Does anyone know of, or can recommend anyone, with a back hoe or excavator to do some dirt work? I need to dig several holes for septic tanks and need to put a driveway in. It will take some fill dirt as well. Any leads will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Get your Mrs to ask around, I've found that's the best way.

Get your Mrs to ask around, I've found that's the best way.

Thanks....you are absolutely right about that. I have found that almost everything is by word of mouth here. You actually have to know where a certain kind of store is....a music store that sell guitar strings for example. Or talk to a working musician who would know. I wish I could just rent a back hoe, as I know how to operate one, to do what I want done, but that might present other challenges that I just don't want compounding an already challenging project. Labor is the less expensive "expense" here in LOS. Again thanks for the input.

Get your Mrs to ask around, I've found that's the best way.

Thanks....you are absolutely right about that. I have found that almost everything is by word of mouth here. You actually have to know where a certain kind of store is....a music store that sell guitar strings for example. Or talk to a working musician who would know. I wish I could just rent a back hoe, as I know how to operate one, to do what I want done, but that might present other challenges that I just don't want compounding an already challenging project. Labor is the less expensive "expense" here in LOS. Again thanks for the input.

My septic tanks were dug by hand, a husband and wife team. She dug and he hauled the buckets of dirt out of the hole. All our concrete was hand mixed, not even a mixer, I remember buying over 200 bags of cement.

I let my wife handle nearly all of the management even though I've spent years in the building industry and she kept the time sheets and made up the pays for the workers. We both really enjoyed the process and wouldn't mind doing it again some day.

Keeping the crew happy is most important, sure they'll make mistakes, but mistakes can be fixed. If you start yelling at people you're going to get hurt feelings, loss of face all round and a crap job.

Jai yen, Trex, jai yen.

Keeping the crew happy is most important, sure they'll make mistakes, but mistakes can be fixed. If you start yelling at people you're going to get hurt feelings, loss of face all round and a crap job.

Jai yen, Trex, jai yen.

Never were there truer words spoken.

Keeping the crew happy is most important, sure they'll make mistakes, but mistakes can be fixed. If you start yelling at people you're going to get hurt feelings, loss of face all round and a crap job.

Jai yen, Trex, jai yen.

Never were there truer words spoken.

Not to worry, I left the farang attitude back stateside. I now live by the motto, mai bpenrai. TIT I know about saving face and no yelling, besides it makes one look like an ass. But I was looking at a double septic system and I know it can be dug by hand, but I thought I would make hay while the sun was shinning, and get the driveway in, perhaps a berm (rice paddy dam) or two or three removed, preliminary landscaping things, etc. I know how to use one and in one good day I could do the work of 10 people in a week. Just a thought, but again...TIT. Jai yen indeed. Thanks for the input. Things not to be forgotten.