A pole barn goes up in a predictable order, and each stage has a machine that makes it go faster. Here is the sequence and what to rent at each step.
1. Site prep and grading
Clear the pad, strip topsoil and grade it level with a little slope for drainage. A tracked skid steer like the Bobcat T66-2 does this, with a root grapple if there is brush to clear. Got stumps? A mini excavator pulls them, or the stump grinder takes them below grade.
2. Post holes
Call MISS DIG 811 first. For a pole barn’s worth of holes, a skid steer with a hydraulic auger is the way to go: the T66-2 with auger, or just the auger attachment if you already have a skid steer. Pick your bit size when you book. Holes need to go below frost depth; check your plans and local code.
3. Setting posts
Posts are heavy and need to stand plumb while you brace them. A telehandler with forks, or a skid steer with pallet forks for shorter posts, saves your back and your crew.
4. Trusses
This is where a telehandler earns its rent. The SkyTrak 6034 handles most farm and garage-size buildings. For taller walls or longer spans, go to the SkyTrak 6042 or 8042. Add a 15 ft truss boom to pick trusses with a hook and set them over the walls. Operators need to be trained to run a telehandler.
5. Purlins, roof steel and siding
For working up high along the walls and eaves, a boom lift is safer and faster than ladders. A Haulotte 4527A towable sets up on rough ground, and the self-propelled Haulotte 45XA drives along the building. See our lift guide to pick the right one.
6. Concrete floor
- Compact the base with a plate compactor or ride-on roller.
- Small pours and posts: a towable mixer. Moving concrete where the truck cannot reach: a tracked power buggy.
- Cut control joints the same day with an early-entry saw.
Planning tips
- Week and 4-week rates are much cheaper per day than daily rates. If the telehandler is needed on and off for two weeks, a longer rental is usually the better deal.
- Unlimited run hours. We bill by time out, not the meter.
- Telehandlers and large lifts are delivered on our own trucks. See delivery rates.
Not sure which one fits your job? Call the counter at (810) 231-7368. We are open 7 days and happy to talk it through.