CalContractor - 2019 Specialty Construction

NATIONAL DEMOLITION CONTRACTORS Brings Down Former Firestone Tire and Rubber Factory to Make Room for $65 Million South Gate Educational Center

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CONTENTS

Construction Issue

Feature Articles 06

12

NATIONAL DEMOLITION CONTRACTORS

Brings Down Former Firestone Tire and Rubber Factory to Make Room for $65 Million South Gate Educational Center

06

TRENCH SHORING COMPANY-SAN DIEGO PIPE REPLACEMENT PROJECT: Overcoming Complex Challenges, Demanding Specifications and Fast Turnaround Requirements

18

LUX LANDSCAPE DESIGN, INC

22

BURCHETT GRADING, INC.

12

Unique Design Concepts Supported by High-Quality Materials and Industry Leading Equipment

Expanding on Nearly 50 Years of Full-Service Grading & Excavation Through the Acquisition of New Equipment and Technology

CalContractor Magazine / www.calcontractor.com PUBLISHER: Kerry Hoover khoover@calcontractor.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Brian Hoover, CMS, LLC

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Brings Down Former Firestone Tire and Rubber Factory to Make Room for $65 Million South Gate Educational Center

By Brian Hoover, Editor

T

he Firestone Tire and Rubber Company was originally based in Akron, Ohio, and since their inception in 1900, they have built manufacturing facilities all over the world. They opened their South Gate plant in 1928 to specifically produce tires between 3.5 to 18 inches in diameter. The area was predominantly agricultural at the time, and Firestone acquired 40-acres of beanfield in what would become South Gate to build their new manufacturing factory, administration building and power plant. The four-story structure grew to a whopping 963,682 square feet by World War II and ceased operations in 1980.

Now, the former site of one of the nation’s most extensive tire manufacturing facilities will serve as the South Gate Educational Center, a satellite campus of the Los Angeles Community College District’s (LACCD) East Los Angeles College (ELAC). Thousands of students will have the opportunity to use this state-of-the-art campus for professional, certified workforce training and education credits that can be transferred to other colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree.

The $65 million South Gate Education Center will be constructed on an 18.5acre site. The new campus will include four buildings, three of which are being 6

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funded by ELAC and a fourth made possible through a bond provided by LACCD. The main three-story, 105,000-square-foot LEED-certified building will feature a modern library, 28 classrooms, offices, a gym/ multipurpose room, a student lounge, lecture hall, and four labs to support the Career Technology Education, Liberal Arts and Science programs. Before the estimated three-year project can begin, however, the existing, nearly 1 million square foot structure must be razed, salvaged, recycled or taken to the landfill.

The approximately $11 million demolition contract was awarded to National Demolition Contractors out of San Pedro. Rafael Solorio is the project manager overseeing this highprofile job for the well-known and respected construction firm. Solorio oversees projects for National Demolition Contractors, and along with keeping the client updated

Top Right: National Demolition Contractors’ (NDC) Richard Alarcon, Senior Superintendent & Frank Sahagun, Business Development observing one of two new Cat 374Fs at work.

Right: Richard Alarcon, Senior Superintendent keeps a watchful eye out for any safety hazards.

and satisfied, he also assures that the company’s hardworking crews remain on schedule, on budget and that they are always working safely and productively. “We are demoing and removing nearly 1 million square feet at 2525 Firestone Boulevard in the City of South Gate. Notice to proceed was given in October 2018, and demolition began in April 2019,” says Solorio.

“We had our subcontractor on-site before April 2019 performing all of the asbestos and lead abatement duties.

After a few delays due to unforeseen contaminated soil issues, we now estimate that our work will be completed by the end of this year.”

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The approximately $11 million project included all salvageable materials which were removed before the demolition process. Concrete was demoed and removed, and then taken to a local recycling facility, along with steel from I-Beams and other structural metals like tin, copper and galvanized lines. National Demolition Contractors will continue to maintain around 20 operators with a variety of Cat machines and attachments until everything is removed down to the dirt. “Around 60 percent of the building footprint was basement structure where the incinerator pit and other necessary support infrastructure were located,” says Solorio. “We first removed the top basement slab to gain access with our two 178,800 lb.

