Bushhogging Business

[RDrancher]

The other ones that make it hard are the people who will drag a disc mower and baler across any field, regardless of lack of forage quality. (add the property owners who think I would just love to do it for the free "hay")

Or want to split the hay with you...and it's barely cow quality. That's one of the reasons I only baled one season and called it quits

 

[fordman41291]

I have been competing against these people my whole adult life. They make it hard to get jobs.

"Jimmy-John up the street did it last year for (insert ridiculously low figure), can't you match that?"

The other ones that make it hard are the people who will drag a disc mower and baler across any field, regardless of lack of forage quality. (add the property owners who think I would just love to do it for the free "hay")

I just got off the phone with someone who was like that. I usually try to charge by the hour but sometimes I just charge by the job. I think I averaged it out to be 30$ per acre is what u end up charging for the jobs were I charge by the job.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I guess we are all in that same boat. As a technian with a toolcase, I get $50.00 an hour. Show up with a hundred grand of equipment and I can charge $75.00. Makes no sense.

I have a 6200 JD and a 16 foot Bat wing mower that I would charge $75.00 an hour. A small tractor cutting 4 feet at $75.00 an hour seems a bit much, but hey, if you can get it, all the power to you.

I cut ditches at one customer, again with the 6200 and a VanWamel (sp?) Perfect ditch mower. Also charge $75.00 an hour plus travel time. If I hit one nasty stone with those heavy hammers, theres twenty or so bucks gone out of my pocket.

Around here you can hire a pretty big Excavator for $100.00 an hour plus you have to pay transport. Something like that can do an awfull lot of work in an hour and just think of the cost of that machine.

 

[mccash40]

Usually the "for beer money" guys are getting lots of other "freebees" as well. I would say$75 PH is a more than fair price.

 

[Industrial Toys]

What you want is one of those Gigs for the Rich Old Lady, whos husband is always away travelling on business and leaves her with a big wad of cash to look after the place! Talk about over charging AND a happy customer! To her, your 19 HP tractor IS a D9!

 

[xring100]

Are those both Kubotas? And how many HP are they? I got a bushhog brand 4ft cutter and does fine whims my b8200 just sometimes it can be a little slow how much bigger of a bushhog can I go with my b8200?

Usually they quote 5 hp per foot of cut with 16 pto hp your already running almost a foot more BH than recommended. If your already bogging down now, 3.2 hp per foot with a 5 ft versus 4 hp per foot in the 4 ft your talking 20% less power per foot. This is definitely not going to be good. A 6 footer would be plain ridiculous on the back not just for power but size and weight. My buddy has a light 6 footer on his b3030 23 pto and it's over sized looks massive and is okay if it's light field grass but in thicker stuff he's either crawling or leaving a couple feet of overlap.

 

[kevin37b]

Or want to split the hay with you...and it's barely cow quality. That's one of the reasons I only baled one season and called it quits

Like your new avatar . I guess this will have to do until the misses slims down . How old is the hired man ? I enjoy your posts and your intellect . You will love that machine .

 

[LD1]

Lots of these threads come up on TBN about how to charge. And IMO, charging by the hour isnt the best way. ITs fine to have a target, or a $$ per hour number YOU want to achieve, and use that number to factor your price, but I never clue the customer in on this number. First, they will always ask, "how long do you think it will take?" and heaven for bid you go over a bit. And second, cause for most working folk making ~$15-$25 per hour at their "day job" just seem to think that $40 or $50 per hour is obsurd. And third, cause they dont know you or your equipment. If you bid a 10 acre job at $40 per hour, and someone else bids it at $60 per hour but are running a 60HP tractor with a 8' cutter, who do you think is going to get the job? likely you cause you "appear" cheaper. But in reality, the $60 per hour guy could do it cheaper cause he would get done twice as fast.

So whenever I price a job, It is by the job. Just too many variables. Property condition, how dense, obsticals, location, etc. All play a role in how I figure my price. But I do put in my ad that prices are typically between $35 and $50 per acre, and minimums apply. But ultimately, I shoot for $50 per hour from the time I leave my house till the time I am back to my house.

So obviously the guy that is 5 miles away, and has 10 acres of wide open pasture that is smooth and I can go fast, is closer to or under the $35 per acre mark. But the guy an hour away, and only wanting 2 acres done, and is overgrown saplings and briar patches, with lots of obsticals...well he pays more per acre. Likely under a minimum charge. I would figure a few hours to do the job, and a few hours of travel, and just quote him $200. Take it or leave it.

 

[RDrancher]

Like your new avatar . I guess this will have to do until the misses slims down . How old is the hired man ? I enjoy your posts and your intellect . You will love that machine .

Thanks Kevin! The hired hand is my 2 year old. Yep...I'm apparently too dumb to quit.

 

[DDowner]

Lots of these threads come up on TBN about how to charge. And IMO, charging by the hour isnt the best way. ITs fine to have a target, or a $$ per hour number YOU want to achieve, and use that number to factor your price, but I never clue the customer in on this number. First, they will always ask, "how long do you think it will take?" and heaven for bid you go over a bit. And second, cause for most working folk making ~$15-$25 per hour at their "day job" just seem to think that $40 or $50 per hour is obsurd. And third, cause they dont know you or your equipment. If you bid a 10 acre job at $40 per hour, and someone else bids it at $60 per hour but are running a 60HP tractor with a 8' cutter, who do you think is going to get the job? likely you cause you "appear" cheaper. But in reality, the $60 per hour guy could do it cheaper cause he would get done twice as fast.

So whenever I price a job, It is by the job. Just too many variables. Property condition, how dense, obsticals, location, etc. All play a role in how I figure my price. But I do put in my ad that prices are typically between $35 and $50 per acre, and minimums apply. But ultimately, I shoot for $50 per hour from the time I leave my house till the time I am back to my house.

So obviously the guy that is 5 miles away, and has 10 acres of wide open pasture that is smooth and I can go fast, is closer to or under the $35 per acre mark. But the guy an hour away, and only wanting 2 acres done, and is overgrown saplings and briar patches, with lots of obsticals...well he pays more per acre. Likely under a minimum charge. I would figure a few hours to do the job, and a few hours of travel, and just quote him $200. Take it or leave it.

This is how I would price jobs also.
By the time you figure cost of machine and attachments maintenance liability insurance truck trailer you should have enough for a can of beans when done.
As they say, " better to be a idle fool than a busy one"
It May take some time but once your known with the people that will pay a fair price for a job you will have more work coming your way.
Cheers Bob