What is Driveway Repair Work Worth a Hour?

[daugen]

MOST folks had your best interest at heart

I just took the time to reread every post here, and I find your statement puzzling.
I'd say ALL. Could you be more specific so your statement has meaning?

Let's not bite the hands that feed us, even if the free meal is not what you ordered.

 

[94BULLITT]

FWIW the guy lives out in the country on a back road. There are not gas lines for miles, the electric and telephone lines are over head. I don't see much of a risk.

Roger, I totally agree with you. SOME of the comments that I read seemed to assume you were either ill equipped for this job or hadn't thought this thing thru, even though you explained yourself completely.

I've only been here a short time and don't know you from Adam, other than seeing your comments on various threads. What I have noticed, is that any comments you've made were well meaning and informative to the thread OP. Other folks here, as I've learned, are not quite so thoughtful.

I also agree with Jason, that MOST folks had your best interest at heart.

If you leave, you take away access to knowledge/experience from "one of the good guys", lowering the value of this type of forum.

I would ask you to reconsider.

Thanks Rick. That was pretty much how I saw it.

I am well aware of how the legal system works. It never seem to be in favor of the good guy.

I am relatively new to TBN and what little I have used it has been positive. I too have had some "interesting" replies to questions I had but understand that on my keyboard there is a delete button and if it isn't working properly, I can simply choose to ignore the "comments/experts advice" and continue looking for the ones I want.
Personally, I didn't see anything that should have upset me and also have learned through over 40 in construction that there are miriads of "experts" in every field -- some who don't know jack sh*t about what they comment on but like to hear themselves talk.
I suggest you re-consider your intention of leaving what could help you with a mechanical problem {for FREE} -- this is where I found some quality help with my problem WITHOUT paying $90/hour at our local Kubota dealer who undoubetedly would have replaced my alternator/regulator/battery THEN found the broken wire and replaced it fixing the problem but I would have had hundreds of dollars of "repairs" that were not needed to fix a connection!!! -- if you have one in the future and just pay attention to the posts that will help you and forget "the experts".
All the best.

Since I have been messing with forums I have learned a lot about them. I have learned to over look a lot of stuff and be very careful how you phrase what you are saying.

If you found my post offensive then I apologize. It truely was not the intension.

Thanks.

Roger, there are so many variables out there it's truly unbelievable as I am sure that you are aware of. I think that many of us are worry warts and just don't want anything bad to happen. I know that I was sued once for over 3 million dollars. :shocked: I only had-have a million dollar policy. Courts won't even let you on the property to show that I was not at fault in any way. Man I was sweeting bullets. Long story short, my insurance was able to take care of it. Without having the insurance, I most likely would have been in a bad way. The killer was that I had done NOTHING wrong, in fact had taken care of many problems. The legal system won't even let you defend yourself.

Enough about that, just didn't want bad things to happen to you.

I'm sorry :sorry: that you took offense to anyone's advice and or warnings.

I am well aware of how the legal system works. It never seems to be in favor of the good guy.

MOST folks had your best interest at heart

I just took the time to reread every post here, and I find your statement puzzling.
I'd say ALL. Could you be more specific so your statement has meaning?

Let's not bite the hands that feed us, even if the free meal is not what you ordered.

I reread the thread again and I interpreted it the same as I did before. I just don't know why everyone jumped on the band wagon about me starting a business to do 1 job for a friend. If I operated as a business I would probably have to pay $600-700 a year taxes on my "business equipment". I would go in the hole doing this job just to pay the personal property taxes. Maybe people are not aware what it would cost to operate a business. Like I said before I have seen several threads on here of people asking what their tractor is worth doing a job. I don't ever remember anyone saying anything to anybody before about getting insurance, business license, etc. I don't know why it was different for me and that is why it offended me. I am just thinking about helping a friend about by fixing up his driveway and I have a chance to make a little extra money. I am not trying to undercut anybody. A lot of businesses are started by someone doing side jobs then they get to doing so many they start a business. I can think of a lot that were started that way. I also realize that you guys really don't know me but you "regulars" should be able to somewhat judge my character from me being on here. I realize that when you give advice on a forum you mostly assume the person knows nothing. I just found the way the advice was given insulting. I also know you guys don't know what my tractoring abilities are but the guys that are pros had to start somewhere. I think I am half decent with the tractor.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

Roger, if you would have posted the info that you have in post #42, I can guaranty you that this whole thread would have been different.

""FWIW the guy lives out in the country on a back road. There are not gas lines for miles, the electric and telephone lines are over head.""

""I just don't know why everyone jumped on the band wagon about me starting a business to do 1 job for a friend.""

This is the first that I have seen this info. :confused3: I actually asked if this was the case in post # 20, with no response.

Believe me when I say that I am so sorry :sorry: that you have mistaken the intent of many of the posters in your thread.

Do what you need to do, good luck.

 

[crazyal]

I can't count the number of things that I've pulled out of my ROW. Things from an abandoned stainless steel duct used for a culvert (buried on both sides) to a leaf spring that was partly under the blacktop at the end of the ROW. I swear that Jimmy Hoffa is buried somewhere in my ROW and I'll find him. Maybe that would be a good thread to start "What have you found while doing roadwork". Since I do the work for free nobody has ever said anything other than "It looks great". I have often thought of offering to it part time for others in this area but it would just take one homeowner to sue because even though he swore that the fabric underlay was at least 6" down I found out the hard way that they were wrong and I've just ripped up 10' worth.