Cat 374F machines that we used to excavate the massive basement walls and huge footings.”

8

According to Solorio, other excavators used on-site include the Cat 336EL High Reach and Cat 374F and 349F units. National Demolition Contractors has one of the largest fleets of Tier 4 Caterpillar equipment in California, along with every imaginable attachment for the most demanding demolition projects. “We are proud of our massive fleet of Cat machines, and along with the Cat excavators, we also had our rock trucks, water trucks, and a variety of attachments working daily on this project,” says Solorio. “We are also quite proud of our amazing crew members and our site superintendent, Richard Alarcon, who has done such a great job on this

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{ Continued on page 10 }

Top Left: NDC’s Cat 374F & Cat 336F working in tandem to take this building down.

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complicated project. He has faced and conquered the various challenges on this project.” The challenges Solorio refers to, include all of the work that has been done along Santa Fe Boulevard where the building served as the property line, and demolition occurred daily amongst aerial utilities and constant traffic and safety concerns. “We have a tremendous backlog right now and have several interesting projects coming up soon,” continues Solorio. “We will be out on a waterfront project for the Port of Los Angeles shortly on a 565-day job. Among other things, we will be heavily involved in the removal and reconstruction of seawalls, and our duties will include much more than just demolition on this particular job.

There is never a dull moment when you work for National Demolition Contractors and I look forward to what each day has in store.”

10

National Demolition Contractors started in the early 90s as a small hauling and disposal outfit. As the company grew, much of the revenue was reinvested back in the form of equipment, personnel and office space. From humble beginnings, the company now has over $500 million in bonding capacity, with around 50 pieces of heavy demolition equipment in their fleet. It is all about the future at National Demolition Contractors and doing whatever it takes to do it better, more efficiently, and safer than anyone else in the

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Top Left: NDC’s Cat 336F assisting with material source separation and recycling activities.

Above Left: NDC’s new Cat 374F showing us its power.

industry. The focus is now on specialized demolitions, like high-rise structures, maritime operations, bridges, wharves, and any other work that your ordinary demolition contractor might steer away from or refuse. With operators that have been with the company for 20 years or more and one of the most experienced environmental and abatement staff in the industry, National Demolition Contractors always works as a team and are in it for the long haul. For more information on National Demolition Contractors, please visit their website at www.nationaldemolition.com or call their San Pedro headquarters at (310) 732-1991. Cc

Top: Artist rendering of the new LACCD. Above: Aeriel view of the original Firestone Tire and Rubber factory in South Gate.

Right: NDC maintains one of the largest fleets of Cat equipment in the southwest region.

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11

Below

Installing large 120� diameter pipe.

TRENCH SHORING COMPANY-SAN DIEGO PIPE REPLACEMENT PROJECT: OVERCOMING COMPLEX CHALLENGES, DEMANDING SPECIFICATIONS AND FAST TURNAROUND REQUIREMENTS

B

elow San Diego’s Balboa Park, The Florida Canyon Emergency Pipeline Project has been underway for over a month.

This complex and challenging project will take approximately ten weeks to complete and is managed

by Hazard Construction. Trench Shoring Company is providing 100 feet of its SBH® Slide Rail Shoring Systems for this project.

As with many such projects, this one has presented a number of challenges for project contractor Hazard Construction, and supplier Trench Shoring Company. First, time was of the essence. The project was designated “emergency” because the existing 550 feet of existing, 10.6” diameter corrugated metal pipe had lived out its functionality and was CALCON TRAC TOR .CO M

Above:

seriously eroded, with large holes causing leakage of storm drainage water. The project plan was to replace this eroded metal pipe with more durable 120- inch diameter cement pipe.

The second challenge was the required excavation depth for pipe installation: 15 feet wide and 15 feet deep— and in several locations 26 feet deep—in order to protect the steep slopes behind the hospital, and to allow for both the size of the pipes and for vertical clearance; additionally, the pipes needed to be buried 13 feet below the surface to get them under the spreaders.

