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What is a decent price for digging pond deeper #13353826 11/26/19 10:17 PM
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JSouther Offline OP
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My pond needs to be 6-10 foot deeper. It is almost 1/2 acre but a lot of limestone. Trying to decide if it would be worth renting equipment for a week or having someone do it. No haul off of material as I have another hole that needs filled in.

Re: What is a decent price for digging pond deeper [Re: JSouther] #13354472 11/27/19 03:41 PM
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fmrmbmlm Offline
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Unless you are proficient in operating a dozer and scraper much cheaper to have an experienced operator.

Re: What is a decent price for digging pond deeper [Re: JSouther] #13354636 11/27/19 05:50 PM
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salex Offline
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Expect to pay about $125-$150 an hour for the operator and equipment. The good ones will also charge a fee to bring it out and to take back on small jobs like this as they cannot build the delivery and pick up into such a small job. Delivery and pick up fees avg $500-$1000 per piece of equipment. If the pond is completely dry and has been dry for a month or two I would think it could be done in a day or two. But, as you know it is so hard to find good folks to do small jobs like this. I would assume the project would be $2500-$5000, just guessing without seeing it or knowing more what you want to do. I am not a dirt contractor.


Steve Alexander
salexander@privatewaterfishing.com
www.privatewaterfishing.com

Re: What is a decent price for digging pond deeper [Re: JSouther] #13354865 11/27/19 09:08 PM
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Meadowlark Offline
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I think Salex is pretty much on target on the costs.

I would add a big CAUTION. Limestone does not generally make a good pond bottom. Disturbing it would seem to run a significant risk of creating leaks....unless you have good clay or other material to pack into the new bottom.

Re: What is a decent price for digging pond deeper [Re: Meadowlark] #13354901 11/27/19 09:40 PM
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JSouther Offline OP
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I plan on lining with clay after digging. I was doing pretty good with a 40hp tractor and box blade with rippers until water started coming up through the limestone. It has been dry for the last month so about to start at it again. Water table is very shallow as of right now the hole is only about 4-5 ft deep. I paid original contractor 5500 to dig pond 10ft and there was no rock clause or was ever mentioned by contractor. They hit rock with the D6 dozer and said they didn’t want to tear it up. He said he would do me a favor and bring out the excavator for 300 an hour and six hour minimum to finish the job. I told him no thanks and gave him several bad reviews. Wife is angry and won’t let me spend anymore on it so trying to do as much as I can myself. The dam and everything is shaped just needs digging out bowl deeper. I think I’m just going to rent a backhoe for a week with hydraulic hammer and see what happens. If anyone needs any rock holler I got plenty.

Re: What is a decent price for digging pond deeper [Re: JSouther] #13355682 11/28/19 04:21 PM
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Meadowlark Offline
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It takes about two feet of packed clay....some say 18 inches but that isn't enough in my experience. That's a lot of clay...and I might add a 40 hp tractor isn't nearly enough to move and pack that kind of clay.

Water coming up through the limestone is to be expected...and without clay, hydrostatic pressure will reverse that flow...in other words leak. Good luck.

Re: What is a decent price for digging pond deeper [Re: JSouther] #13359461 12/02/19 09:05 PM
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Meadowlark is right and I'll add that with a limestone bottom that water comes up through it is very porous and 2 feet of clay might not work.
Plus if you don't have a good clay source on your place buying and hauling clay is expensive.

Re: What is a decent price for digging pond deeper [Re: JSouther] #13467114 03/11/20 01:37 AM
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Lane Goodwin Offline
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I know a good dozer man that charges I believe $100-$120 an hour. He’s honest and fair. Let me know if you need his number. Not sure if you finished it or not. Hope it worked out’

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