Mowing Pipeline / Utility Right of Way Pricing

[RandyT]

Sort of a side note, but I would check to see how the property owners on the route are notified. I have a pipeline that crosses my property and I refused access to a contractor until I was notified in writing by the pipeline company. I am very protective of my land and who I allow access. The contractor, who was very much small time operator, tried to tell me "All you have to do is call the pipeline company". My response was " I don't have to call anyone except the sheriff. " The whole situation was handled poorly. Just giving you a heads up of a problem that could delay you.

Doug in SW IA

Just be careful of what you are doing when delaying operations on a legal right of way. I worked power line clearing years ago. And if you knew how many landowners were placed in the back seat of squad cars while we worked it would blow your mind. Once I identified myself, any interference or preventing entry to perform work could result in your being charged with a felony.

 

[rustyshakelford]

When I say 8-10, that's running 5-6.5 mph and just working it. Not taking into account gates or distractions, just running down the ROW

Good luck with the bid. I think having consistent hands will be one of your biggest challenges

Brett

 

[Alesandro]

Intersting

 

[jenkinsph]

Good luck with the bid. I think having consistent hands will be one of your biggest challenges

Brett

I agree^^^^^^ I use to do a lot of work for government and travelled away from home a lot. Working in the boon docks was fine for me. Employees can be extremely difficult to deal with in this scenario even at Davis Bacon scale wages.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Sort of a side note, but I would check to see how the property owners on the route are notified. I have a pipeline that crosses my property and I refused access to a contractor until I was notified in writing by the pipeline company. I am very protective of my land and who I allow access. The contractor, who was very much small time operator, tried to tell me "All you have to do is call the pipeline company". My response was " I don't have to call anyone except the sheriff. " The whole situation was handled poorly. Just giving you a heads up of a problem that could delay you.

Doug in SW IA

If I were the contractor, I would have called the sheriff myself. ROW permission is just that, you don't have to be notified in advance of anything. Any surface damage to your property might be paid for, but you cant refuse entry by the pipeline /electric/water etc company to suit your notion at the time or require written notification of entry. Yes, you could have called the sheriff but likely you would have been arrested, not the contractor. Legally, the ROW is no longer your property but has been leased to company xxxx, although most companies let the land owner use it for pasture, farming etc. but should they need to access it, any damage to crops is usually not recoverable by the lessee. The lease holder (company) has rights same as any other lease holder ( think apartment dweller)to freely access their property at anytime without prior notice.

 

[joeu235]

Sounds like a good opportunity. Do you know who your competitors are? Can you find out how much the are bidding the job for?

I do commercial maintenance work. I've learned that I can bid a job for what seems to me like I'm stealing money and the customer still feels like I'm under priced. Bid it high enough that you know you are making money and see what happens. Good advise I was given was to use the cost of renting a piece of equipment + hourly labor cost as the base line for cost.

Be aware that commercial work usually has Net 30 or Net 45 payment terms which can kill a small company if not planned for.

 

[Dadnatron]

Figure out the bid and get it before you purchase/lease your machines. The last thing you want is a purchase sitting idle because the bid went to a competitor.

 

[bigtiller]

,


Not sure on mileage of row. It is 6000 acres. In three states so accommodations and food ect are one of the items I added to projection. I just used the GSA Per Diem table for meals and lodging to get a figure and calculated as a straight pass through cost

If the pipeline Right of Way (ROW) is 66' wide, the 6000 acres will be 750 miles long.

Aren't pipelines usually narrower than 50' ? I have a water line ROW in my field that is 35' wide.

 

[txdon]

Big tiller, out here in Texas a ROW can have multiple pipes though it each with a 35' ROW. On my Dad's property he has 3 @ 35' wide each and one splits off and at the fence line so part of the ROW is (2) 70' and also (1) 35'. Before his fence line it is 105' wide.

Don' forget tractor maintenance you will have to change the oil about every 2-3 weeks, grease every week, air and fuel filters, and also any other repairs in the field and refueling in the field.
Don't forget to grease the mowers every day and sharpen blades as needed.
Check the tractor maintenance book for a more accurate list of thinks to do every week and don't forget to figure this in the bid.

Oh by the way, the 2 batwings that are mowing the pipeline ROW have now been siting for three days waiting for the ground to dry.

 

[bigtiller]

Okay, I understand, but even if it has multiple pipe easements and is 132' wide, that is still 375 miles long. 6000 acres is a lot of mowing. I'm just trying to help the op understand how much time he is thinking about committing to.

I know a guy that contracted for what he thought was a 20 hour mowing job and after 25 hours he was a little over halfway done. Luckily the company let him out of the contract.