Doing Business in the Backyard

Wayne Jesionowski and Son

There is plenty of work in backyards - if you have the right equipment.

Consider the case of Wayne Jesionowski, Harvard, Ill. Three years ago, after retiring from a long career as a construction equipment mechanic, he went into business for himself, establishing Wayne's Underground, Inc. He purchased a Bobcat MT50 mini track loader and a dump truck. He and his son, Wayne, Jr., provide light excavating and hauling services for homeowners and home construction contractors.

Their money-making mini track loader enables them to quickly and efficiently handle a wide variety of jobs, whether using an auger to dig holes for deck piers and fence posts or using a bucket to excavate for patios, sidewalks and above-ground swimming pools and to carry and load dirt, sand and pea gravel.

"It's the one machine for everything we need," says Jesionowski. He based his selection of the mini track loader on four criteria. He wanted a machine that would fit easily into backyards, offered the power and durability of a diesel engine, provided the lift height to load into his dump truck and minimized damage to existing lawns. The Bobcat unit was the only choice that fit the bill, he says.

"When I saw that machine, it wowed me," he says. "I like every thing about it-from its size and power to its ease of operation and two-speed travel."

Homeowners like the turf-friendly rubber tracks. "They can?t believe that we're able to excavate dirt or bring in five yards of gravel without leaving ruts or other damage to the lawn," Jesionowski says.

Contractors like the mini track loader's productivity. For example, soils in the area range from soft, black dirt to hard-digging rocky, sandy material. "On some sites it can take several hours to dig one hole for a deck pier," he says. "Rather than waste time, they'll hire me to dig as few as two holes because they know that the mini track loader can dig them quickly. Other times, I may dig 30 or more holes on a project."

Jesionowski also likes the service provided by his dealer, Bobcat of Rockford. "They're very knowledgeable about their products and they are willing to bend over backwards to help me. That's very important."

This kind of support plus the performance and reliability of the mini track machine adds up to a very pleased Bobcat owner. "No doubt about it," says Jesionowski. "I'm 110 percent satisfied with it."

It Pays to Buy Bobcat
Wayne Jesionowski and his son, Wayne, Jr., have checked out the quality and prices of after-market attachments for their Bobcat MT50 mini-track loader. "We agree that Bobcat attachments are worth the little extra price because they're made specifically for the loader," he says. "Plus, our dealer has them in stock or can get them in a very short time."