Tractor work pricing per hour

[LouNY]

I try not to do paid work using my tractors or other equipment, I have had some I've done after repeated requests.
My plow truck with me is $50 an hour and a release of all liability to his property and I plow slow on unknown areas,
my 80 hp tractor is $80 an hour and again I let them know I am not going to ram an go tearing up my equipment also with
a signed liability release. I don't want the work but some people don't listen and that is from my door and back.

 

[MESSMAKER]

I tell them how long it could take if it goes slowly. I offer to do it for that price if they prefer. I most always finish more quickly. They see that I was not trying to hose them so they feel like they got the good end of a fair deal. If it goes way over what I told them, I call them an tell them before proceeding or eat it myself. The poor pricing was on me if I missed it by that much. If the job changes part of the way through, all bets are off.

 

[rustyshakelford]

When I first started out I offered to clean up my neighbors downed trees that had fell during a wind event. They had been down a couple weeks when I talked to him. Told him I would do it for $50 a tree if I could burn them at his place or $75 if I hauled them home and burned them. Luckily he was ok with me burning them at his place. It was 6 huge old oak trees. I don’t know what I was thinking when I bid it. I realized about an hour in how bad I screwed up. I was spending a ton of time on a saw then cleaning up with the tractor and grapple. Got about 2 trees per burn pile. Ended up taking about two days to have it look right.

Old man was real happy and asked how much he owned me. I said well the deal was for $50 per tree or $300 total. He laughed and wrote a check. I headed home and left the check on the counter for a few days before taking it to the bank to cash. As I was endorcing it I noticed he had wrote it for $1000. He knew I screwed up but I took it on the chin and he respected that and paid me much more than he should’ve.

That one job had turned into several grand per year of steady work when I want it, a place to go fishing with my boy and a family that comes to me when they need anything. They have a 70hp cab mahindra and a smaller older mahindra too. I do all their tractor work and mowing. Their stuff just sits. This is a weekend place they come to on sat and now they can enjoy it instead of working all the time

Another tid bit. When I mowed it I asked if their was anything I needed to look out for. He said it was all good to go (this is the son in law). I take off and am mowing the fence line when my front tire disappears. I drove over and broke their septic tank lid. I grabbed the tape measure and found a replacement lid. Went and got it a few days later and installed it. I immediately called and told him what had happened. He was apologetic and said sorry. I told him Its on me. I’m the one that broke it. Long story short, they sent me a check to pay for the lid and my time against my wishes. I think it was like $250 for the lid. I really like working for good people and refuse lots of money from turds. It’s just not worth it sometimes

Brett

 

[Fallon]

When I first started out I offered to clean up my neighbors downed trees that had fell during a wind event. They had been down a couple weeks when I talked to him. Told him I would do it for $50 a tree if I could burn them at his place or $75 if I hauled them home and burned them. Luckily he was ok with me burning them at his place. It was 6 huge old oak trees. I don’t know what I was thinking when I bid it. I realized about an hour in how bad I screwed up. I was spending a ton of time on a saw then cleaning up with the tractor and grapple. Got about 2 trees per burn pile. Ended up taking about two days to have it look right.

Old man was real happy and asked how much he owned me. I said well the deal was for $50 per tree or $300 total. He laughed and wrote a check. I headed home and left the check on the counter for a few days before taking it to the bank to cash. As I was endorcing it I noticed he had wrote it for $1000. He knew I screwed up but I took it on the chin and he respected that and paid me much more than he should’ve.

That one job had turned into several grand per year of steady work when I want it, a place to go fishing with my boy and a family that comes to me when they need anything. They have a 70hp cab mahindra and a smaller older mahindra too. I do all their tractor work and mowing. Their stuff just sits. This is a weekend place they come to on sat and now they can enjoy it instead of working all the time

Another tid bit. When I mowed it I asked if their was anything I needed to look out for. He said it was all good to go (this is the son in law). I take off and am mowing the fence line when my front tire disappears. I drove over and broke their septic tank lid. I grabbed the tape measure and found a replacement lid. Went and got it a few days later and installed it. I immediately called and told him what had happened. He was apologetic and said sorry. I told him Its on me. I’m the one that broke it. Long story short, they sent me a check to pay for the lid and my time against my wishes. I think it was like $250 for the lid. I really like working for good people and refuse lots of money from turds. It’s just not worth it sometimes

Brett

Everybody needs an education, it all depends on how you pay for it. If underbid some jobs a fair bit. Just stick to your word, honor the bid & file the loss away as a learning experience. You hopefully learn & bid better next time.

Same for unexpected hazards. You can't rely on a customer to always know what hazards are out there. One of my standard questions is where is the septic tank, gas tank or anything else burried. They usually know, but don't often think about it as a hazard or realize a tractor might crush them.

Just expect those issues early on. Budget for some bad bids & mistakes as you learn.

 

[4570Man]

It would be hard to actually loose money on a tractor job except in the event something tears up. And it's hard to plan for that. If it's a job that involves materials I usually bid a cost but subject to change based on what I actually spend on materials. There's less potential to lose money that way.