Post Hole Digging Pricing

[RobD70]

I am getting a new land pride 3 point post hole digger to add to my collection of implements and plan to do some work on the side with it to. How do you guys charge for doing post holes? Is it by the hour or by the hole? I am getting 9" and 12" augers, along with the hydraulic down pressure kit. I am in central Wisconsin.

Thanks

Rob

 

[whistlepig]

Fence contractors charge by the foot. Labor and materials. I priced this once and went into sever sticker shock. I built my own. I would charge by the hour. You don't know how much rock you are going to hit when digging. Spud bar slow and no fun. You can give them a rough estimate based on what you considerable reasonable digging ground. But put the onus on the buyer of the service. If it takes that many hours then they are going to pay that many hours. And that is not unreasonable to ask at all.

 

[smstonypoint]

I think pricing practices differ by locale. Iowa State's Custom Rate Survey (https://store.extension.iastate.edu/Product/fm1698-pdf) shows pricing by the hole -- with an average of $3.80 and a range of $2.50 to $5.00.

Steve

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I am getting a new land pride 3 point post hole digger to add to my collection of implements and plan to do some work on the side with it to. How do you guys charge for doing post holes? Is it by the hour or by the hole? I am getting 9" and 12" augers, along with the hydraulic down pressure kit. I am in central Wisconsin.

Thanks

Rob

If you are going to be doing this for $$$, you might want to think about getting a hydraulic side link. That will make it easy to plumb up the auger before you begin drilling.

 

[whistlepig]

We used to live on a hill that was on an old river bed. So much rock that when the post hole was cleared of rock there was no dirt to back fill the post hole. I spent countless hours with a sledge hammer and a spud bar chiseling out rock there. Where we live now is prime farm ground with soft loamy ground. I can dig a post hole in a few minutes here. A post hole here is far different than a post hole there.

 

[RobD70]

I think pricing practices differ by locale. Iowa State's Custom Rate Survey (https://store.extension.iastate.edu/Product/fm1698-pdf) shows pricing by the hole -- with an average of $3.80 and a range of $2.50 to $5.00.

Steve

$2.50 - $5.00 a hole? wow,,,,,that sure is cheap. I cant see it even being worth hauling the tractor and post hole digger then unloading it and drilling a few holes being worth it for that. Or is there like a base price then so much per hole? I normally charge $70-$80/hr for tractor work and was wondering if it would work out just charging hourly. I know soil can change alot around here. Some spots can be nice sandy or light soil to a heavier clay laden soil to that clay with lots of rocks. So where it is easy going one spot, its a pain in the *** the next. I just want to figure out something that will make me some money and be fair to the customer.

 

[smstonypoint]

$2.50 - $5.00 a hole? wow,,,,,that sure is cheap. I cant see it even being worth hauling the tractor and post hole digger then unloading it and drilling a few holes being worth it for that. Or is there like a base price then so much per hole? I normally charge $70-$80/hr for tractor work and was wondering if it would work out just charging hourly. I know soil can change alot around here. Some spots can be nice sandy or light soil to a heavier clay laden soil to that clay with lots of rocks. So where it is easy going one spot, its a pain in the *** the next. I just want to figure out something that will make me some money and be fair to the customer.

The Iowa State survey doesn't give any info on minimum and/or transport charges.

A "fair price" to you would cover your ownership and operating costs (including your labor rate) as well as providing a profit as a reward for your management and risks. On the other hand, customers may have a different idea of what is "fair."

Steve

 

[whistlepig]

For tractor work there is a minimum charge for loading up and the hauling of the equipment. That's a given. If you charge $70.00-$80.00 hourly your rate would be determined on how many post holes that you think your equipment can dig in an hour. Nobody can set that rate except you. It is your equipment and your pace. You would be the only one to know.

 

[bdog]

I would not think you could make money digging post holes with a 3pt digger. I have dug probably in excess of 1000 holes. I hate 3 point hole diggers. To get real production you need one on a loader. I have one on a skid steer and it is so easy to position and it drills fast with the down force. If the locations are marked in advance I could probably drill 200+holes a day with the skid steer. With a 3 point digger in my area I have spent 30 minutes per hole.

You biggest problem is going to be people wanting 4 holes or something like that. On a big job the per hole works good if you can drill them quickly but most of the time you are going to spend more time hooking up your digger, loading tractor, driving there, unloading, loading, driving back, unloading, unhooking than you will actually digging. I don't do any work like that for other people anymore but if I did I would not even show up to do any thing for less than $250.

 

[RobD70]

I would not think you could make money digging post holes with a 3pt digger. I have dug probably in excess of 1000 holes. I hate 3 point hole diggers. To get real production you need one on a loader. I have one on a skid steer and it is so easy to position and it drills fast with the down force. If the locations are marked in advance I could probably drill 200+holes a day with the skid steer. With a 3 point digger in my area I have spent 30 minutes per hole.

You biggest problem is going to be people wanting 4 holes or something like that. On a big job the per hole works good if you can drill them quickly but most of the time you are going to spend more time hooking up your digger, loading tractor, driving there, unloading, loading, driving back, unloading, unhooking than you will actually digging. I don't do any work like that for other people anymore but if I did I would not even show up to do any thing for less than $250.

I understand what your saying. I normally charge $80/hr and no travel charge if its fairly close. I did some reading on the 3 point post hole digger and think money can be made, while I wont get rich off it, I think I can make some. I also got the down pressure kit with this one. I should say ordered it as it has not got here yet. Almost everybody I read about or asked said they would get it. The ones who dont have it wish they got that down pressure kit right away. With the 3 point, you only get the weight of the post hole digger for down pressure and that works in softer soils and not so much in harder, rocky type soil. Basically it is another service I can offer. If I dont make alot with it, then I still have it to use whenever I want.