Help with bidding by the acre w/skid steer mulcher

[slomow]

New to the business and looking for any help or advice on expected operating costs and production rates for a skid steer mulcher. I have three different possible contacts coming up but they are all by the acre. The first contract is 45 acres of 5-8 foot chamise on relatively flat ground. The second is 110 acres of 6-12 foot chamise and scrub oak, and the third is 40 acres of pine tree under story clearing everything less the 8 inch dbh. I would be using a AVS 4810 with a FAE UML/SSL150 and a Gehl 292 Excavator with a rockhound 30ex mower. Again any help would be great thanks.

[fishfactor]

Production rates can and will vary so much that there is no real answer. If you are new to the business, I would stay away from large bids like this until you know your capabilities. Guys that have been running these machines for a long time can do a better job in less time, and they bid accordingly.

Get your feet wet on smaller jobs where you won't lose a fortune if you price it low. The best way is to practice on your own land or a friends where someone isn't looking over your shoulder wondering what's taking so long.

The bad side of pricing large bid jobs when you are new is the unknown. You could price it too high and not get an invitation from the company again. You could price it too low, get the job and lose a lot of money, rush to try to get on schedule which will break (more) things and your quality will not be good. If they are not happy you could get fired or again, not get another invitation.

We run a Bobcat T320 with a fecon head and a Gyro Trac GT25. Our price per acre has varied from $125.00 to $3000.00 depending on the hundreds of factors that go into your production rates.

[slomow]

Thank fish I know its an almost impossible question to answer. I have had huge swings in my production, however it seems like baring something crazy I should be able to get 2 acres per 8 hour day in bush less than 8 feet. Does that sound crazy or am on track. Thanks again

[fishfactor]

Not out of the question to do 2 acres/day in small stuff with a skid steer as long as it's not full of ash, hickory, etc. Even the small ones are brutal with a carbide hammer head. I learned that when I lost my but on 40 acres of 2" - 4" ash.

[AGGIE00]

We cut one acre in about 8 hrs with heavy youpon, small post oaks and 2-3" elms. The elms are a PITA since they like to wrap up in the head. When I say heavy I mean you can not crawl through it.