Basements on all?
How many units a year?
and one important question, how long will this last, has the guy been in biz for a good long while or is it fairly new?
the reason I ask is some companies nowwaday's will rent the equipment for long term, due to maintance and break down issues rather than buy.
But for what you are thinking of doing a good bac hoe would be good, especially for cleanin up, footings, small lot clearing, the only part that may take a little more time is the basement part. but that can be taken care of with a different size bucket.
He is correct Cat's are the best but mega $ jsut like Deere, but they tend to be less onthe maintance side, untill something major happens.