Small contractors
Site Prep and Grading Equipment for Small Contractors
Site prep rarely happens on dry, level ground. You are cutting pads on soft spring clay, backdragging a driveway, trenching a footer and hauling spoil, often on the same day. We work with small contractors across Ohio and Indiana who need one or two machines to do all of it.
Flotation on Soft Ground
Ohio and Indiana site work means wet clay in spring and fall, and that is where tracks earn their keep. A compact track loader spreads weight, keeps you working when a wheeled machine would rut the pad, and holds a steadier grade because it is not bouncing on tires. The 317 P-Tier and 325 P-Tier suit residential lots and tight backyards. Step up to the 331 P-Tier, 333 P-Tier or 335 P-Tier when you are moving real volume or running high-flow attachments.
Skid Steers and Box Blades
If most of your grading is on established surfaces, gravel drives, parking lots, finished subgrade, a skid steer with a box blade is the faster and cheaper way to get there. Wheels move quicker between passes and cost less to maintain. The 316 P-Tier and 318 P-Tier handle drive and lot work. The 320 P-Tier and 324 P-Tier add lift for pallets and material. The 330 P-Tier and 334 P-Tier carry the heavier attachments all day.
Pair It With an Excavator
Almost every site prep job turns into digging at some point. Footers, water lines, stumps, catch basins. Most small contractors we work with end up running a loader alongside an excavator rather than trying to make one machine do both. The 17 P-Tier and 26 P-Tier fit through gates and between houses. The 35 P-Tier and 50 P-Tier give you reach and bucket force for utility work without needing a heavy trailer.
The kit for this job
Every machine here earns its place on the trailer. Tell us the job and we will spec the shortest kit that covers it.
Compact track loader
Your primary grading and material machine on soft or disturbed ground. Backdrags, cuts pad, loads trucks and runs attachments.
317 P-Tier · 325 P-Tier · 331 P-Tier · 333 P-Tier · 335 P-Tier
Skid steer
Faster and lower cost on gravel, stone and finished subgrade. Pairs well with a box blade for driveways and lots.
316 P-Tier · 318 P-Tier · 320 P-Tier · 324 P-Tier · 330 P-Tier · 334 P-Tier
Compact excavator
Handles footers, utility trenches, stumps and basins so your loader stays on grading. Smaller models fit backyard access.
17 P-Tier · 26 P-Tier · 30 P-Tier · 35 P-Tier
Larger compact excavator
For deeper utility runs and heavier digging where you still want to trailer behind a pickup or small dump.
40 P-Tier · 50 P-Tier · 60 P-Tier
Compact wheel loader
Moves stone, topsoil and pallets around the site quickly, with less ground disturbance than a track machine on finished areas.
184 G-Tier · 204 G-Tier · 244 P-Tier · 304 G-Tier · 324 P-Tier
Frontier attachments
Box blades, grapples, buckets and augers that let one carrier machine cover several parts of the job.
Questions we get on this job
Track loader or skid steer for grading?
It comes down to what you are standing on. If you are working wet clay, raw dirt or fresh subgrade, a compact track loader keeps you productive and leaves a cleaner surface. If most of your grading is on gravel and established lots, a skid steer with a box blade costs less to buy and run.
Can one machine do the whole job?
It can, but most of the small contractors we work with find it slows them down. About two thirds of operators in our area also run a loader alongside their digging machine, and the typical fleet we see is around four machines. Pairing a loader with a compact excavator usually pays for itself in days saved.
Should I look at used equipment?
It is worth considering. Roughly 30% of the machines going to work in our area were bought used, and a well maintained used loader can be a smart first machine for a growing crew. Tell us your budget and hour expectations and we will give you an honest read on new versus used.
Can I try a machine on my own site?
Yes. We will arrange a demo on your site so you can run the machine on the ground you actually work. We stock parts for these machines and our technicians are trained on them. Koenig has been local and family-owned since 1904, and we come to you with solutions.
Related
Tell us the job, not the model number
Send the acreage, the access and the schedule. We will spec the shortest kit that covers the work and price it new or used. Family-owned in Ohio and Indiana since 1904.
Talk to a Koenig rep