How much to charge for rototilling?

Farmwithjunk · Mar 22, 2006

I'll do a few gardens each spring. Plow or till, or even both sometimes. I've made up my set of "rules" that MUST be followed.

1. If it involves the trailer, add $50 before it leaves the driveway.

2. "locals" where I can drive the tractor start at $50. That covers about 1/2 acre of tilling. Time goes up, price goes with it.

3. Don't try to "compete" with the guy down the lane that's content to "break even" by doing it for $20. You won't get rich plowing gardens, but you deserve to make a few pesos for the time and investment. In the end "break even" doesn't come close to breaking even.

4. Get insurance, then plan on doing enough work to cover that cost just to be Mr. "Break Even".. Once you get involved, you have to go for it.

5. When someone picks their garden spot, it MUST be on top of a shallow buried granite field. Tiller tines and slip clutches are expensive when bought in bulk.

I charge more for bush hogging. GArden plowing has it's market ceiling price. Peole just stop putting out gardens when they can't afford one.

I actually make more plowing gardens than tilling. It seems that everyone has a tiller nowdays.

In the end, there is no set price for my service. I charge what the job is worth to me. If it's too high for someone, they're entirely welcome to get someone ELSE to do it.

michigandon · Mar 22, 2006

( One other thought... Make sure you're licensed and insured. $1M in liability is a good place to start... )

If I gotta go through that hassle and expense just for 1-2 months out of the year...FORGET IT!!! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

rdln · Mar 22, 2006

no reason to get mean about it. My liability is covered under landscaping rider on my farm policy as long as receipts are under 20k/year or something like that and equipment doesnt stay on job overnight its about $100/year.

its not worth the risk w/o insurance

michigandon · Mar 23, 2006

Steve, I don't have a farm. $100 per year would be worth it for "CYA coverage" if I could get it for that. I just don't wish to plunk down a small fortune when I'm not even sure the phones gonna ring.

ToadHill · Mar 23, 2006

In our area landscapers insurance starts at about $550 per year.

michigandon · Mar 23, 2006

( In our area landscapers insurance starts at about $550 per year. )

Starts at $550 per year?? /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

I don't see myself bringing in enough to even cover HALF of that!

Todays parade has been cancelled due to rain. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

DDT · Mar 23, 2006

I live in a small town about 4500 folks. I charge $20 min charge. It usally takes 10 min or less. I can till 1 acre per hour. I always figured $1 per HP per hour (clock not meter) I figure $1 per mintite the first hour and $50 per hour after that. But I do a lot of gardens to. People hear would not get it done if it were any higher.

MadDog · Mar 23, 2006

Boy, I wish I could get landscapers' liability insurance for $500. I carry "inland marine" insurance to protect against loss/damage to my equipment when off premises. (I do not charge my neighbors for snowblowing, tilling, etc. although that involves using my equipment off premises and my homeowners only covers my equipment on my property).

The cost of the equipment coverage (for my $38k of equipment) is $250/yr. My broker said that liability coverage would have been about $1,000. I'm not about to pay that for doing favors for people; instead, I just ask them to sign a release/indemnification agreement with respect to any claims for personal injury or property damage arising out of my doing work on their property.

If I could get liability coverage at a reasonable price and folks beyond my immediate neighborhood wanted help, I'd consider charging for it, but not without insurance.

RobertN · Mar 23, 2006

It really is expensive to do this kinda stuff and cover all the bases. All it would take is bumping one house, shed, ect. Or, hitting a power line, cable, phone that is buried shallow. It happens too often.

It is really a bummer, because there is lots of small work out there. But between insurance and license requirements, it is not worth it to do it.

When we did lawn/garden maint, we carried insurance, which was expensive. I know of people who were out mowing, ran over something unseen, and did thousands of dollars damage to the car and house that got hit by the resulting flying object.