Cost of tilling

[queen of spades]

Does this pricing seem high or fair, or too low?

# Turn plow (14") followed by roto-tiller: $175 first acre, $125 each additional.
# Turn plow (14") followed by disc harrow: $125 first acre, $100 each additional acre
# Roto-tiller only: $125 first acre, $100 each additional
# Disc harrow: $100 first acre, $75 each additional

 

[john_bud]

So, the price of a bottom plow is $25 an acre if you follow with a disc. But it is $50 if you follow with a tiller. Customers will spot that! Heck, I'd pay you 25 an acre to bottom plow my land!

 

[queen of spades]

thanks.

 

[queen of spades]

Do you guys charge by acre like above, or by the hour?

I'm seeing now that charging by the acre can create problems. If I say I'll roto-till an acre for $125, that is pretty open to interpretation. Someone may expect me to come out and till hard-packed clay to a depth of 10". I could spend an entire day roto-tilling a single acre before someone was satisfied and ready to pay. Equipment isn't cheap to own or run.

So the easy solution is to charge hourly. But what is a reasonable rate to charge per hour?

 

[spruce Deere]

Good question queen of spades, Run into same prob myself. I have done jobs where I figered how long it would take me to till the job hourly and just shot the customer a price closely based on the hourly chrg I need. more or less for the type of ground, rocky, clay, sand. Trick is to know how much you really need to operate per hour, insurance, delevery, fuel, wear, wages, it adds up rapidly. A minimum fee is a good thing. For small quick jobs.