haying

[diggerman]

I wanted to know what to charge for cutting and baling hay .The fields produce 1.75 round bales an acre and there are 160 acres . My neighbor wants to know how much I would charge to do his hay and I don't want to lose money . I make 1000-1200 lb bales.

 

[beenthere]

Then just charge more than it costs you to do the work. You will make money that way. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

You first must know what your time is worth, and what your equipment cost you per year, then can figure per hour, etc.

I charged a neighbor (who could have afforded to rent his own equipment and was too cheap to buy his own) $50 per acre to rotary cut his pasture and some hillside grass land (old pasture). He was shocked at the price. It would have cost him double to rent the equipment to do it.

Go by what you feel is fair. Why isn't he buying his own equipment to bale his hay? Probably he can't afford to buy equipment just to bale his hay. That reason is why you shouldn't do it for nothing, and he shouldn't expect you to either. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[diggerman]

The reason he wants me to take over is because he is 80 years old and has no kids to help . He does own a round baler and haybine which he bought 5 years ago.He said we could use his haybine if our's broke down.That's why I'm having trouble with what I should charge.I don't want to over charge because he is a nice man.I just want a fair price and I just wanted some info on what other people charge for this. I was thinking about $12 /bale with the way fuel went up.that works out to about $50-60 a day for me and my helper plus about 1600 for repairs /fuel/oil and grease.

 

[Cowboyjg]

So are you just baleing and leaving? Are you hauling, stacking, loading. Are your numbers based on a problem free job? Like multiple trips due to weather. What if you lose hay to weather and such that's fewer bales? What does hay go for in your market.
$12 a bale may be fine if all goes without a hitch. Is the pay to you and your helper a per person or split between the two of you? $25 a day vs $50 a day. What is your time worth? Are you and this neighbor friends or just neighbors? And...there is nothing wrong with just being a good guy and doing something for someone for little or (next to) nothing except the pleasure of helping a neighbor in need. I try to do at least one good thing a day for someone else just for the sake of doing something good.


These were just a few things that came to my mind.


Because of these variables and if he is a man of some means, I would be inclined to work on an hourly or per acre basis. Particularly if all you have to do is cut, bale and go. If your baler breaks and he lets you use his then you can give him a small credit on the end price as you would have to fix yours anyway or rent or borrow one and that aint free.

Hope I didn't confuse you more. I have a tendency to do that.

 

[5030]

Go and ask your local extension agent for a copy of the current charges pertaining to field charges for various operations. Here in Michigan, all county extension agents have a flat rate sheet complied and updated every year for every operation from chisel plowing to spraying.

 

[jwcinpk]

I get between $11 and $14 roll to cut rake and roll. Will be raising the price a dollar next year due to fuel and twine cost.

 

[bdog]

Note that Diggerman is in Canada. I assume you are talkking Canadian $$ and we are are talking US$$. So his $50-$60/day is only $40-$50 US.

Here is what I have found out. Charge plenty for anything you do. I have done as you are describing and gave people breaks on prices and it has bit me in the butt. I have a similar deal with an elderly neighbor who I did some tractor work for at a reduced rate. I thought it was kind of a one time deal but he was so happy with the work and the price, that he keeps calling for me to do more. Now I have a problem. I don't want to continue doing work for him at basically half my normal rate, I doubt he will like me doubling my prices, and I don't want cause a problem between our neighborly relationship. The whole problem could have been avoided if I just told him my normal rates up front.