Pipe installers were working in very tight radius areas—just 16 feet to 19 feet—in order to

Excavation for special T-shaped Slide Rail System installation to construct Head Wall connection.

accommodate the pipe. The shoring was installed in several separate segments to achieve the necessary changes in direction and to provide as much space for them as possible.

Each section of concrete pipe to be installed presented yet another challenge; each 8-foot long piece is 142 inches tall and weighs 40,000 pounds—or 20 tons. Finally, the project was located in a deep canyon near a wash adjacent to Balboa Hospital.

The trench space

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13

Above:

Looking down a 125’ linear section of the shored excavation as grade is made.

was confined and the piping materials extremely heavy.

So expertise was critical to the success of the excavation, shoring and installation of this pipe replacement project.

As with many previous complex, challenging projects, Hazard Construction turned to Trench Shoring Company to provide its SBH® Slide Rail Shoring system for this pipe replacement installation.

14

The legwork for the San Diego project actually began in March, 2019, when Hazard contacted Trench Shoring Company’s Operations Manager, Mike Hayet to go over the scope of work.

Hayet then contacted Jasper Calcara with DH Charles to begin reviewing the Geotech and recommending the right shoring method for the project. Over the next several weeks, numerous exchanges occurred among Trench Shoring Company, Hazard Construction, DH Charles, and the City of San Diego, until finalization and approval of the design.

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The project actually broke ground with demo of the existing site in June, 2019, with the shoring portion starting just after the July 4th weekend.

Once the project broke ground, Jason Lakin, one of Trench Shoring Company’s Slide Rail Specialists at their San Diego location, has spent considerable time providing his expert guidance with placement and installation of the Slide Rail.

This guidance allows Hazard to be able to safely set the large Pipe Joints through the radius alignment as required, and to maintain the vertical clearances as needed and required by the engineering specifications.

Because of its multiple inventory locations, Trench Shoring Company was able to provide { Continued on page 16 } C A LCO N T R AC TO R .CO M

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{ Continued from page 14 }

100 feet of slide rail shoring from its local stock. These slide rails were then “leap-frogged” ahead approximately seven times as each section of pipe was laid.

This process and the amount of shoring utilized, resulted in better control of project costs and also saved valuable time on this project.

Bob Garcia, Hazard Construction, the contractor for the Florida Canyon Emergency Pipeline Project complimented the Trench Shoring Company project team, calling them “professional at every stage and with every 16

challenge.” He notes, “The Trench Shoring Company personnel have been great at figuring out this complex shoring system. They provided the best way to get us in the ground and deal with the depth of shoring required, helping to ensure the safety of our crew.

Equally important, they were prompt in both delivering and removing their shoring equipment based on our schedules.” Cc

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LUX LANDSCAPE DESIGN, INC UNIQUE DESIGN CONCEPTS SUPPORTED BY HIGH-QUALITY MATERIALS AND INDUSTRY LEADING EQUIPMENT

By Brian Hoover, Editor

Left: Lux Landscape Design’s Cat 303E CR mini excavator performs a difficult cliffside pool excavation in Fallbrook.

Above: Finished Fallbrook pool project where excavated dirt was reused to build up surrounding area in order to increase pool size.

T

he landscaping industry has come a long way from the conventional designs of yesteryear.

Landscape design firms and homeowners alike have learned that the right design cannot only increase the value of a home but can also dramatically improve the way people live. Dominic Ramirez is a landscape designer by trade, and he spent several years designing beautiful landscapes and hardscapes for other wellknown firms. When Ramirez first went out on his own, he did so 18

with a partner under the name Landscape Masterpiece. After five years of building up the business, the company was sold, and Ramirez went on to work for a new landscape construction startup venture. Before long, Ramirez got the itch to go it on his own once again with more complex and innovative designs on the drawing board ready to take to the marketplace.

Dominic Ramirez started out again in 2014 under the name Lux Landscape Design, Inc., and as the sole owner, CEO and

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President, he wanted to do it his way, with new ideas and concepts that he was excited to present to his clientele. “What we are doing here at Lux Landscape Design is decidedly different from your typical and conventional landscape design,” says Ramirez.

