I guess my prices are too high...

[Slacker]

Man called a few mins ago wanting 20 acres of knee high grass mowed. Said it was all level, no tree's and no junk piles. I told him $60 per machine hr and I can do about 1 acre per hr, faster if I feel it's safe to do so.
He said that was outragous. I suggested he call around, then look into renting a tractor and mower.
I think folks underestimate the cost of fuel and insurance. I hope he gets his field mowed. Luckily I'm not starving, but if I were I'd be making pennies per acre. I prefer dirt work anyway....I always bust something mowing.

 

[LoneCowboy]

I can do 20 acres in less than a 7 hour day.
trailered, insured, advertising, etc

I'm at about 1/2 to 2/3 of what you want.
I also have a much bigger mower and tractor
Your 5 foot mower isn't competative over 5 acres or so (maybe even less)

 

[Don R.]

Slacker, I charge $50 per acre, and folk think that this is too high. Like you say, rent a tractor, shredder, and pay for the repairs when their "level lots with no trash" damages the equipment.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Assuming it's clean ground and no serious "hidden treasures", that's 7 to 8 hours for a first time cut with what I'd be using to cut 20 acres, plus travel time. With "going rates" here, you're looking at $600 to $700. (Maybe a bit more if conditions were bad) Keep in mind, this area is among the lowest "cost of living" areas in the country.

A lot of folks are still "stuck in the past" when they go after prices. 20 years ago, it wasn't uncommon to hear a price for mowing 20 acres in the $300 to $350 range. Things have changed a bit in 20 years.

 

[Slacker]

I can do 20 acres in less than a 7 hour day.
trailered, insured, advertising, etc

I'm at about 1/2 to 2/3 of what you want.
I also have a much bigger mower and tractor
Your 5 foot mower isn't competative over 5 acres or so (maybe even less)

Brian,
My -working- 5 ft mower & tractor is very competative! Just kidding bud!
You're right about smaller machines costing more to run when the # of acres gets up there. The "small" jobs require a minimum of 3 hrs, and noone likes to pay that!

 

[MikeD74T]

Slacker, 20 years ago I got a buck a minute for plowing snow, actual plowing time - not commuting etc. When customers thought the price was too high I'd say grab a shovel & see how much snow you can move for $10 worth of your time. My customers never complained when they got a $4 plow bill for 4 minutes plowing, nor did they complain when I moved 20" of snow in 30 minutes. You're right to maintain your standards -anybody can work for free or less. MikeD74T

 

[pinemountainman]

I had a neighbor ask me how much to do his 1 field of about 10 acres, I told him to buy the tail wheel fork($35.00) I bent on my place and paid for the fuel I use and he thought that was too high.

 

[jsborn]

I had a neighbor ask me how much to do his 1 field of about 10 acres, I told him to buy the tail wheel fork($35.00) I bent on my place and paid for the fuel I use and he thought that was too high.

Don't you know anything about people? You should have paid him for the privilege of riding over his field and then gone in and baked him some cookies to show your appreciation.

Some people just don't get it--- fuel and time cost!!!

 

[Farmwithjunk]

As I mentioned, going rates around here are as low as anywhere in the country. From some accounts, you'll pay more than double for the same job in other areas. If you want work here, you price it competitively with everyone else, CHEAP. And don't you know, I STILL get people who want to gripe about what I charge. Either they haven't priced mowing with anyone else lately, or they just want to whine, even if I offered to do it for free. I'm better off WITHOUT that sort of customer.

My best client just emails me directions to the property to be cut, along with a description of the property boundries. No mention of price. I finish the job and fax them a bill. If circumstances warrant charging a little more than "hourly", I include that. A check shows up in the mail in 3-4 days. Never the first complaint. This is a large, well established law firm that has been involved in this type of property management for more than 75 years. It's not their first rodeo.

The "complainers" are generally "first time" customers, or people who are living near (or beyond) their means. There's good customers and bad customers. Unless I'm starving, the bad ones don't get a second thought. And according to my doctor, I'm eating rather well. Too well if you listen to him.

 

[WTA]

Around here the going rate for field mowing is 25.00 per acre. I know that sounds low but when their are so many illegals with a beat up old tractor and a shredder going door to door it's hard to compete. I don't think many people even mow their own grass around here in their yards. There has to be 3 or 4 pages of legit lawn services in the yellow pages.

Even at 25 per acre it is a lot cheaper to lease a machine and do it yourself on the larger acreages. My neighbor just mowed his 400 acres of CRP land and leased a tractor and mower. If he had paid me it would have cost him a lot more.
If you want to make money with your tractor then do something with it that not many others do, like custom baling or join in on some harvests or plowing in the spring. I'm already booked up for that around here and I only got my new one about 3 weeks ago. All of the big cotton farmers around here asked me if I'd want to come join in with the cotton harvest. If it helps make my payment then I'll be there.