The right tool for the job

Photos: Beaumont Landscaping and Design, JCBChas Moscarino started Moscarino Outdoor Creations in 1999 to pay for college. Now, the Columbia Station, Ohio-based landscaping service has expanded to 47 employees and $2.4 million in annual revenue.

More employees means more workers available for jobs. And with multiple jobs going on at the same time, Moscarino says having skid steers on hand helps complete them faster.

“A job that could take three guys to do could be done with one guy and a machine,” he says. “It cuts down time drastically.”

Saving time is key during snowy Ohio winters, when Moscarino and his crew attack shopping center parking lots.

“Moving snow in general, a (skid steer) is pretty versatile for us,” he says.

In addition to buckets, Moscarino Outdoor Creations uses Harley Rakes, a Brush Hog (a large mowing attachment), basic forks, and auger attachments to dig holes for large tree plantings.

If having a large order delivered to the shop, Moscarino says using a skid steer with forks attached helps speed things along.

“We bring the pallets out and have the machine there when they’re unloading at the dock,” he says. “No one has to wait.”

Marv Haugen, president of Marv Haugen Enterprises in Casselton, N.D., says of the 50-some attachments he manufactures, the two most popular for landscape contractors are buckets and rotary tillers.

The company manufactures attachments – grapples, forks, buckets and snow blowers – and sees customers from across the United States and Canada.

Attachments for everything from trenching to sweeping to hauling let contractors get more use out of their skid steers.“Rock buckets are ideal for cleaning up debris and maintaining the job site,” he says. “Rototillers for the front of the machine are easy to use.”

 Haugen finds that most customers and dealers are looking for specific equipment.

“They each have unique jobs to do, and there are specialized tools to do them,” he says. “That’s what we do. We make the attachments for the job. The attachments definitely increase the value of the skid steer.”

Bob Pedatella formed Haskell, N.J.-based Kodiak Landscape Design in 1994. After renting machinery, he decided it made more sense to buy his own fleet of skid steers and attachments. He uses Bobcat attachments year-round – attaching buckets for snow removal in the winter and backhoes and forks for summer projects.

Pedatella says skid steers improve the efficiency of his 12-man, $750,000-per-year operation.

“It makes it a lot easier, and it saves on labor,” he says. “We don’t have to have as many guys because the skid steer does a lot of the work.”

Residential jobs account for 80 percent of Kodiak’s business, which does everything from installing pavers and retaining walls to removing snow. But on commercial projects, Pedatella says skid steers help out a lot, too, especially when working with asphalt and paving.

 “We work with a couple paving companies and we have a sweeper to pick up after the (paving) machine,” he says. “Attachments make it even easier for us.” PLD

The author is an intern for Lawn & Landscape magazine. Send her an e-mail at kpickerel@gie.net.