Back 40 Landscaping Blog | Tips, Trends, and Insights for Your Outdoor Space

What Type of Large Machines Does Back 40 Landscaping Have?

Written by Natasha Maerz | Jan. 18, 2024

At Back 40 Landscaping, the right tools make all the difference. Discover how our specialized equipment ensures efficiency, precision, and high-quality results for every project.

At back 40 landscaping we own the following machines

F550 dump truck

16-foot-long Dump trailer

Deere 17G Excavator

Deere 325G Compact track loader

Two Wacker Neuson DT10 Track Dumpers

John Deere 1025R Tractor backhoe equipped with a power rake

What Our Machines Allow Us To Do

F550 dump truck and 16-foot-long Dump trailer

Our F550 dump truck allows us to haul various materials. This means we do not need to hire dump trucks, cutting down on job costs.

This truck also allows us to get our equipment to and from a project in one or two loads, again cutting down on labor costs and allowing us to get the job done quicker.

Deere 17G Excavator

Due to its compact size our excavator is able to fit into most spaces (we need 40" access).

Deere 325G Compact track loader

Our compact track loader allows us to scoop large amounts of material at a time and either load our track dumpers, or truck and trailer.

Wacker Neuson DT10 track dumpers

These track dumpers replace wheelbarrows. One track dumper bucket holds 6-8 wheelbarrow loads of material, and can go up steep slopes with ease.

1025R John Deere Tractor equipped with a power rake

Our tractor is perfect for farm jobs and getting into yards where homeowners want to keep damage to their yard at a minimum due to its tires. The power rake attachment will transform a yard, and is perfect for levelling a yard, and repurposing existing soils

Above everything, all of these machines allow us to do any job and gain us access to tight spaces.

You might be thinking, why does it matter what machines you have? And, do machines really make a difference in how my project turns out?

It might sound funny, but the type of machines a contractor has can make or break a job.

When we first started Back 40 Landscaping we made sure that we invested in machines that would

  • Allow us access to all different types of spaces
  • Allow us to be efficient and cut down on the timeline of a project
  • Allow us to bring in the proper amount of material to a site
  • Allow us to remove the proper amount of materials off site

Access

Unless we are doing a large commercial or farm job with lots of land, access to a customer’s space is almost always an issue.

Residential backyards have small access points, or steep slopes and hills that make it difficult to get into the backyard.

Most of the time when we get a call from a customer, they are worried about access.

Many have tried calling around and found that there isn’t a contractor who is able to gain space to their backyard and bring machines in.

For us, access is not a problem because our excavator allows us to get into most residential backyards due to its compact size. It also allows us to remove trees and brush that may be in our way, allowing us to open up the site and gain access.

Why Does It Matter If Machines Are Able To Get Into My Yard?

If you have a serious landscaping project that you need done, like a retaining wall, patio or drainage system install, your project cannot be done without machines.

Are there guys out there that will come with a shovel and a wheelbarrow and tell you they can get the job done? Certainly.

Will they be able to build you a proper retaining wall, patio or French drain without equipment? No.

Why Do You Need Machines To Do A Landscaping Project?

  • Soil excavation
  • Materials need to be brought in and off the site, such as gravel and sand

Soil Excavation and Materials

The trench that is being dug for these projects needs to be deep, and a lot of material needs to be taken out of your backyard.

As an example, Excavation for a small retaining wall 50’ x 4’ will produce a “cut” about 30” wide, and 5’ high. This will be about 30yds or 3 dump trucks that needs to be moved to the road, and then trucked away to a disposal site.

Someone with a shovel will not do this, it’s just not possible.

First off, they are not going to dig down to the depth required, (it’s been proven time and time again that the excavation areas get cheated when someone is digging by hand).

Secondly, excavated soil comes out of the ground 1.3x its original size. Someone with a wheelbarrow and shovel is not going to be able to remove all of this soil from your property.

Because of this they don’t make their trench very big, giving you a system that is not being built to last.

Now you might be thinking that the trench doesn’t need to be dug that deep, however, the proper amount of material, like gravel, needs to be put into the trench for your retaining wall or drainage system to function properly and last.

If the trench is not deep enough the right amount of gravel will not be able to be brought in.

This is why whoever you hire for your landscaping project needs to have the proper equipment to do so.

We are able to get the right amount of material in and out of a yard with our track dumpers.

Our track dumpers (think of a big wheelbarrow on tracks) allow us to bring in the right amount of gravel fast and up hills and tight spaces.

Timeline/Efficiency

Having these machines allows us to be efficient with our time, and finish your project faster.

Why does it matter if your project finishes faster?

Not only is it nice for you, the homeowner, to get your space back faster, having these machines and getting the project done quicker will mean less labor, therefore cutting down on your labor costs.

Overall, having the right machines for the job allows us to do your project right, with the proper amount of material coming in and out, gain access to tight spaces, and give you your space back sooner!