“The functionality is the same as everyone else, but the aesthetics, look and feel are noticeably different due to the materials that we use.” Metals have become an important and unique component in Ramirez’s designs, and this is one of the things that has set C A LCO N T R AC TO R .CO M

him apart from the sea of other everyday landscape firms. “We can do so much with metal, and our clients love our unique, artistic designs. We always want to create curiosity in our designs, so that an observer will ask, ‘how did they build that?’” says Ramirez. “We want to grab their attention, with our floating

steps and countertops, or our modern patio covers that are uniquely supported. Modern design is trendy right now.

I take that style and bring in warm elements like metal, wood or concrete. Those are our three main pallets.”

Ramirez explains that many of his designs are inspired by

restoration hardware style. “We use our plant design in a way that softens the hard edges of our hardscape designs. Clients want low maintenance, droughttolerant landscapes, and so we use plant design sparingly,” says Ramirez. “The fabrication end of our business is growing and very much in demand. This has

Left: Lux Landscape Design’s Cat 242D skid steer loader backfills trenches for utilities on a custom backyard resort in Fallbrook.

Above: Completed Fallbrook backyard resort included landscape, hardscape, raised deck, balcony cable railing, modern fire pit and a custom water feature.

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Right: Lux Landscape Design’s Cat 303E CR mini excavator removing and replacing retaining wall in San Diego County.

Far Right: Lux Landscape Design’s Cat 303E CR mini excavator trenching for irrigation in San Diego County.

helped us cut our turnaround time on projects that previously took close to a year to fully complete, where we can now complete the job in three months. We prefabricate most of our features in our shop, including metal fire pits, barbecues, cabanas and entire outdoor kitchens.”

Ramirez acquired his general contractor’s license and pool license a few years back. He began by offering basic designs but has grown that end of his business to where they now offer unique and more complicated designs to match their other exclusive offerings. “Our projects almost always call for much more than just a pool design and install. The pool is just one part of the overall backyard living space that typically includes spas, barbecues, kitchens, televisions, sound systems, kegerators, and a variety of other outdoor living design components,” continues Ramirez. “We come in with our crew and machines and begin moving dirt, installing irrigation and drainage. We build retaining walls and offer a long list of concrete flatwork.”

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Lux Landscape Design performs their unique work throughout San Diego County and into South Orange County. They primarily serve residential customers from high profile upscale custom homes to smaller, more conventional projects.

“We have seen an influx of calls from homebuilders and other construction firms lately that are impressed with our designs and want to hire us on to their projects. We don’t have the workforce to do everything that comes our way, but I will bring some select independent contractors to help fill in when I need a larger crew,” says Ramirez. “We are currently on several jobs right now, including a spec home where we are working out a concept for a pool and a complete landscape design.

Part of our job is to make existing funds go as far as possible and remain within budget, and we excel in that arena. The spec house in Poway is in the beginning stages of design and when completed, it should come in at between $200,000 to $400,000.”

Lux Landscape Design just recently completed a job in San Marcos for an upscale track home.

“The owners wanted something

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special but were limited by the small amount of backyard space. We began the project by cutting out the entire undesirable slope area to create a two-tier retaining wall system,” says Ramirez. “The client was looking for a modern design, and so one of the main components ended up being an amazing patio cover that we fabricated in our shop.” Ramirez explains that he designed the patio cover so that one of the corners floated in the air. “We wrapped and plastered the metal skeleton to make it look like a house and then installed a spa with a wrap-around deck, a concrete countertop, a custom cabinet for the sound system, along with a massive water feature and a 10 foot by 4-foot fire feature,” continues Ramirez. “We essentially constructed a huge L-shaped outdoor kitchen with a metal frame arbor over top.

We installed custom lighting, privacy fences, created an entryway with floating steps and craned in two large olive trees. We also installed low maintenance, drought-tolerant plants, ornamental grasses, a magnolia tree, and created numerous elevation changes through the use of metal planter boxes. The job C A LCO N T R AC TO R .CO M

Above: Lux Landscape Design reconditioned and upgraded retaining wall to create open space for multi-purpose grass area and playground structure in San Diego County.

