irritating install

Working on a install this week. Two days in and just the front yard is done (of a small 1500 sq ft or so job )

Complications I've discovered so far:

• A buried catchbasin drainage system in the front yard that was completely grown over by the sod.
• Houses water line is unrated PVC only 6" deep, in the exact location of where I wanted to pull a line
• Yard gates only give me .5 inch of clearance to get the 410 through
• back yard has septic tanks keeping me from being able to manuever the 410
• Soil is extremly compact sand, I can barely penetrate even with the 410.

Anyone else get jobs that look so easy on the surface, but incredibly tough once you start?

 

the exact reason why I got a 255 instead of a 410... I still had to dig up a fence post the other day to get the 255 in

 

I have a VP12 as well, it would easily navigate this yard, but I dont think it would have the power to pull in the soil.

 

I suppose that's w/ the dually's off? Mutter, mutter, swear, swear. I had the fun of working one several years ago when I wasn't self employed. Was a complete re-install. Sales guy bid it. Would you believe a complete system of galvanized 1/2 and 3/4 and none of it more than 6" deep? Almost wore my sawzall out cutting the pipe from the blade of the puller. Crap wouldn't break. Pull until you started to bog down and dig around the blade and cut the galvanized loose w/ the saw.

 

Makes quicker work of galvi than a sawzaw

Yours sounds worse than mine. I've had to repair galvi lines a few times after locating them with a trencher , and thats never fun either.

I love the 410 though. I plowed through a 5 inch root the other day and the thing didn't even break a sweat.

I kinda hope I didnt kill the tree.

 

That things got a cord And,no, yours is worse because mine is only a memory NOW. Starting a new one next week, I really hope it goes as easy as it looks.
I let the customer sucker me into doing the sod install after I'm done w/ the sprinklers.

 

I have instituted a pricing policy that is written into my install contracts which covers several areas.
Rock outcropping, utility/septic/mud lines unmarked-mismarked and most importantly, any previous work attempted or undertaken by the homeowner.
These are listed in a addendum to the contract for install as I have had major problems on installs due to these areas.
To paraphrase, it says that any encounter with these areas are subject to additional charges and verified through a written change order.