new to the site, need advise!

[daTeacha]

If you get serious about expanding your overhead to include a tractor, look at the CNH products, too. The loaders have long curved arms that give more reach and lift height than a standard design loader on a similar size tractor. This has disadvantages, too, like anything else.

 

[scagwildcat]

thank you all for your advise.
i just got home from the new holland dealer, i picked up a 01 tc21 with a 756c hoe and a 7106 loader on it, it seams to be able to load my truck, it has 180hrs on it, for 18k out the door.every thing else i looked at for that price had 1000 hrs on it. I have been saying what if this and that for a long time about a tractor, this morning i just said the heck with it, ill never know unless i try! now i just hope the second thoughts get out of my head lol ... i just got off the phone with a friend of mine, well i thought he was, he was telling me that i would be lucky to get $40 PER HR. with a machine that size ? atleast my back will feel better lol....

 

[HighLoader]

Congradulations on the tractor purchase! I have a New Holland TC24DA (for sale) and it is a great tractor....I liked it so much I bought it's big grother a TC40DA a few months ago. You will be amazed at all the things you will be able to do with that tractor. I only do work on my own properties and have saved myself thousands of dollars doing it myself. You should have no problem getting $40 an hour even though it is a smaller tractor. And I agree about a tractor being a big back saver! attatched is a picture of rocks I dug out with the TC24DA.

 

[Timber]

You know that was just a nasty thing for a friend to say. I don't know what it is with some people that have to try to bring you down when your on a high. That was spiteful and clear jealousy. Friends seem to have to do that for some reason, They don't like it when someone moves to the next level in there world. Your tractor is only going to make you money, not just in revenue but in the time it takes you to get a job done. Things that take days will now take hours and Time is money. I can clear and acre of brush in about 2 hours. push over trees and pull out the root ball. When it comes to burning tractors are the greatest fire tenders. Don't ever let your buddy sit in the drivers seat just tell him you know were he can get 1 just like it. You just stick with us kid, Now lets see some pictures

 

[Fjord]

Hope you have as much fun making a living with your new tractor as I do just playing with mine.I predict that the "second thoughts" will leave your head whenever you're in the seat.( and if they do creep back in it will only be briefly when you have to make a payment ) Congratulations on your decision.

 

[scagwildcat]

thanks for all the nice things said, this site is great with great people on it! i will post pictures as soon as i can, i should get it mon. or tues. next week!

 

[daTeacha]

scag -- If you're wondering about what people will pay or not, try giving quotes for the whole job instead of an hourly rate. If you find the clients jump on your bid right away, it's a sign you may be a little on the low side. If you find yourself losing jobs to other people, it's a sign you're on the high side. Either way, you'll quickly find out what to charge and what doing a job will cost you.

I can't see that the tractor is going to be anything other than a lot of help for your business. With one that size, you can do some of the mowing work, too, maybe even hiring some help to run one machine while you run the other.

 

[Farwell]

I didn't read all of the posts to see if a tax advantage was mentioned. You should be able to write of your new tractor as a business expense.
I went for years wanting a tractor and now live in a place where I can use one and I love it. It is amazing the things you can find to use a tractor for after you own one. If you can afford one go for it, I don't think you will be sorry.
David B

 

[CurlyDave]

...i just got off the phone with a friend of mine, well i thought he was, he was telling me that i would be lucky to get $40 PER HR. with a machine that size...

You can get whatever people are willing to pay you for using the tractor -- he may only get $40/ hr for his, but I can think of many situations where I, as a customer, would be willing to pay more than the "going rate".

If I have an ongoing business relationship with someone who regularly does my lawn care. He knows exactly what I want and can do it with few instructions. If I hire an outside person, I first have to go through the interview process, show him the job (which means arranging to be home when he shows up -- not at all easy), and then I have to explain the job to him when he gets there & watch him do it so I get what I want. I usually would want to get two or three bids. All told, I might put 6-8 hours into it, for a 4 hour job.

I would easily pay someone I know and trust more. Maybe $50 or $60. Just because I would save the interview time, the job description time and I have an ongoing business relationship with him. I am more likely to get it done correctly the first time, and if I have to have something fixed, I know when he is going to show up. A lifetime of experience has taught me that if a contractor doesn't do something right, he will always tell me he will come back to fix it, but a small fix goes to the bottom of his priority list and it could take years.

 

[scagwildcat]

CURLYDAVE,
thats just it, my clients trust me, they even send me christmas cards, i treat them all like they were family,they help put food on my table, so when they need some thing im there right away! i was getting sick of not being able to get a job done when i told the client it would be done due to some one else not being on the ball so to speak, i am a little bit reluctant about digging work seeing that ive never done it before, but just like my girlfriend was telling me, i didnt know what i was doing 10 years ago when i bought my first scag, now its second nature! live and learn.