Mowing How much to charge for custom mowing jobs?

[corey9212]

Ok, so I have a 5115M and my neighbor rents out farm equipment, I was having a talk with him yesterday and he said he gets frequent calls from people needing their ditches and pastures mowed, he has no time to do them so he always has to say no, he offered me the jobs and said I can use is 15' batwing mower for the jobs (I just have to get a 1000 rpm PTO installed.) my question is what is everyone that does mowing for hire charging? What would be a reasonable rate?
Thank you.

 

[pjbci]

I charge $85 and $90 per hr for my bigger tractors. I would reccomend you charge atleast $85. Always do it by the hr or you will get burned when a customer puts you in a really thick or rough pasture and you have to cut it slow. Also you need to have a minimim charge. I base mine on how far i have to travel to get to the job. If you have to rent the cutter then figure that expense in also.

 

[welderdawg]

Look on your local Craig's list or online, find a few people already doing bush hogging/ditch bank work and call them. Ask how much they charge per hour / per acre, how much for flat areas and how much for ditch banks? Also ask how much they charge for first time hogging on over grown fields, my rate would be a little higher for heavy brush due to wear and tear on equipment!! Talk to a few of them to find the going rate for your local area, then set your prices same as theirs or a little lower until you get your name out as a dependable field mower. Keep your word and do a good job and the customers will find you!

Besure to ask the owner about any known obstructions, covered/open septic tanks (almost went into an open tank one time, opening was over grown and couldn't see it until almost in it!), steel posts...ETC. Walk the property before hand on a first mow to see anything the owner didn't mention.

Keep tools (wrenches, pliers, hammer, screw drivers, punches (knock out that sheared bolt), hacksaw and especially a pair of bolt cutters for that darn barb/hog wire that gets wrapped around the blades!!) and spare parts like shear bolts for the gear box PTO linkage. Keep full grease gun with extra tubes and 80/90 weight oil for mower lubrication on the truck. Plus water ever you think you'll need to keep the tractor running strong! Can't make $$ sitting still due to broke equipment.

Just some thoughts, good luck on you new career!:thumbsup:

 

[corey9212]

Lots of great advice (lots I didn't even think about.) the dealer charges $75/hr (3 hour min for just the tractor rental) my neighbor said about 70-90/hr. is what he would have charged.

 

[MBTRAC]

One thing to add if you don't already have it, mount a large fire extinguisher where it's easily accessible on your tractor -with mowing & increasing so the more mowing you do sooner or later you'll need it.

 

[corey9212]

One thing to add if you don't already have it, mount a large fire extinguisher where it's easily accessible on your tractor -with mowing & increasing so the more mowing you do sooner or later you'll need it.

Do I dare ask what would I need it for (tractor or mower or grass?)

 

[MBTRAC]

Don't underestimate the fire risk to the tractor, mower & grass you are mowing all are potential ignition points - Cutting grass & particularly long paddock type grass throws/accummulates dry debris/stubble on the tractor & the mower, combine that with a hot engine/exhaust/PTO/gearboxes (including the mower) + the inherrent risk in dry grass of mower blades hitting rocks & sparking to ignite a grass fire, or a grass fire due to the static discharge from the machinery ....etc.

Experience has taught us as good practice on our farms (& as a condition of our insurance) for all self propelled/powered machinery (tractors, trucks, harvest/hay making/earthmoving gear, ride on mowers ...etc) to carry fire extinguishers - a small investment which with quick action can prevent a catustrophic result.

Similarly depending on the extent/duration of your mowing activities it is good practice to clear the machinery sometimes several times a day (& always at the end of each day ) of all debris (we use compressed air though a lead blower can suffice) & inspect/clean the air filter minimum daily.

Some further thoughts, & whilst not wishing to scare you off contracting as there's good money to made:
- We contract as well as operating our own farms & personally there is no way I'd commence any contracting (however small) considering today's legal/liabilty obligations without comprehensive public liability insurance ( you'll generally be liable for all damage when contracting - accidently start a fire with your tractor/mower & you could be up for a $M bill for all consequential damage, same if you injury any people/property as a result of your contracting acctivities...etc).

 

[corey9212]

Don't underestimate the fire risk to the tractor, mower & grass you are mowing all are potential ignition points - Cutting grass & particularly long paddock type grass throws/accummulates dry debris/stubble on the tractor & the mower, combine that with a hot engine/exhaust/PTO/gearboxes (including the mower) + the inherrent risk in dry grass of mower blades hitting rocks & sparking to ignite a grass fire, or a grass fire due to the static discharge from the machinery ....etc.

Experience has taught us as good practice on our farms (& as a condition of our insurance) for all self propelled/powered machinery (tractors, trucks, harvest/hay making/earthmoving gear, ride on mowers ...etc) to carry fire extinguishers - a small investment which with quick action can prevent a catustrophic result.

Similarly depending on the extent/duration of your mowing activities it is good practice to clear the machinery sometimes several times a day (& always at the end of each day ) of all debris (we use compressed air though a lead blower can suffice) & inspect/clean the air filter minimum daily.

Some further thoughts, & whilst not wishing to scare you off contracting as there's good money to made:
- We contract as well as operating our own farms & personally there is no way I'd commence any contracting (however small) considering today's legal/liabilty obligations without comprehensive public liability insurance ( you'll generally be liable for all damage when contracting - accidently start a fire with your tractor/mower & you could be up for a $M bill for all consequential damage, same if you injury any people/property as a result of your contracting acctivities...etc).

Wow, I will deffinately be putting an extinguisher in my tractor, I will look into the insurance thing forsure as well. Lots to think about but that's what I love about this forum, honest opinions and answers, every time I'm on here I learn new things.

 

[Danno1]

One thing to add if you don't already have it, mount a large fire extinguisher where it's easily accessible on your tractor -with mowing & increasing so the more mowing you do sooner or later you'll need it.

Speaking of cleaning off the equipment periodically, there was a thread on here a few years back where someone's tractor lit on fire from the sunlight reflecting throught a headlight and lighting up the dried cuttings on the tractor.



.

 

[corey9212]

Speaking of cleaning off the equipment periodically, there was a thread on here a few years back where someone's tractor lit on fire from the sunlight reflecting throught a headlight and lighting up the dried cuttings on the tractor.

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That's insane, the dangers that people don't think about but do that chore almost weekly (mowing that is.)