Right: Dominic Ramirez (left), Scott Hilton and Robert Machado of Lux Landscape Design.

began at the cost of around $250,000, but that grew by another $100,000 by the end of the project due to several additions to the original plan.”

Most of the work Ramirez takes on requires the use of compact construction equipment, and he relies on Hawthorne Cat to keep him up and running strong. “We own a Cat 242D skid steer loader and a Cat 303E CR mini excavator that we purchased from Hawthorne Cat and their sales representative, James Billburg. We owned another brand that needed to be replaced after numerous breakdowns, costing us both time and money,” says Ramirez. “We rented for a while, but soon realized that owning made more sense. I got together with James and took a look at the options and numbers, and we just love our new machines. Everyone at Hawthorne has treated us great, and you just can’t do better than Cat equipment.”

According to Ramirez, they use their new machines for demolition of driveways, retaining walls, patios or old hardscape, as well as for excavating or moving plants. “Our Cat machines are our muscle out on CALCON TRAC TOR .CO M

the jobsite. We are preparing for a new job in La Mesa where we need a large excavator and wheel loader, and for that, we also turn to Hawthorne,” says Ramirez. “We went with another common name in the industry before talking to a friend of mine in the business who told me that Cat is the way to go.

You get more power, control and maneuverability. Cat equipment is what my guys wanted, and we are very satisfied with our Cat machines.”

Dominic Ramirez has been designing and building residential landscapes for 15 years, and he not interested in allowing any grass to grow under his feet. “I feel like it will soon be time to graduate to another level and continue to grow our business model. I have thought of getting into purchasing and flipping homes, or even do some residential development on a controllable scale,” says Ramirez. “We have the equipment, warehouse and fabrication shop, along with the skilled operators and technicians. We have worked hard and earned the reputation for thinking outside the box and offering unique materials and designs, and I am looking forward

to continuing to serve our future and current loyal customers, with an eye toward growth in the future. Ramirez says that the success and growth of his company would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work on a daily from each individual team member. “My wife Nicolina deserves a lot of credit for everything she does from the inside. She takes care of the books, payroll, billing and all of the administrative duties and I could not do this without her,” continues Ramirez. I also want to recognize Scott Hilton, who we depend on for his landscape architecture expertise. He has worked very hard to help us build our brand, and together we have developed the fabrication end of our business, which has gained a lot of traction and is now in high demand.

Robert Machado is like my right hand, and he always comes through with his tremendous knowledge and experience and as our main operator.” For more information on Lux Landscape Design, please visit their website at www.luxlandscapdesign.com or call their San Marcos offices at (760) 214-8880. Cc

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Expanding on Nearly 50 Years of Full-Service Grading & Excavation Through the Acquisition of New Equipment and Technology

By Brian Hoover, Editor

C

raig Burchett has fond memories of going to work with his dad when he was a kid. He remembers falling asleep under his dad’s feet while he operated his trusty Cat D8K dozer. Craig spent so much time in that cab that his dad had a small seat fabricated and fitted right next to him. Craig’s father, Gene Burchett and uncle, Gary Burchett were

both grading contractors in the Fallbrook/Temecula area. Many contractors will still remember Gene Burchett Custom Tractor Work. “My dad had a Cat D8K dozer and I would sit in that tractor and watch him work all day long. He worked hard to build a reputation as a trustworthy contractor that always performed top quality work. I am proud and fortunate to have learned from

Above Left: Craig Burchett, Owner, Burchett Grading, Inc. Left: Burchett Grading, Inc. uses their Cat D6H for cutting keyway for a residential pad in Glen Oaks.

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C A LCO N T R AC TO R .CO M

Left: Burchett Grading, Inc. utilizing a Cat 430F backhoe on an emergency flood control project for the city of Temecula.

such an incredible father and mentor,” says Craig Burchett (Burchett). “Most of what I remember from my youth is tractor work with my dad and a little bit of football. There was never really a question of what I would be doing one day for a career. I just walked right into it as soon as I was old enough to work.”

Craig Burchett’s first official job in the civil general engineering construction business was for a good friend of his fathers, Mike Monteleone Sr. “I ran a water truck for Mike Sr. for a couple of years before my dad suggested that it was time that I jump in his dozer and begin training,” says Burchett.

