Contractors Without Heavy Machinery
 

Does anyone know of any contractors that would be willing to build an island home without the use of damaging heavy equipment? A friend is looking to build on the island, but the idea of taking down trees and wrecking the natural shrubs to get them in is not at all appealing.
Thanks for your help!
RG

When ours was built the actual structure was completely done by hand, no equipment at all. They used a barge to crane the material onto shore and everything was moved by hand from that point. The sitework would be the problem though, how do you do a septic system without heavy equipment? Thats a lot of digging by hand...

Island Marine?
 

They might be what you're looking for.

A Yurt!
 

How about one of these???

rocks!
 

Everything on the islands is pretty much heavy boulders requiring some machinery. Other than the house and septic sites (which have to be cleared), the equipment can be brought in without damaging too much (which can be replaced later anyway), and they only need about a 8-10' wide path to bring the equipment in. Just strap firring strips vertically around all the trees you want to protect and instruct the contractor that you want max preservation. The problem we ended up with once we were done is what do you do with all the huge boulders that come up when trying to build a septic system and level a house site (no basement in ours).

A few years ago I had a 14' by 32' addition put on our island home without any equipment. The foundation holes were dug by hand. The lumber was manhandled off of a barge or dragged across the ice.

The septic system is the problem. A standard system requires a lot of digging and dozens of truckloads of sand. It can cost 50k.

If they went with a propane toilet or a composting toilet they could save a lot of money and not need any equipment on the island. I know Diamond Island is mostly alternative toilets, aren't there a lot on Rattlesnake as well?

$50k sounds like a raping on a septic system, all of our sitework combined cost $31k (clearing the lot and making a barge landing spot, tree work, all materials and extra fill, complete Presby septic 450' back, setting pilings for the house and general cleanup/grading). This was last fall.

Pepper, What made you think of a yurt? I think it would look better in Hawaii.

Without the heavy
 

At todays labor costs, lets build a pyramid..... :)

Tents,... or US!......... and hold the mayo.... " Only kidding " :)

Love,
T.

I came home Sunday evening still saying "A Yurt?!?!?!?!?!" Then I logged on and saw RG's post and cracked up laughing while I searched for a picture of a yurt.

I hope you two laughed as hard as we did! I do agree, however, that it would look much better in Hawaii! :D

Hope the weather didn't keep you from your planned activities on Monday


PS: RG, sorry for temporarily hijacking your thread. We now return to our regularly scheduled thread. :emb:

They grow back, the shrubs and trees.
Takes a little while, but not as long as you might think. I'm sure you could find a contractor who would only take down what was needed.
Good luck.

Thanks!
 

Thanks everyone! I also received a couple e-mails with information to pass along too.
Pepper, no need to be sorry, it was funny! :laugh:
There are many of us on Rattlesnake alternative toilets. They are more cost effective than putting in septic systems. Also much of the island simply isn't conducive for them. For resale value, I'm not sure you would make back the money spent on one either. That's definitely something to consider.
Thanks again!
RG

Contractors Without Heavy Machinery
 

Island Property Management, LLC - 603-455-6401. Does excellent work with minimal impact. Uses a small excavater. Has done a few jobs already on Rattlesnake. Fully licensed for septic systems. Give him a call, you will not be sorry. (He is my neighbor)