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Top 7 Attachments for Residential Construction
Take your skid steer or excavator to the next level with the top 7 attachments for residential construction.
CAITLIN MADDOCK-BAHR | Social Media & Digital Strategy Manager
Each residential construction project brings its own obstacles and requirements. Construction equipment like skid steers and excavators can help contractors complete projects faster, and equipment attachments can make those machines more productive. I spoke with Caterpillar Product Application Specialist Daniel Cohen about the must-have attachments for residential construction applications.
Securing the basics
Buckets and Forks - Moving earth and preparing terrain with speed and efficiency is essential to home construction. A skid steer loader is the perfect piece of heavy equipment for those tasks. It might seem obvious to some contractors, but Daniel sees two attachments as must-haves for skid steer loaders—a bucket and a set of forks.
A multi-purpose bucket (or 4-in-1 bucket) is a versatile tool that allows you to complete multiple tasks, such as grading, back-dragging, picking up and dumping. While a standard set of pallet forks is a good start, it might be smart to consider adding the functionality of hydraulic positioning forks. With hydraulic positioning forks, you can adjust the width of the forks from inside the cab, saving you time and effort.
“Anyone who has manually adjusted the width on forks knows the game—you have to kick them and beat them,” says Daniel. “With hydraulic adjustable forks, you don’t have to get out to adjust them.”
Setting a foundation
Augers - It’s not used quite as much as a bucket or forks, but an auger is a useful attachment for construction projects like pole barns and decks. Augers make quick work of digging holes and pouring concrete footers. With extensions and bits, you can dig deeper and get through tough ground conditions. If you’re using an auger to do a lot of hardscaping and mortar mixing, consider adding a concrete mixing bucket. Augers are a time-saving attachment for jobs that call for trees, shrubs and landscaping applications.
Getting more use out of your machines
Some attachments make residential construction work easier, but there are also add-ons that can help reduce the amount of equipment you need on a job site. These attachments for residential construction help you get more done with fewer machines.
Backhoe Attachments - The Cat® BH130 Backhoe Attachment for skid steer loaders offers a lot of functionality. The backhoe attachment can’t replace an excavator, but it can perform many of the same tasks. The BH130 Backhoe Attachment is a precise instrument that’s easy to hook up to a skid steer, allowing you to dig close to the foundation walls and retaining walls.
Dozer Blades - If your residential construction job requires a parking lot or a yard, you’ll find the Cat Smart Dozer Blade a useful attachment. This dozer blade is used for spreading fill material and can be transported to a site on a one-ton truck to handle the work of a large tractor.
“You start talking about hauling in a tractor, now you’re talking about bringing in a semi-truck with a tag trailer and your scale goes up pretty quickly,” Daniel notes.
Grader Blades - A Cat GB124 Smart Grader Blade can cut and move virtually any material for parking lots or yards. You can make a 10-foot pass with a grader blade, which saves time. As most residential contractors know, using a bucket to grade land takes more passes. A grader blade is a nice friend to have when a deadline is tight.
What makes Cat attachments so effective is the quick connect system. You can maximize a machine and get the most out of your investment. A skid steer is essentially a mobile power plant, complete with quick coupler and auxiliary hydraulics. Skid steers are set up to make changing attachments so easy, it makes sense to take advantage of that.
Adding to your excavator
Tiltrotators - This tool is beginning to gain popularity because of its many advantages. Tiltrotators give you incredible precision and control, allowing you to perform tasks like cleaning close to a foundation without having to move your machine as much. You can also reduce the amount of manpower needed on a job site because a rotator can handle a lot of the shovel and rake work. Daniel learned the value of a tiltrotator when a residential construction business owner told him he keeps this attachment a secret from the competition.
“The business owner told me, ‘I don’t advertise that I have this thing because I don’t want my competition to know. I feel like it gives me so much of an advantage in quoting jobs and getting jobs done quicker.”
Whatever your construction application, there are plenty more attachment options to cover your needs.
CAITLIN MADDOCK-BAHR
Social Media & Digital Strategy Manager
Caitlin Maddock-Bahr exercises her storytelling expertise as a social media & digital strategy manager. In this role, she not only helps Caterpillar connect with their audience, but helps customers connect with the brand.
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