How to Make Money With a Skid Steer

Many individuals dream of having their own business. They want to work in construction, retail, or any other industry.

When having your own business, you can work when you want to and will have complete control over your life. One of the most creative ways to get into company ownership is to buy heavy machinery.

You can learn how to make money with a skid steer specifically using the tips below. This heavy equipment option lets you clear away snow, offer gardening assistance, and help at construction sites and building projects.

17 Tips to Make Money with a Skid Steer

1. Find Demolition Jobs

One of the most obvious ways you can learn how to start a skid steer business is to provide demolition work. You can dig out the space for a deck, garage, or shed on someone’s property.

Sometimes, neighborhood associations hire people with skid steers. They can get you to dig out the space for a pool or tennis court on their street.

Customers will save money in the long run by hiring a private skid steer operator. Construction companies cost much more. Appeal to these budgetary needs by posting ads for your business on social media, Craigslist, and your local newspaper.

2. Rent Your Skid Steer to Other People

Rent out your equipment to other people to earn passive income with your skid steer. You can still perform jobs when others do not need them.

You will need to provide regular maintenance to learn how to make money with a skid steer in this way. Others will not want to use your equipment if it does not work as it should.

Write up a contract for the individuals who will rent your skid steer from you. You do not want any legal troubles to come up that will cost you your profit.

3. Offer to Clear Snow with Your Skid Steer

One of the best skid steer business ideas is to offer to clear snow for private customers or local businesses. You have to live in a region that gets snow regularly. Otherwise, you will not make a significant profit.

You could offer to clear someone’s private driveway for $50 to $75. The job would get done in as little as 20 to 30 minutes.

Reach out to businesses during bad weather to offer your snow plowing services. Clear their parking lot to ensure their staff members and customers remain safe. Make even more money by offering to spread ice salt to prevent falls.

4. Offer to Clear Other Weather Debris with Your Skid Steer

Specific portions of the country regularly experience extreme weather conditions. They face tornadoes, hurricanes, and severe thunderstorms throughout the spring and summer.

Sometimes, these severe weather systems leave behind significant debris. They cause downed trees, mudslides, and fallen structures. You can use your skid steer to help clean up this debris.

Sometimes, local communities call on volunteers to help pick up after these natural disasters. Families often need rescuing, as they are under the rubble left behind. Roads need to become passable again, and trees need to come off of structures and cars.

5. Help Businesses Load and Unload Their Products

You can learn how to start a skid steer business by partnering with local businesses in your area. Offer to load and unload their products for them. This process is one of the most tedious and time-consuming for any company, so they will likely gladly accept the help.

You will possibly need the most profitable skid steer attachment, the forklift, to start helping. You can drop the products off in the warehouse or pick them up from a shipping facility.

Try to offer a base rate for each hour that you work. Always consider the cost of transportation of your equipment. Always prepare yourself with local industry standards also.

6. Work with a Landscaping Company to Do Gardening

You can learn more about starting a mini excavator business with your skid steer with a landscaping company. This equipment is beneficial for digging holes and transplanting plants with deep roots.

When transplanting a deep plant, you will need to dig out a large area around it. A skid steer can perform this job much quicker than manual laborers.

The best attachments you can purchase for this task include the tree spade and earth auger. They will help you dig and clear large areas. Contact a local landscaping company directly to see if they want to use your services.

7. Perform Repairs on Private Roads with Your Skid Steer

Most states in the country have a department of transportation to provide road repairs. Unfortunately, these government agencies will not touch private roads.

You can use the asphalt planer attachment if you need to work on a paved private road. It will help you fix potholes and perform other essential repairs.

Some private roads only use gravel or dirt. You can use the skid steer to fill in holes or replenish the medians. Ultimately, you need to ensure you make the road a safer place to drive on for everyone.

8. Offer Your Services at a Local Warehouse

You can work with local businesses to load and unload products. There are several additional tasks you can do at a warehouse. These options will help the process run more smoothly.

Learn how to make money with a skid steer by offering your services to move pallets in a warehouse. You can help keep track of inventory, especially with products that are not easily visible at first.

Again, try to offer your services at an hourly rate. You will need to consider the price of the forklift attachment and the transportation fees. Make sure you can make a decent profit by working with the warehouse.

9. Use Your Skid Steer on a Farm

One of the most unique skid steer business ideas is to use your equipment on a farm. Contact the local agricultural workers in your area to see if they want help.

When you work with a farmer, you will both make a profit. The agricultural workers will make their money quicker, as they will get the gardening done much faster. You will get paid directly from the farmers for the work you provide.

Hay farmers are likely the individuals who can benefit the most from a skid steer. Help pick up the hay bales, moving them to their appropriate locations on the land.

