sub contract, hired jobs, etc...

[crazymike]

Does anyone use their tractor for subcontractor work other than snow.

For instance, I subcontract out my truck w/ plow and a driver for $83 an hour. They guarentee me 100 hours a season and it pays for my truck, plow and usually some extra pocket money. I can also sub out a tractor with blade/loader for snow aswell.

However, is there anything I can with the tractor for the summer months to help keep payments, etc...? I see the township uses a tractor for doing shoulder work. It has a front mounted sweeper and tows a wheel roller. I'm not sure if this is a tractor they sublet, or own.

Does anyone know of any work, jobs, etc... like this? How do you find jobs for you and your tractor?

I can keep it busy at our farm doing hay, grounds work, etc... but that doesn't make money.

Share your secrets /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I'm not trying to make a living, I have a full time job for that. However, I finish that job by noon and I'm always willing to make extra money in the afternoon.

 

[RayH]

I did some grading, leveling, clearing and a little backhoe work with my compact tractor and F350 dumptruck on the side over the last three years. Its mostly word of month or being in the right place at the right time. I had more work available to me than I wanted. I was once on a job site for one day doing some brush clearing and got 5 or 6 job offers from people just driving by. Same with the dumptruck. As soon as word gets out that youve got it for hire, people will be stopping by to talk all the time.
This summer I had to make the decision whether to go completely legal with full insurance, bonded and business license or give up the side work all together. To pay for the added expenses of insurance and so forth, I wouldve had to take on more jobs than I wanted so I decided to give it up all together. It got to be too much working 40-50 hours/wk at my regular job and trying to fit side jobs in when the weather would permit. On top of that, I developed a skin condition last spring that kept me out of the sun a good bit of the summer. I got rid of the dumptruck and traded down to a subcompact tractor (BX23). I may still do some really small jobs for people I know but the little BX is mostly for my personal. use.

Anyways, the short answer is word of month and being in the right place should get you enough work for a part time affair.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Over the years, I've taken on a few "side jobs" with my tractors. I've done hay cutting/raking/baling, bush hogging, plowing, discing, some finish grading, and even planting a few food plots for deer hunters I know.

I'd do more if I had more time. I've got my own work to tend to. There are a couple "contractors" in the area that make their living doing this sort of work. A cousin of mine keeps 3 or 4 tractors running full time in the summer months bush hogging.

There's money to be made. There's plenty of competition. Some are willing to do the work just so they can play with their "toys". Don't try to compete with them.

 

[2nstonge]

There's been a fair number of posts about this, searching thru the archives might get you more info.

I have a home improvement biz, I hire out my JD 4110 for small home owner jobs; garden tilling, gravel drive repairs, drainage, etc. A couple of hours up to a day on site is my sweet spot. Plenty of guys with excavators & dump trucks around here but no one else seems to want these smaller projects so I'm able to charge a premium. This was my first summer doing it and I was able to keep the tractor busy 1-2 days/week - more than enough projects that allowed me to make the payment, buy more attachments and put a few bucks in my pocket.

I ran newspaper ads for a couple of months and was able to get referrals from local landscapers that either didn't have the equipment or, again, don't care about these small jobs. Big key for you will be what's the competition like in your area and can you charge enough to make it worthwhile. I have a nice niche in my area so it works great.

-Norm

 

[crazymike]

What do you guys find to be your most profitable attachments?

FEL, Rock Fork, back blade, snow plow...


what else?

 

[2nstonge]

I don't think I can quantify 'most profitable attachment' because each has served a purpose beyond just a pure financial return for business, but the FEL is certainly the most handy for me.

The BH, although not frequently used, has saved me from hours and hours of mind-numbing back-breaking work. I got the most calls for rototilling but it's only a 4-6 week season in my neck of the woods and at $50-75 a garden you'll need to do a bunch of them to make it worthwhile. I earned the most using a BB and rake for gravel drive repairs. Our winters (and mud season) do a number on the driveways around me and it's easy to charge anywhere from $200-$400 for a half days work to make an average size driveway look great again (that includes dumping a fresh load of gravel).

So, that's what's worked for me. You'll really need to figure out what people need in your area. I'd recommend talking to some local landscapers & contractors to see what services they could use and what they're willing to pay.

-Norm

 

[Farmwithjunk]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( What do you guys find to be your most profitable attachments?

FEL, Rock Fork, back blade, snow plow...


what else? )</font>

I get more calls for bush hogging than anything else. (by a 10 to 1 margin) Garden plowing and tilling are #2 (combined as one)

 

[Syncro]

Mike- Do yourself and your family a favor and talk to your insurance agent first. You might get away with it forever, but in todays 'sue em' world a single mishap could change your life forever.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I know of one man who charges $35/hour to pound treated posts. Around my area, it is hard to get someone in to do small jobs or even just to do posts and not the fencing. Pounding is easier with two people though.

Some smaller municipalities may contract shoulder mowing but you usually need a boom mower attachment.

 

[crazymike]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I know of one man who charges $35/hour to pound treated posts. Around my area, it is hard to get someone in to do small jobs or even just to do posts and not the fencing. Pounding is easier with two people though.

Some smaller municipalities may contract shoulder mowing but you usually need a boom mower attachment. )</font>

I'm not talking about mowing. Since we have harsh winters, every spring they need to regrade the shoulder with a grader and dump sand. Following it is a tractor with a sweeper and a roller.