Hello there,
I made a post a couple of weeks ago as i'm in the planning stage of starting a fencing company. I remember when I used to do fencing jobs as part of my old landscaping business, i'd always have the materials delivered. Coupled with the fact that you don't really require many large tools for fencing. Does it really warrant having to get a big 3.5t transit or similar again?
My only concern would be the removal of waste, i'm not quite sure how i'd play that if i had a smaller vehicle - any ideas would be handy.
My main reason for asking, is that if i can get away with a smaller vehicle (transit connect for example), it would save me a lot on insurance and fuel.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Mark.
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Replies
Mark,
Whenever you're short through miscalculation, change of spec or damage, and have to pop back to the supplier to pick up that 6' panel or lengthy post, it's a real pain hoisting up and securing onto the rack, which you'd need on a Connect. Especially on a windy day!
Many of the fencing specialists I come across drive a pickup/trailer combo, mind you they can be thirsty too.
transit connect with an 8x4 trailer should do the job. I agree with Ian about the extra materials, quite often when im doing fencing we'll be short a bit of bevel rail or something and have to scoot down to pick one up.
For fencing, I would use a 3.5t lwb tipper.
You can collect materials loose (including ballast, cement or if near the right plant readymix concrete) as well as having easy access to fencing tools, like spades, [giant] sugar tongs etc.
They are useful for taking away the old fence too.
weight up initial purchase /loan,
fuel costs over 3 years may pay for a trailer (that wont loose value) like an expensive vehicle will.
i have a shogun 03 lwb diesel, towbar was on as needed & added a new original locking roof rack £78 from mitsubishi. well worth it as used few times each year,
trailer invaluable , but need storage / locking up at least and hitching, reversing/parking. but a must for me.
also good for waste away if you have a ramp tailboard or sides of type. : and strong muscles ,
i get all landscaping materials delivered now in time, but always a few rails/laths required on spec.
versitile, and can swop change / sell as needed. i have a tipper but rarely use it tbh, its hidden & hitchlocked out of site. maybe selling soon if i dont use it by end june.
At the end of the day/job load all the waste away.
It's a 3.5t ldv so will take 10 pans and posts etc even for concrete slotted jobs, enough materials for a days work. Fuel about 35 to gallon but only one round trip so saves fuel and valuable time.
Tipper, by far the easiest. As Matthew says above a 3.5t will carry enough weight for a good days work. Drawback is security of tools, but you just dont leave anything lying about unattended.
we have a lwb transit dropside, 3.6m bed, since we got it nearly every job has became so much easier, mainly for the oh crap moments and for taking rubbish away.
Thanks very much for the replies, you all basically gave me the answers I need - although it would be cost-cutting initially to get a smaller vehicle, it would inevitably make my jobs a lot more difficult in the long run, so the extra outlay on the purchase/insurance would be worth it.
After scouring the net for a few quotes, a mwb transit tipper only came out £250 more expensive on insurance than a connect. So in the grand scheme of things, its not a massive difference!
Thanks for the replies, I know what i'm going to look for now!
Yep you need a dropside truck, van or trailer so they can forklift materials onto it when you buy them. Nice and easy that way and gives you a platform to work off when at the job. You don't wanna be lugging concrete posts and base boards in and out of a panel van on a full time basis.