10. Use Your Skid Steer to Clear Land and Brush

Understand even more about starting a mini excavator business by offering to clear brush and land. If someone buys property, they have to remove trees and other natural debris before starting the building process.

Look for the forestry disc mulcher or the drum mulcher attachments to clear a section of land. Both of these options can remove small trees and heavy brush.

When using either of the attachments above, you will get an even mulch level on the ground. Use this type of soil for building a home or starting a garden area.

11. Remove Tree Stumps with a Skid Steer

You can partner with a local tree removal business if you want to learn how to start a skid steer business. Offer to take care of the trunks left behind.

You can also remove tree trunks after clearing away heavy brush in a residential area. No one can build a house on top of these stumps.

Now there is a skid steer stump grinder attachment. There is no longer the need for an expensive grinder, as you can get the job done with one piece of equipment. With this attachment, you can provide services to local customers whenever they need them.

12. Offer Private Digging Services with Your Skid Steer

Sometimes, private customers need you to use your skid steer for digging services. They likely need this work done at their homes or on their land.

Most of the time, these jobs will only take a couple of hours or one day. You can offer to help them dig the space for a pool, garden, or playground.

If you offer your skid steer for the job, you will not charge as much as a landscaping business. Advertise your costs and the services you can provide in your local newspaper and social media. Customers will appreciate the affordable price point you can offer.

13. Move Construction Materials with Your Skid Steer

The most obvious way to learn how to make money with a skid steer is to offer your services to a construction company. They can help in the process of building an office or home. You can also be there for remodeling.

As mentioned, the skid steer can demolish structures with ease. You can also help clean up construction materials.

Lumber, metal, and additional left behind materials are heavy. Clear these items in a matter of minutes with the equipment you have on hand. Charge for the weight of the loads and the amount of work you need to perform.

14. Sell Your Skid Steer for a Profit

The final way you can learn how to make money with a skid steer is to sell your equipment for a profit. Many business owners want to find a used option to save them money.

Provide regular maintenance to your skid steer to get the highest profit from your sale. Show that the tires and mechanical equipment are in the best status possible.

If you sell your skid steer, you will no longer make a profit from it. Make sure to consider this choice before finalizing it. If you do not want to perform the work anymore, earn passive income by renting out your equipment.

15. Get Special Training to Operate a Skid Steer

You will need specific certifications to learn how to make money with a skid steer. It is not safe to open your business without doing this paperwork.

Look up the rules in your jurisdiction to get a contractor’s license. You can contact the builder’s association in your region to learn what you must do.

Some states require you to pass an exam and take training courses. Other areas only make you sign a registration form. You will look more trustworthy to potential customers in the future, making them more likely to work with you.

16. Find the Best Skid Steer at the Right Price

After you get your license and are ready to start your business, you will have to find the best skid steer for the money. You have to choose whether you want to buy one new or used one.

A new skid steer will come with a factory warranty to cover you if anything malfunctions or does not work as it should. You will also get the latest technological advancements.

If you want to know what is the best skid steer for the money, consider a used one. If you ever decide to sell, you will get a significant portion of what you spent back. Eventually, you can use that sale to get new equipment.

17. Perform Proper Maintenance on Your Skid Steer

You have to perform proper maintenance on your skid steer to ensure it lasts for years to come.

Keep It Clean

A dirty skid steer may cause the engine to overheat. Thankfully, you can use a vacuum or pressure washer to remove debris and dirt.

Check the Fluid Levels Regularly

There are several fluids you need to check on your skid steer. Look at the engine oil, hydraulic oil, radiator fluid, fuel, and coolant. If you do not have proper levels of these liquids, you could face heat damage and other problems.

If your fuel levels are low, you may have a broken seal or hose. Inspect the appropriate mechanical parts on your skid steer, fixing any leaks. The problem could become worse if you do not provide this essential maintenance.

Maintain Your Tires

Finally, you need to maintain the tires on your equipment to learn how to make money with a skid steer. Check your machine every time you finish a job.

The tires are the most vulnerable part of the skid steer. Most worksites have materials that can bring damage to the rubber.

When inspecting your tires, look for any inflation or bloating. If you notice a tear, try to plug the hole. If this process does not work, you will need to purchase a new tire.

Make Money with a Skid Steer

If you determine that you want to know how to make money with a skid steer, you may not know where to start. Contact your local business authority to determine the contracting license you need.

After obtaining your licensure, you will need to buy a skid steer. Consider purchasing a used one if you want to save money. If you ever sell your equipment, you will likely make a profit.

After you get your skid steer, you can start making money. Advertise the jobs you are willing to do on social media and in your local newspaper. Wait for the perfect customer, and watch the money start to flow!