What's a good hourly rate for a 55 hp, 4wd tractor, with FEL?

[Cobble]

I've charged $65 an hour, estimates are estimates of hours. Prices change based on actual time. I charge a 4 hour minimum, and I charge a $130 mobilization fee within my county.

I have 5 trees to dig out once the ground hardens up in a housing plan near me. The guy wants to add on to his old concrete block storage shed and the trees are in the way. He had the trees cut with 4-5 feet left standing. Trees are 8" to 14" diameter at the base. I estimated 7 hours (@ $65 an hour) + mobilization (2 hours @ $65, it takes about an hour to grab the trailer, pull out the chains and binders, load and tie down tractor and additional attachments. Do it all again to leave the job, and undo it all when you get back home) but explained that I can not see under ground any better than he can, and it will be what it will be. I also suggested calling in a grinder, the fellow absolutely does not want a grinder, and does not want the root balls rotting under his addition. He wants them dug out and gone.

I've been removing larger trees/ stumps with mine, and found a small trick that works well. I take a shovel, and dig slightly around the base of the tree to expose the main lateral roots close to main trunk. There are generally 3 or 4 good lateral roots. I expose them enough to cut through with a chainsaw, to sever support. If there is a hose near by, you can use water at pressure to wash soil away as well. Once the roots are no longer supporting the remaining tree, they pop out easy. It foes faster than you would think too. A larger horsepower tractor would not need this method, but 55 hp needs a little help.

 

[yukonhunter]

At least 120 an hour. You are the one stuck with huge bills when stuff breaks down.

 

[nikerret]

Only a fool would declare a cash money small job like that on taxes. I know a lot of tree service, landscapers and lawn maintenance people, it happens to be the circle I run in. Every one of them will take cash money and shove it in a pocket if possible.

Call me the fool, then. I claim every cent. I won't risk my integrity nor my full time job. If my finances were so bad I had to lie, I would cut corners elsewhere. Right now, I am navigating through the immense pain in the *** of getting my dually DOT complaint and studying for my CDL so I can be ready to pick up the dump trailer I ordered. Sure, most people don't care you need: CDL A, DOT number, Commercial registration, fire extinguisher/triangles/fuses, membership in a drug/alcohol consortium, owner-operator application/driver history, etc; to operate a combined vehicle weight rating over 26K, for money. I don't agree with a lot of it, but I will play by the rules.

 

[nikerret]

I charge $65/hr plus $25 to trailer the tractor, if necessary. I will do bids or hourly. I have excellent insurance and do quality work. However, there are a lot of guys doing the same work with no insurance, don't call Dig Safe, don't claim their earnings. I lose a fair amount of bids, to these people, but I won't work for free. I'm not the cheapest, but I won't do shoddy work and I will be there, if a problem develops from my services. I have turned down jobs where the customer wanted it done incorrectly. It's not worth my reputation. When it ends badly, they won't remember their insistence on it being done that way.

 

[4570Man]

I kind of think I am to cheap. I have the rates in my add, and I get calls and put hour estimates out and people are almost giddy with excitement to get me to do their work. That is starting to throw off alarms to me. Add money to the hourly rate! I turn down more work than I take though. I advertise for small work with a small/light weight machine. I get emails or calls saying that they have a simple job.... then you get there and they want an acre of ground landscaped into multi level terraces, retaining walls built between the 3 levels that they want cut into the slope, shed/outbuilding foundations put in and a 12 foot wide road created to go back 500' to the outbuilding. Then I am told no material will be dropped on the property, all will triaxles dropped on the street in front of the property and that I would need to carry 80-100 yards of topsoil, 70 tons of #4 and 44 to 66 tons of 2A.... one LA534 60" bucket at a time on a B2650. And that was all one job request!!!!.... and the email that started it all was "I need some topsoil spread and ground leveled."

I drove a half hour away, listened to the fellow, then tactfully backed away and ran like my butt was on fire!

The sad part is that he was really wanting me and my small/light machine to do it. He does not want his new driveway damaged from triaxles, heavy machines, or black tire marks from skid steers. So those bucket full of soil, #4 and 2A would be a 10 minute round trip... per bucket. I told him, I could eventually do it, but it would cost him enough in hours paying me that he could EASILY go buy himself a NEW tractor and attachments, do the work over the course of the summer, sell the machine 1 year old and maybe 400 or so hours on it and be WAY further ahead than me doing it. He said that his time is to valuable, and he does not have the time to do it.

Guess what, same here buddy! I'm a full time engineer, I do this for a hobby job on weekends... I do not have unlimited time to devote to your insanity project. But anyways, my goal is to bid and take 6-8 hour jobs. 1 day, in and out. If you want bigger jobs done, call bigger equipment in.

You've got to know when to fold em.

I usually have people send me a picture of the desired project before I waste time and gas money going to meet them. It probably looks unprofessional but it saves a lot of time and money. Exxon doesn't give me their cut back on failed ventures.

 

[4570Man]

Call me the fool, then. I claim every cent. I won't risk my integrity nor my full time job. If my finances were so bad I had to lie, I would cut corners elsewhere. Right now, I am navigating through the immense pain in the *** of getting my dually DOT complaint and studying for my CDL so I can be ready to pick up the dump trailer I ordered. Sure, most people don't care you need: CDL A, DOT number, Commercial registration, fire extinguisher/triangles/fuses, membership in a drug/alcohol consortium, owner-operator application/driver history, etc; to operate a combined vehicle weight rating over 26K, for money. I don't agree with a lot of it, but I will play by the rules.

Do take proper deductions? On paper part time tractor work doesn't pay good.

 

[nikerret]

Do take proper deductions? On paper part time tractor work doesn't pay good.

Yes, I take every legal deduction I can. I keep Excel sheets for mileage, parts, equipment, jobs, etc. Then, it all goes to the accountant. We sit for a couple of hours, to go over all of it. I've expanded my business from tractor work. Recently, I ordered a badass dump trailer. I'm also looking at getting a gooseneck dual tandem, to haul loads. I've built retaining walls and done a lot of "odd jobs" all covered under insurance.

 

[RichM752]

I charge a $100 set up fee, and $75 per hour. Travel time $45 per hour for any distance over 10 miles. I always have happy customers.

 

[RichM752]

I would not even tell the wife

LOL too funny

 

[dragoneggs]

Interesting thread read. I have a SCUT w/BH now but over the years... and still do, hire larger equipment w/operators to do major work even though I know I can do it if I just had time, training, and the right tools.

$75-100 per hour is very reasonable to me depending on equipment size. I understand but but still loath the haul in/out fees (didn't used to appreciate that fee until I owned a tractor myself and then discovering a bunch of new/renewed friends).

I can see rates dependent on whether this is your full time job vs. a part time gig helping pay off your toy. And I always say... you get what you pay for! Okay, not always but if I were a betting man...