Mowing How to charge for mowing

   / How to charge for mowing #1  

DCS

Bronze Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2004
Messages
91
Location
Angleton, Texas
Tractor
JD 4310
What is the best way to determine how to charge for pasture mowing, Buy the hour or a set fee per acre? I only have a 5' mower, so I really don't feel right about charging by the hour since it will take longer then mowing with a wider mower. However, It doesn't seem right either to charge a set fee if the pasture is really grown up and I have to go really slow. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
   / How to charge for mowing #2  
I would never give a bid without walking the property to be worked.

If they push you, you can say "If its like a 6" fine lawn, it's $X/acre; if it like cutting virgin forest, it's $XXXX /acre. I need to look at it before I commit to a price or we will both be sorry."

ron
 
   / How to charge for mowing #3  
By the hour is safest for you.

If they push you for a fixed price, tell them the first hour is free and then use your progress to set the fixed fee. If it's overgrown, walk it first and then keep the fel bucket low and look out for UFOs, (unidentified foreign objects).
 
   / How to charge for mowing #4  
By the hour and I have even heard of some having disclaimers for protection of their equipment. In other words you hit a hole or large rock in 2 foot grass they are responsible. I mow my neighbors every so often so I kind of know where the holes are.

murph
 
   / How to charge for mowing #5  
I go by the hour. An hourly rate is fine if they know that you have a 5' mower and an X HP tractor. If I needed dozer work I would pay more per hour for a D8 than a D3.
 
   / How to charge for mowing #6  
Yes I say by the hour. But don't give them "by the hour" cost. It should take you about 1hr per ac of land (that is my average, 72" mower). So just look at the land to cut and do your best to figure how many acres it is. Then just give them that total cost for the job. IMO per hour kind of gets people thinking, "Will he work every minute", "Will he use a low gear to make the job last longer", so on and so on.

When doing it this way you know you are getting a set cost on the job and if you can push the job faster, well you just made more per hour then you thought.
 
   / How to charge for mowing #7  
You just described a by the acre pricing which is totally different than by the hour. In the end you can always figure out what you made per hour to see how your by the acre bids are going but bidding by the hour puts the risk of the unknown on you.

My first job was six acres of field. Looked great, obvious former pasture. I ended up slowing down to a 1.5 hour per acre rate since the surface was so bumpy. The tractor wasn't laboring at all, I could hardly stay in the seat.

I have never had anyone tell me I was working too slow when on an hourly rate. They are always amazed and distracted by how nicely their field turns out.
 
   / How to charge for mowing #8  
Strictly "by the hour".....

You may only have a 5' rig, like me, but your time and equipment are no less important.

Tell 'em "let me walk it and I'll let you know what is wrong with it"......then give an estimate based on what you find. A rough looking lot full of bits and pieces and the odd portions of chain or cable? Double your time and add some. A nice field that's been cut years past? Give them a straight assessment. But, me, I always tell them I'll have to do it first and then I can set a recurring price for the job.
 
   / How to charge for mowing #9  
Now that's a great idea for repeat business. You should know after the first mow how long it will take the second third and fourth mows.
 
   / How to charge for mowing #10  
before I got my equip I paid 40.00 an hour the guy had a 35 hp tractor and a 5 ft hog it was reclaimed pature we picked the stones and clipped the stumps before hand
 
 
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