I think I might do one or two for free and let the "customer" know you are trying hone your skills. Hopefully they like your work and give you some money. It's not that people doubt you posse the skills needed or don't understand the risks. It's just that, at least for me, I would hate to see something that seams like it should be easy turn into a nightmare. It's most likely a very low risk and you'll be fine. Then there's the real experience you'll get if something does go wrong and you need to repair it. It could turn into a nice line of side work that allows you to get another attachment or two and some pocket money doing something you like to do, operating a tractor.

 

[daugen]

while some of us don't know squat about cutting a culvert or ditch properly, some of us know other things we thought would be helpful to you.
Like general insurance or business issues, and frankly with all good intentions, trying to watch your back.

Let's not beat this to death, Bullitt I think you understand by now that all well meaning advice is not necessarily the advice you need.
It's your job to pick through it. And I can tell you one thing, I'm not giving anyone any more insurance or business advice without them specifically asking for it. It comes easy for me, it's what I know, vs. setting my TNT properly as you could.

Advice not requested is often not appreciated.
I was told that at an early age.

""I just don't know why everyone jumped on the band wagon about me starting a business to do 1 job for a friend.""
Because we had no idea this was your case, and many of us were worried that you didn't understand the risks.
Now you do. Forward.

 

[paulharvey]

Edit. Reread and have nothing more to add, $35-50 per hour is fair to everyone involved.

 

[RDrancher]

Edit. Reread and have nothing more to add, $35-50 per hour is fair to everyone involved.

If you're into charity work.

 

[Blaneypark]

I was one who said get insurance, Have a DBA, and call Miss Dig(811) and a buck a minute. My son has a small landscape business. He started it at the age of 13. I had the DBA as he wasn't old enough. When he turned 18 we transfered the business to his name. A few weeks later he was digging a hole in a front lawn with a hand held post hole digger. About 8 inches down he hit a gas line and put a hole in it. After the gas company arrived and luckly not the Fire Dept. out of pocket expence was around six hundred dollars. All this for a hand dug hole. First question was did you call Miss dig. Second was the name of his insurance company and last was the name of his company. Oh I forgot to mention this was a small job for a friend. So if you can get your shorts out of the knots it is in think it over and stay. Alot of good advice here FREE. Very doubt full if you leave anyone will really notice. Stay and you can give some advice no one wants to hear.

 

[94BULLITT]

Roger, if you would have posted the info that you have in post #42, I can guaranty you that this whole thread would have been different.

""FWIW the guy lives out in the country on a back road. There are not gas lines for miles, the electric and telephone lines are over head.""

""I just don't know why everyone jumped on the band wagon about me starting a business to do 1 job for a friend.""

This is the first that I have seen this info. :confused3: I actually asked if this was the case in post # 20, with no response.

Believe me when I say that I am so sorry :sorry: that you have mistaken the intent of many of the posters in your thread.

Do what you need to do, good luck.

I said in post 1 that I have someone that wants a estimate. I saw what you said in post #20 but I never said anything til post #42 because I had to take sometime to cool of. I never found anything you said to be insulting, you answered my question.

It could turn into a nice line of side work that allows you to get another attachment or two and some pocket money doing something you like to do, operating a tractor.

I was hoping I could make enough money off a job to say one of my implements had payed for itself.

while some of us don't know squat about cutting a culvert or ditch properly, some of us know other things we thought would be helpful to you.
Like general insurance or business issues, and frankly with all good intentions, trying to watch your back.

Let's not beat this to death, Bullitt I think you understand by now that all well meaning advice is not necessarily the advice you need.
It's your job to pick through it. And I can tell you one thing, I'm not giving anyone any more insurance or business advice without them specifically asking for it. It comes easy for me, it's what I know, vs. setting my TNT properly as you could.

Advice not requested is often not appreciated.
I was told that at an early age.

""I just don't know why everyone jumped on the band wagon about me starting a business to do 1 job for a friend.""
Because we had no idea this was your case, and many of us were worried that you didn't understand the risks.
Now you do. Forward.

Maybe I just took things wrong then:confused3:. I am not really sure why everyone thought I wanted to start a business. Like I said before I have seen people ask before what their tractor is worth a hour plowing or mowing and nobody has ever mentioned this kind of stuff before. I thought most people with tractors jumped at the opportunity to make some money with them. I guess what made me mad was the way 1 of the comments was said and then I kept hearing about insurance and it just made it worse.

I was one who said get insurance, Have a DBA, and call Miss Dig(811) and a buck a minute. My son has a small landscape business. He started it at the age of 13. I had the DBA as he wasn't old enough. When he turned 18 we transfered the business to his name. A few weeks later he was digging a hole in a front lawn with a hand held post hole digger. About 8 inches down he hit a gas line and put a hole in it. After the gas company arrived and luckly not the Fire Dept. out of pocket expence was around six hundred dollars. All this for a hand dug hole. First question was did you call Miss dig. Second was the name of his insurance company and last was the name of his company. Oh I forgot to mention this was a small job for a friend. So if you can get your shorts out of the knots it is in think it over and stay. Alot of good advice here FREE. Very doubtful if you leave anyone will really notice. Stay and you can give some advice no one wants to hear.

I was going to call before I dig, even though I am 99% sure there is nothing in the ground, definitely no gas lines. At the very most there may be a possibly there is buried telephone line. I am not going to risk hitting something.

 

[94BULLITT]

I was thinking about this thread mainly 1 reply and I think I misunderstood that post. It kind of set my "attitude" for this thread. I took it as this persons reply as being smart/ hostile and I was shocked because I had never seen this person like but I don't think that was their intent. I read it fast which made it seem that way to me but when I slowed down and thought about it, it did not seem that way. The bad thing about forums is you can't tell the tone in the persons voice or see their facial expressions to know how to take what they are saying. Sorry for the misunderstanding.