Bobcat System Improves Remodeler's Efficiency

Steve Fabrizio

Custom homebuilder and remodeler Steve Fabrizio of Duxbury, Mass., uses his Bobcat equipment nearly every day on residential jobsites. After purchasing his first Bobcat 843 skid-steer loader 12 years ago, Fabrizio appreciates the versatility and power his Bobcat machines provide on construction sites.

"Twelve years ago when I bought my first machine, my dad said 'What are you ever going to do with a Bobcat loader?'" says Fabrizio. "Now, I don't know what I would ever do without one." Steve's dad, Albert Fabrizio, is second in the family-owned, third generation business, which was started by the grandfather, George Fabrizio.

During a recent home remodeling and construction project that Steve and his crews worked at more than two years, they used an S250 skid-steer loader and 334 compact excavator almost daily. With the 334 compact excavator, he tore down an old cottage that sat on part of the property that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. Once the old home was destroyed, Fabrizio dug the foundation for a new home with the 334. Next to the new construction project was a significant remodeling job where more Fabrizio employees are working. When everything is done, Fabrizio says the value of the two homes with a pool and landscaping will be several million dollars.

"Because of the tight spaces, we have to go around that building and this building, and just can't do it with anything bigger," he says. Fabrizio says his larger excavating equipment works fine for areas where it has space to dig, but when the conditions are tight, he uses his Bobcat compact excavator.

Hydraulic clamp surpasses expectations

Using a hydraulic clamp with a bucket attachment, he lifted sections of walls, broke them into smaller pieces, and placed them in a Dumpster. "When they're in the Dumpster I crunch them even more. I can get more space in the Dumpster using the clamp, too. That saved me some money in Dumpster fees," he says.

In addition to the demolition and excavating applications, Fabrizio uses the 334 and hydraulic clamp for landscaping applications such as placing stone walls with precision. He says one of the reasons he purchased the Bobcat machine was because it had the hydraulic clamp which he uses to pick up decorative rock and place it carefully in its resting spot. "We pick up a lot of rocks and move a lot of things. I wouldn't buy a machine without a clamp," he says.

After trying competitive compact excavators, Fabrizio was sold on the Bobcat 334. He says he noticed better digging performances and faster cycle times from his 334. Fabrizio also preferred the joystick mounted hydraulic clamp controls the Bobcat machine offered versus competitive models where he was required to use his feet to control the clamp's movement.

843 Goes the Distance

The first Bobcat skid-steer loader that Fabrizio purchased was an 843 that he operated for 11 years in his residential construction business. The 843 proved its value one winter when a snowstorm hit the area. He says during a 36-hour storm, his loader ran through two bucket attachments as he plowed the snow. Before buying his most recent S250 machine from Bobcat of Boston, he looked at other brands to ensure he was making a good decision. He decided that Bobcat was a better machine because of its durability to run 365 days-a-year, and with over-the-tire steel tracks, his crews can continue working when the ground conditions are wet and muddy.

With its enclosed cab with heat and air conditioning, he appreciates the comfort while he's operating the loader, especially when it's raining and he doesn't get wet. He uses the S250 with a bucket for excavating and doing clean-up on the jobsite, and the pallet forks for unloading trucks.

All of the Fabrizio employees and landscaping sub-contractors prefer the Bobcat models instead of the other brands. He says everybody seems to like the Bobcat equipment a lot better than other machines they've tried over the years.

Fabrizio Construction

The Fabrizio success is likely to continue as Steve's five-year-old son, Stephen, already loves his dad's Bobcat loader and excavator. Steve says he hopes his son will continue the company's lineage as the 4th generation in the construction industry.