Bush Hogging Rates

   / Bush Hogging Rates #1  

Bob_Young

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2002
Messages
1,211
Location
North of the Fingerlakes - NY
Tractor
Ford 4000; Ford 2000(both 3cyl.);JD40; 2004 Kubota L4300; 2006 Kubota B7610; new 2007 Kubota MX5000
Could someone please post a link to the recent discussions on determining a rate for custom bush hogging? I've tried search and can't seem to come up with the right combination of words. I get too distracted with other topics if I just browse the forums. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

The neighbor has around 20 acres he wants cut down. It's got alot of high weeds, thistles and 1 inch saplings but little that's bigger. I've got an Kubota L4300 or a Ford 4000 for power and a Brush Bull 720 ( Med. Duty 6') to do the cutting. Figure I can cover 1 to 1.4 acres per hour with steady going. Fuel consumption appears to be between 1 and 2 gph for the Kubota, but that seems low to me.

Don't want to gouge the guy, as he's a friend; but I would like to cover my costs.
Thanks.
Bob
 
   / Bush Hogging Rates #2  
OSU says $25.19 a hour is the average rate in OK.
 
   / Bush Hogging Rates #3  
$25 per hour here in Ky. There is a flat rate minimum when a small lot or garden is involved--Ken Sweet
 
   / Bush Hogging Rates #4  
Depends on a few things... I get $60 per hour for a 60 HP tractor with 7' mower. $75 minimum. 20 acres would rum about $300 (+ or -) (I'm insured, and run this as a legal business, and not "under the table" cash side work) The drought conditions have played havoc with my business this summer. Fortunately, it's raining cats and dogs right now!
 
   / Bush Hogging Rates #5  
I would say $25-30/hr. also.
 
   / Bush Hogging Rates #6  
Wow you guys are cheap. I had someone hog 3 acres of mostly dense weeds and charged me $60 for an hours work. Now that was 12 years ago when I was building my house. I checked with a few other people at the time and they all agreed with the price.

I hog a 2 acre horse pasture for a neighbor and get $60 for the 45 minutes it takes me.

$25 an hour wouldn't get the key in the ignition around my area.
 
   / Bush Hogging Rates #7  
In our area, anything done on a tractor is at least $40.00 per hour. I figure the wear and tear on the tractor and then what I want to earn per hour. Fuel is at least $2.00 per hour. Tractor wear is (in my opion) at least $10-$15 per hour. I then have to figure my time. I know sitting on the seat of the tractor is fun, but my time has to be worth something. I put that at $20.00 per hour. Try to rent a tractor for the day, that is not a cheap venture.
 
   / Bush Hogging Rates #8  
I TRY to make at least $25 an hour WITHOUT a tractor involved. No way I'd bush hog for less than $60/Hr.

And I stay swamped with work at those rates.....
 
   / Bush Hogging Rates #9  
Around here I charge $20-$25 / acre or $45 per hour. No one seems to complain. Where I am at no one wants to pay by the hour because they want to know the total cost up front so I rarely use my hourly rate but it usually works out the same. Keep in mind this is for small acreages usually 5 acres or less. I have talked to some farmers and from what I gather shredding on large acreages is $10-$15 / acre. Based on that I would agree with above that $300 is about right for 20 acres.
 
   / Bush Hogging Rates #10  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Around here I charge $20-$25 / acre or $45 per hour. No one seems to complain. Where I am at no one wants to pay by the hour because they want to know the total cost up front so I rarely use my hourly rate but it usually works out the same. Keep in mind this is for small acreages usually 5 acres or less. I have talked to some farmers and from what I gather shredding on large acreages is $10-$15 / acre. Based on that I would agree with above that $300 is about right for 20 acres. )</font>

Once upon a time, I got quite a bit of smaller jobs. (5 acres or less) In the last few years, it seems that my insurance and various other cost's effecting my overhead have priced me out of that market. There's a few guys with time to kill and a new tractor that'll do the same thing for $35 or $40 an hour here.I don't even TRY to compete with them. I go after work that requires valid insurance, paying taxes, and just being a legitimate business. For that niche, I'm about the cheapest game in town.

I enjoy what I do.... But when the day is done, I do this for MONEY...If I don't make what i consider fair, you don't get your field mowed....(by me anyway) That simple.
 
 
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