“I think I was 18 years old at the time, and my dad taught me everything he could before running into health issues several years later.” It was at this time that Craig took over the family business and later incorporated into the name Burchett Grading, Inc. “I still have the Cat D8K dozer and will use it from time to time,” continues Burchett. “I also have a Cat D6H, and both dozers are set up for fire work for CalFire and the U.S. Forestry Service.

My dad, Mike Monteleone Sr. and Jim Johnson were some of the first operators that CalFire CALCON TRAC TOR .CO M

hired back in the day. They are all pioneers in the industry, and I feel like I learned from the very best.

We are still good friends with the Monteleone family, and I work on and off during flood control season for Mike Jr. on contracts he has had with local cities. I have been so busy with a couple of GC’s and private clients that I have not been able to do any fire control work these past couple of years.

I have been lucky to find plenty of work right here in the local area of Temecula, La Cresta and De Luz.” When Craig first took over the family business and incorporated in 2002, he was primarily involved with single residential house pads and a whole lot of agricultural grading. “I was kept busy doing prep work for avocado farms in the De Luz area and clearing and grading thousands of acres of agricultural property back in the late 90s,” says Burchett. “I now work for a couple of great general contractors and other private families and individuals that are building their own homes right here in the wine country of Temecula and other areas like Glen Oaks.”

Burchett points out that while he cut his teeth doing land clearing work for his father back in the 90s, he soon learned that there was a lot more to the business. “I did it

all with my dad’s D8K and then eventually purchased my own Cat D6H from Mike Monteleone Sr. a few years later says,” continues Burchett. It quickly became apparent to Craig Burchett that he could not get it all done with dozers like his father before him, and he began to think and plan on adding other more diverse machines. “Several of the regular GC’s I work for started pleading with me to do some underground excavation work for them, so I began renting machines as needed, and that helped to open some new channels of business,” says Burchett. Then, in 2017, Craig decided to purchase a new Cat 430F backhoe from Quinn Company, and then a new Cat 289D skid steer with a box grader attachment in 2019. “I’ve been working hard to update my equipment to modern and more efficient machines, and these new additions from Caterpillar are making a noticeable difference,” says Burchett. “Where I previously used my dozers and motor grader to get most of my work done, I now have the Cat backhoe for excavating utilities, digging footings and other underground work, and the Cat skid steer loader and box grader for a wide variety of precision grading duties.”

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Burchett Grading, Inc. using their Cat 289D skid steer with Cat AcuuGradeTM box blade to grade a custom house pad in Temecula wine country.

The Cat 289D skid steer loader with a Cat AcuuGradeTM box blade is equipped with a technologyenabled package that can provide ¼” accuracy with Trimble components from Sitech. “I work with Justin Usary at Quinn Company and Will Didier at Sitech Pacific, and both of these guys have steered me in the right direction, and I appreciate their outstanding customer service,” says Burchett. “The Cat 289D and AcuuGradeTM box blade with the Trimble laser technology is simply an awesome tool, and I can’t express just how excited I am about this addition to my company.”

Burchett Grading, Inc. now performs a larger body of work due to their new equipment acquisitions. They recently finished and are still doing house pads in their local area, but they are also adding and performing roadwork that includes both grading and paving disciplines, as well as underground utility work, stormdrain, land clearing and even small jobs like septic tank installations. “I recently started on a project in Temecula, where I am moving around 16,000 cubic yards of dirt on a custom home design,” says Burchett. “Interestingly, I met the general contractor through Instagram and Facebook a few months ago when I first started 24

posting. He contacted me and asked me to bid on the job, and I was thrilled when I won the bid.”

Craig explains that this particular project represents one of the largest house pad excavations he has done in many years. “It is a two-level excavation with a top pad for the main house and another pad below for a barn and garage and then a very long driveway. For larger projects like this, I turn to companies like Clairemont Equipment, who I am now renting a Komatsu HB215 LC Hybrid excavator from for this job.

I am also utilizing my Cat D6H dozer and water truck on the site and will bring in the Cat skid steer and box blade for the finish grading,” says Burchett. “I have been working in rock lately, so I am happy to be digging in such great soil, and it is just five minutes from my home in Temecula.”

