a multitude of attachments, just like they can with skid-steers and track loaders. “You can move stone around a site, fit it with a broom to clear walkways and put a blade on it to remove snow,” said Gior- gianni. “Basically, because of its larger size and greater power, the backhoe is going to be a better choice if you’re consistently moving larger quantities of materials or doing some excavation work.” Giorgianni went on to say that one im- portant thing for contractors to remember when purchasing a backhoe loader is that it may be a little more challenging to trans- port than a skid-steer or other compact machine. “While some skid-steers, for ex- ample, are light enough to fit on smaller trailers and drive from job site to job site, transporting larger machines such as a backhoe loader often requires a commercial driver’s license (CDL).” If you’re going to be doing a lot of dig- ging in confined spaces, such as trenching for irrigation systems or excavating swim- ming pools, a compact excavator can’t be beat. Like track loaders, compact excavators use rubber tracks instead of wheels to cre- ate very little ground disturbance, some- thing that’s very important to the typical homeowner with an existing landscape. Some compact excavators are also able to be outfitted with attachments such as augers, hammers and buckets, making them useful for tasks other than just digging. On the job Jack Riley, operations manager for CERVUS Equipment Corporation in Ed- monton, Alberta, Canada, said these smaller excavators can perform a vast number of jobs safely and efficiently. “The overall de- sign of a compact excavator allows for ex- cellent visibility, stability and control when digging to a greater depth,” said Riley. “Models with ZTS [zero tail swing] can be easily maneuvered adjacent to a house’s foundation or fenceline. Often, the spoil [excavated material] can be placed behind the machine without worrying about it making contact with the house or other nearby structures. This eliminates additional time needed to move the spoil out of the work area.” Even though a backhoe loader or com- pact excavator may be better suited for a number of landscaping tasks, tough eco- nomic times may tempt contractors to get by with existing machines or tools — or simply rent a backhoe or compact excava- tor when a job requires it. So when does it make sense to add one of these machines to your fleet? “Contractors obviously need to keep www.landscapeirrigation.com