What is Driveway Repair Work Worth a Hour?

[crazyal]

Yes it is going to be a lot of work. He may have already forgot about his driveway by know. I know another guy that has ruts 2' deep in his driveway, it is shared with 3 other families. You have to pick a line to go up it or you will drop in a rut.

ROWs are a pain. Getting people together to buy gravel or pay for maintenance is nearly impossible. If the "other guy" will just pay for the work on his own then it would make it easier. I have found that deep ruts are problematic because if you fill them in it'll take a long time before the gravel compacts enough to resist rain washing it back out. Much easier on flat ground but from my experience ruts on flat ground are from dirt that turns to mud easily. Filling them in, putting down fabric, and then gravel on top would solve the problem but would be costly.

 

[RDrancher]

If we come to an agreement on the job I will give him a price for the job. I just wanted to know a hourly rate so I could try to figure up what to charge him.

Bullitt - I suggest that you figure your first project at $50 per hour. If he rented a SS or tractor (at a minimum) it would run him $250 for the daily rental. the rental companies have their pricing based on what it takes to maintain and replace the machine in the future per a certain number of worked hours. They have it figured out pretty good. That puts you (the operator) at $18.75 per hour and you pay for fuel. That's more than fair on your part and it will give you a good feel for pricing in the future.

 

[paulharvey]

I seem to remember for fuel you budget 0.06 gallons per HP per hour(45 HP x0.06=2.7 gal per hour, 2.7 gal x $3.88 per gal =$10.48/hour in fuel) but I know your not actually running at Max HP rpms the entire time either. The 0.06 gal/HP/hour is the high end of diesel engine consumption, yours might be lower by quite a bit (I believe it averages 0.4 to 0.6 gal/HP/hour but I would budget the high number if you don't have the figures for your machine.

 

[Beltman60]

now were starting to help him out with his original question
good job guys

has someone said "Group Hug"

this is the best forum guys only because of you

 

[94BULLITT]

Bullitt - I suggest that you figure your first project at $50 per hour. If he rented a SS or tractor (at a minimum) it would run him $250 for the daily rental. the rental companies have their pricing based on what it takes to maintain and replace the machine in the future per a certain number of worked hours. They have it figured out pretty good. That puts you (the operator) at $18.75 per hour and you pay for fuel. That's more than fair on your part and it will give you a good feel for pricing in the future.

I was am thinking around $60 a hr. I think a SS is around $300 here plus he would need it delivered.

I seem to remember for fuel you budget 0.06 gallons per HP per hour(45 HP x0.06=2.7 gal per hour, 2.7 gal x $3.88 per gal =$10.48/hour in fuel) but I know your not actually running at Max HP rpms the entire time either. The 0.06 gal/HP/hour is the high end of diesel engine consumption, yours might be lower by quite a bit (I believe it averages 0.4 to 0.6 gal/HP/hour but I would budget the high number if you don't have the figures for your machine.

This tractor doing grading, plowing snow, or loader work seem to use .75 gal a hour. I think the auto throttle advance helps a lot.

 

[spruce Deere]

$60 an hour is 'bout rite....

$150 minimum covers other things not thought of for less than 2 hours of work

Its your equipment your time BUT,

Helping neighbors and others that live around you with your equipment and/or abilities, pays off in several different ways.... Not necessarily monetary value.

That's what I was taught.

 

[wcampbell47]

I would suggest that tractor work of any kind is worth $60 an hour. I have over 400 hours on my B3200 most of that put on by hiring out my services. Mowing, tilling, spreading dirt or driveway material. The only way you are going to get experience is by doing it. I still under estimate way more than I over estimate. I let a potential client know right away that I work for $60 an hour. It is worth $40 just to show up and unload the tractor. I then try to estimate how many hours it will take to do the job. I know I can spread 14 yards of most anything in an hour. In most cases I know I can mow 50x100 in under an hour - depending on how rough or tall the lot is. Before starting a project ask the owner if there are obstacles or underground lines to avoid. An owner forgot to tell me about a well in an over grown lot she wanted mowed. I bumped the well with my front end loader. I went half on the repair because we live in the same area and she has the opportunity to send me more work. Use common sense and treat your client like you would want to be treated. I grade the roads in a private subdivision. For those folks I only charge $50 an hour. Money is hard to come by for them. Just my thoughts.

 

[daugen]

hitting one well head or septic top or even a large rock can certainly take the profit out of a mowing job.
Is there any way of telling the owner, if I hit something you didn't tell me about, not my fault?
How does that work? I know one can paper the transaction and most folk would flee, but in the real "small" world where
these jobs are done without a formal contract, hold harmless, etc, how do you protect yourself? Can't protect your equipment, unless you walk the entire
property and that sure is hard to do in a field.

We've beat to death the issue of the operators liability, but what about the damage to your equipment from that big length of chain you picked up in the middle of the field that broke
your gearbox? Just the cost of doing business?

Lots of ways to lose money here, and some times can't be avoided I assume, but I wonder if a printed contract is an important part of the deal.
Those of you who do outside work, do you have a paper contract that is signed? A hold harmless if you hit something, assuming you aren't digging?

I agree with the $60 number as a low starting point. In this area no one shows up for less than a hundred bucks an hour, plus plus.

 

[RDrancher]

I was am thinking around $60 a hr. I think a SS is around $300 here plus he would need it delivered.

That's a good place to start.

Lots of ways to lose money here, and some times can't be avoided I assume, but I wonder if a printed contract is an important part of the deal.
Those of you who do outside work, do you have a paper contract that is signed? A hold harmless if you hit something, assuming you aren't digging?

A printed contract for every job. It contains a hold harmless, rock clause, Act of God clause, material clause and more.

 

[swick1]

Rd, I'd love to see your language. Any chance of posting some excerpts?