Like his father before him, Craig Burchett has developed a reputation for exemplary work, particularly as a precision grading expert. His reputation has brought him one job after another in a variety of applications. “I did a nice job not too long ago for a retired major league baseball player in Temecula. We went to the same school together in Temecula, and he hired me to move approximately 30,000 yards of dirt on his 7-acre property,”

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says Burchett. “I graded a large house pad and did agriculture grading for a future vineyard.

Temecula is exploding with new vineyards popping up all the time.

I hope to be awarded some of this work. I already have a private vineyard job on the books that is now in the approval phase that includes not only rough and fine grading work but also some road widening for a deceleration lane and the excavation of a sewer tie-in. My goal is to be a one-stop-shop for civil work on future projects. From grading and excavating to erosion control, road building, underground utilities, and any other Best Management Practices.”

Craig Burchett has been somewhat of an owner/operator for most of his career, working primarily with just his brother-in-law and a few other operators. “I have a lot of work on the books right now and more being added almost daily. The next five years should bring a great deal of growth to my company, and I am excited about the future,” says Burchett. “I wwould like to take a moment and thank my brotherin-law, David Fleming, who has done such a great job for all these years. I would also like to thank my son, Seth Burchett, who works for us while he is in school and pursuing his dreams in computers.

C A LCO N T R AC TO R .CO M

Left: Utilizing a Komatsu HB215 LC Hybrid excavator rented from Clairemont Equipment Co.

Lastly, I want to recognize and thank my wife, Alana, who keeps everything going strong from the office. I do not know what I would do without all of her knowledge and hard work on the administrative end. She has organized our company to the point where we are ready and prepared for future growth.�

Burchett Grading, Inc. is a full-service grading and excavating company that has been in business for almost 50 years. Owner and president, Craig Burchett is a third-generation heavy equipment operator that learned from one of the best in the industry, his father, Gene Burchett. Many of the roads in Temecula Valley and the surrounding area were graded and developed by Gene Burchett, and Craig learned everything he knows from his father. Craig Burchett brings this exceptional training, extensive knowledge, experience, integrity, and passion to every job he undertakes with nothing less than exceptional results.

For more information on Burchett Grading, Inc., please visit their website at www.burchettgradinginc.com or call their Temecula offices at (951) 302-9792. Cc CALCON TRAC TOR .CO M

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H

ave you ever been referred to as one of the best heavy equipment operators in the business? Well, Caterpillar is giving you the chance to prove it. Caterpillar recently announced its first global operator challenge in Munich while at Bauma this past April. The operator challenge began at the dealer level, where competitors faced various levels of competition. Starting October 2019, winners will move on to the regional level held in the United States, Spain, Brazil and Japan. Three finalists will emerge from each of the regional competitions in the Americas, Europe/Africa/Middle East, and Asia. The regional semifinalists will then head to the finals at ConExpo in March 2020 to compete at Caterpillar’s outdoor booth on opening day. The heavy equipment operators that are crowned champion will win an all-expenses-paid “VIP” trip for two to any Caterpillar facility of their choice. There are more than 30 countries and 70 dealerships participating in this global event.

Precision and time-based trials are administrated at each stage to test the agility, mental toughness, and versatility of each heavy equipment operator. Operators will also be tested on their competence in using machine enhancing technology such as Cat Production Measurement and 26

Cat GRADE systems. Operators will demonstrate their skill set and speed, accuracy, and precision using Cat wheel loaders, compact loaders, dozers, articulated trucks and several sizes of excavators.

Some of the machines utilized in this competition include the Cat 972M wheel loader, Cat 323 Next Gen hydraulic excavator, Cat 299D2 skid steer, Cat MH3022 material handler, Cat 301.7D mini excavator, and the Cat D6T XE dozer.

The challenges and contests are as varied as the operators themselves and include a Trenching Challenge where the operator uses a Cat excavator to dig a trench with Grade 2D

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technology. The Fully Loaded Challenge requires operators to us a Cat excavator or wheel loader with Production Measurement technology to accurately load a target. The Agility Challenge has the operator using a Cat skid steer loader to navigate a “course” while maintaining their balance and material control.

