If you want to get into utility excavation, the first thing you have to do is to become a certified utility and excavation contractor. In order to sit for the test, you must first prove a minimum 4 years experience or 2 years experience plus a 4 year degree in a related field. For basic land clearing, I'm not sure that you would need much more than an occupational license, however, in both fields, the capital costs are significant. It's not inconceivable to expect to spend upwards of $300,000.00 for a reliable fleet of equipment to be able to start operations (for land clearing, you are going to need at the absolute minimum, a dump truck, front end loader with root rake and bucket, trailer and bull dozer). To get an idea of what to expect to pay, try these two sites:
www.truckpaper.com and
www.machinerytrader.com. Equipment repair and maintenance is a large expense so you don't really want to start off with a bunch of beater equipment unless you have strong mechanic skills in the areas of diesel engines, hydraulic systems, air brake systems and heavy vehicle drive train repair. I'm not saying to go out and buy new equipment; there is quality equipment that can be bought at reasonable (compared to new) prices. Even to this day, I still purchase used over new when it makes sense. You will also need to get insurance, which can be a significant expense in it's own right. The next step is to make business connections. I don't know what your background is, but if you are currently working as an equipment operator, your employer may actually be a good starting point. On many projects, it's cheaper to hire a sub-contractor to complete the job rather than mobilize your own crews away from larger/more profitable projects. Yes, that's the way it works. You will have to be willing to do the jobs nobody else wants to do to get your foot in the door and establish a reputation as someone who can get the job done. I don't want to blow the wind out of your sails before you get started, but this is the reality of heavy construction. It's the same reality I faced 22 years ago when I started my company. It was just me, my partner, a couple of laborers, 2 pickups and a trencher. Now I have 35 vehicles on the road ranging from 3/4 ton pickups all the way to 18 wheelers, along with excavators, front end loaders, dump trucks, tag and lowboy trailers and other specialized heavy equipment. It didn't happen overnight, but if you persevere, you can build a successful business. Feel free to PM me if you have more specific questions.
