Looking to complete your next land development project quicker and cheaper?
Excavators aren’t the only equipment option for developers handling large-scale land clearing projects. Savvy developers are realizing using unconventional equipment can greatly reduce the time and money spent on development.
But…
The worldwide agriculture equipment market size was valued at $170 billion in 2023 and is expected to continue expanding in coming years. A lot of this equipment is made to do landscaping/hardscaping jobs almost as well as traditional construction equipment. Add in high demand for used equipment due to soaring prices on new machines and searching through used equipment listings has become the secret weapon of cost-conscious developers.
Agricultural equipment like these used combines for sale can tackle vegetation clearing for pennies on the dollar of what it costs to rent excavators. You just have to know what unconventional equipment will work on your specific project.
What You’ll Learn:
- Which unconventional equipment is best for land development
- How to spot quality used equipment
- Match up equipment suggestions to your next land development project
Why Non Excavator Equipment Works for Land Development Projects
Land development and agriculture actually have quite a bit in common.
Both industries require clearing tons of vegetation, preparing seed beds (or the ground for development), and more. It should come as no surprise the agriculture equipment market is led by equipment used for land development and seed bed preparation.
Benefits of using agricultural equipment for land development include:
- Heavy duty machinery meant to last for decades outdoors
- Used equipment prices pale in comparison to renting construction equipment
- Machines can often do multiple jobs with the right attachment
- Parts and service are easy to find at certified dealerships
Take farmers for example. They need to clear acres of land just like a developer needs to clear building sites. Stubborn grass, brush, huge weeds and on-time deadlines are just a few challenges they both face.
The Best Non Excavator Equipment For Land Development
You can’t just throw any old piece of farm equipment at a land development project and expect it to work. But these machines can outperform traditional construction equipment when the job calls for it.
Brush Cutters/Forestry Mulchers
Hands down these are the best unconventional tools for clearing land.
Forest mulchers are simply attachments that you mount to skid steers or tractors. As you run the machine over vegetation, it turns everything into mulch right where it lays. No need to pay dump fees. No need to acquire a burn permit. The mulch actually helps with erosion control by holding soil in place.
Industrial Mowers/Flail Cutters
When dealing with larger acreage of mixed grass, brush, and small trees/saplings an industrial mower is your best bet.
One operator can quickly clear several acres per hour if conditions are right. Compare that productivity to a team of two people swinging around chainsaws.
Tractors With Attachments
Alright, now we’re getting somewhere…
Tractors these days are made to use a wide variety of attachments. Box blade? Yep, they can hook that up. Root rake? You bet your farm they have that accessory. Disc harrow? Of course!
You can essentially transform the same tractor into multiple pieces of equipment by changing out the attachments.
Combines
Wait, what? You can use a combine to clear land?!
It sounds unusual, but hear this out.
Combine harvesters are very good at quickly clearing and processing tons of vegetation. If your land development site is littered with overgrown grass, weeds, or even crop residue a combine will make short work of it.
The large cutting platform won’t easily clog up like smaller machines and the onboard processing rapidly deals with cut material.
Finding Quality Used Equipment
If you know where to look it’s actually pretty easy to find high quality used equipment.
Due to record breaking auction sales earlier this year dealers were moving a lot of late-model used equipment from their inventory. This created the ideal market conditions for buyers with high quality equipment available at great prices.
Tips for finding great deals on used equipment:
- Search dealer used equipment inventories for machines with a service history
- Search for equipment located in drier areas to avoid rusty equipment
- Price is important, but low hours are better
- Ensure parts are still available for the equipment’s model year
These days most used equipment dealers have detailed online listings complete with photos and specifications. Some sellers will even go the extra mile and provide video of the machine operating.
Why Used Equipment Makes Sense
New construction equipment prices are absolutely insane.
What makes matters worse is interest rates are through the roof as well. The purchase price of new equipment and cost to finance it are both driving buyers towards the used market.
That said, used doesn’t mean you have to buy junk. Late-model equipment typically carries some factory warranty left and has newer features.
Just remember the age of the equipment will usually dictate:
- Machine Hourage
- Service History
- Technology available on the machine
Let a qualified technician inspect any used equipment before buying it. This small investment could save thousands if they discover a problem that was missed.
Matching Equipment to Your Land Development Project
Not every land development project is the same, and different equipment will be better suited for different types of projects.
Typical Residential Subdivision Clearing
These jobs are typically smaller in size and you don’t need to clear everything in the lot. Attachment-based equipment like compact tractors and brush cutters work great for this.
Commercial Site Prep Work
Big construction equipment will dominate these projects. Industrial mowers and larger tractors with the ability to change out multiple attachments are ideal.
Acreage Conversion into Developable Land
This process is essentially the opposite of clearing land for development. Since the land is already cleared and graded (because it’s farmland) you’re going to focus on things like removing any existing structures and changing drainage patterns.
Developing Rural Acreage
Think remote. When developing land that doesn’t have easy access to the outside world think about using unconventional equipment. Not only does traditional construction equipment take forever to arrive to remote locations, but it costs a small fortune to transport that equipment as well. There’s a good chance there will be local agricultural equipment available for use and it’s likely already sitting idle.
Other Things to Consider When Looking for Used Equipment
Here are a few other things to keep in mind when determining if unconventional equipment is right for you.
Project timeline- If you’re behind schedule and need equipment yesterday renting may be your only option. But for projects with lengthy timeframes buying used equipment is the way to go.
Labor- It’s much easier to find someone who can operate this kind of equipment. Construction equipment operators can be tough to come by in rural areas.
Terrain- Wet terrain, hilly areas, clay soil- they all limit what equipment you can and can’t use.
Your Budget– A lot of people want to rent because they think buying equipment is too expensive. Used equipment sale sites are full of machines that can fit any budget. You just need to find the right machine for your specific job.
Wrapping It Up
Heavy construction equipment doesn’t have to be the only option when working on land development projects.
There are lots of alternatives out there that can handle just about any job you need to complete. You just need to know what you’re looking for and where to find it.
Ready for a quick recap?
- Agricultural equipment can do most land development jobs
- Used equipment sale websites are great places to find affordable equipment
- Make sure the equipment you choose is suitable for your specific job
- Inspect the equipment before buying it!
Remember one thing about the next land development project.
There is more than one solution to every problem. Think outside the box and you’ll find those hidden gems.