The Load and Carry Challenge requires the operator to use a Cat skid steer loader or wheel loader with Production Management technology to move and load material through specified points in a controlled course.

The Easy Doze It Challenge calls on operators to use a Cat dozer blade and steering while C A LCO N T R AC TO R .CO M

REY BORGES BC Construction LLC Hawthorne Cat • Hawaii

working through a pre-set course. Then there is the Control To A Tee Challenge where operators use a Cat mini excavator to “tee off” a golf ball, navigate a “course” and place the golf ball in the hole. The One For The Road Challenge requires operators to use a Cat motor grader and race the clock while maneuvering a road course and using the blade.

The Lift Me Up Challenge calls on operators to use a Cat backhoe loader to grapple and move a steel beam and plastic pipe to designated locations within an established course. Each performance is scored based on speed, accuracy and operating best practices.

Penalties are imposed for errors, and the operator who achieves the best overall score is recognized as the champion. Every effort has been made to keep the tasks and parameters for scoring consistent at all events.

Specific machines, ground conditions, and tasks may vary by region and location.

California Cat dealers have completed their local competitions with Peterson Cat holding their challenge CALCON TRAC TOR .CO M

May 16 in Santa Rosa and May 23 in Eugene, Oregon.

Hawthorne Cat wrapped up their challenge Aug. 9 in San Diego and Sept. 18 in Oahu, Hawaii. Quinn Cat held their event Sept. 24 in Corona, while Holt of California had their competition Sept. 27 in Pleasant Grove. The results are now in for the North American 2019 Operator Challenge events and here are your California winners that will go on to the regional finalist event in Clayton, North Carolina Oct. 21 to 25: Rey Borges, BC Construction LLC, Hawthorne Cat (Hawaii), Danny Younghusband, Star Equipment Rental, Hawthorne Cat (California), Brett Maier, Marques General Engineering, Holt of California and Mike McMaster, ABI General Engineering, Inc., Quinn Company. Good luck to all of you in the North American regional event leading up to the global competition at ConExpo 2020. For more information about the Caterpillar Global Operator Challenge, contact your local Cat dealer or visit www.cat.com/operatorchallenge for more details. Cc

BRETT MAIER Marques General Engineering Holt of California • California

MIKE MCMASTER ABI General Engineering, Inc. Quinn Company • California

DANNY YOUNGHUSBAND Star Equipment Rental Hawthorne Cat • California

JOHN DEERE ROLLS OUT POWERFUL L-SERIES WHEEL LOADERS Designed for the toughest and most demanding work sites, the new John Deere Production Class L-Series wheel loaders offer customers the power and comfort they need on the job. Three models — including the 744L, 824L and 844L — are equipped with a roomier cab, new electrohydraulic (EH) controls and an improved HVAC system, resulting in better overall all-day comfort and productivity.

One of the most notable features on the L-Series wheel loaders is the more comfortable cab, which has several features to improve operability.

Additionally, the standard joystick steering helps to improve cab room, and customers can choose to add a steering wheel as a field kit.

The new machines are more powerful than the previous models, with an increase of up to nine percent in horsepower.

The 744L, 824L, 844L and 844L

Aggregate Handler models offer 315 horsepower, 343 horsepower, 417 horsepower and 429 horsepower, respectively.

All units boast improvements in fuel efficiency, with the 824L specifically being equipped with a 9.0-liter engine, like the 744L, lowering fuel consumption by up to 12 percent. The 844L is equipped with a proven 13.5-liter engine, reducing fuel consumption by up to 7 percent.

The John Deere L-Series wheel loaders are supported by the John Deere Connected Support™ offering. Cc

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THIS WAS THE

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A Costco® fuel tank installation presented unique challenges. The project required that the pit accommodate five large fuel tanks placed closely together. Contractor Wayne Perry also designed an “L”-shaped configuration for the 60’ x 70’ pit to save both labor costs and reduce the amount of expensive rock fill.

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Because we offer the largest inventory of Slide Rail Systems, with panel sizes from 6’– 28’, we’ll be there for your challenging project too!

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