What to charge for tilling?

[john_bud]

...and I was going to offer you a six pack to help put up 20 acres of hay in small square bales...and you wouldn't even have to use your equipment...

That's a quality offer, I was wondering if he would help cut trails thru my swamp for a 1/2 case?

jb

 

[Blk88GT]

Wow, tough crowd.

I'll help almost any buddy for some cold beer, but 2 warm beers over 12 hours is ridiculous.

 

[Ford850]

If he's truely killed the grass and weeds, I'd suggest he rent a top seeder that you can pull with your tractor. Much faster. Little wear on you or your tractor. And a lot less work in the end. You can have it top seeded and fertilized in less time than to till it. If the lot is already graded as he likes, I wouldn't re-till it.

 

[Redbug]

It's nice helping "friends" and co-workers out now and again with your skills and tools. Just be careful...some of these "friends/co-workers" may start to use you. If you get a funny hunch or feeling, I would back off and keep my distance. Sometimes you get suckered in...

 

[john_bud]

It's nice helping "friends" and co-workers out now and again with your skills and tools. Just be careful...some of these "friends/co-workers" may start to use you. If you get a funny hunch or feeling, I would back off and keep my distance. Sometimes you get suckered in...

No kidding! It's like that around here now with hunting land. I get a lot of buddies now that Bow season starts on Saturday. But I was sweating my buns off with just one helper in the summer putting in food plots. And it was my wallet alone that was getting trim when it came time to buy seed, lime, fertilizer....

He and I are going bambi slaying Saturday - dem other bums - they can sit on the sofa and get fatter!

jb

 

[bx24]

Its always tough to raise your prices once you have done something for free. Just like its tough to tighten the rules once you have set the norm at "carefree".

This type of situation stinks. The only good advice I can give is for everyone on here to set standard hourly rates that you can reference if anyone ever asks. Like it or not, if someone was expecting zero and you say $50, their going to be less than impressed. If you say you normally would charge $100 but because they are a friend you will only charge $50, they feel like you helped them out.

If you stop to add up the time, fuel costs, wear and tear and loss of your family time, it should cost something. There are even times I would charge family if they acted more like mooches in the past rather than kin.

Each case is different, but you have to draw the line somewhere. True friends will always be happy to at least offer something (more than warm beer). Friends who don't appreciate your efforts really should not fall in the "friends" category. As the saying goes, with friends like that, who needs enemies!

 

[Mickey_Fx]

Here is another 2 cents worth.

If you consider him a real freind, not the other way around, I'd tell him contribute your time for X (x= free or some small amount) but he's going to have to pay for the out of pocket expenses. I'd want at least the current rate uncle sam permits for milage (isn't that something like $.25-$.35/mi). I'd also want something to cover the wear and tear on the equipment and maybe something like $3-$5 for fuel cost for the tractor.

When you come up with a figure and he give you that look, tell him you can get a couple warm beers a lot closer to home and not have to work all day to pay for it.

 

[schmism]

I'd want at least the current rate uncle sam permits for milage (isn't that something like $.25-$.35/mi).

BAAAHHHWWWWWAAAAHHHHHHH!

oh thats good... i needed a good laugh....

IRS Announces 2007 Standard Mileage Rates

try again bud, nearly TWICE THAT!

 

[LoneCowboy]

Here is another 2 cents worth.

When you come up with a figure and he give you that look, tell him you can get a couple warm beers a lot closer to home and not have to work all day to pay for it.

That's classic.
Good one

 

[bx24]

Its always tough to raise your prices once you have done something for free. Just like its tough to tighten the rules once you have set the norm at "carefree".

This type of situation stinks. The only good advice I can give is for everyone on here to set standard hourly rates that you can reference if anyone ever asks. Like it or not, if someone was expecting zero and you say $50, their going to be less than impressed. If you say you normally would charge $100 but because they are a friend you will only charge $50, they feel like you helped them out.

If you stop to add up the time, fuel costs, wear and tear and loss of your family time, it should cost something. There are even times I would charge family if they acted more like mooches in the past rather than kin.

Each case is different, but you have to draw the line somewhere. True friends will always be happy to at least offer something (more than warm beer). Friends who don't appreciate your efforts really should not fall in the "friends" category. As the saying goes, with friends like that, who needs enemies!