Price per hole!!

[Temp97]

I just bought a new PHD and talking with this guy over a bottle of liquid entertainment he asked how much I would charge per hole for his horse ring Didn't really plan on making any money with it but why not. He just wants the hole dug, no post setting. Thoughts.

 

[thatguy]

No experience with it.. BUT I would try to figure out how many you can dig in an hour (make sure you figure in how deep he wants the posts) and then decide what your time and machine are worth per hour.. IIRC - the magic number seems to be at least $50/hr or more..

Around here with red clay you can dig quite a few now, but later on as the ground gets dry I bet you would be looking at only a few per hour.

OR depending on how good a friend he do it for a free dinner (steak NOT mcdonalds) lol

Good luck

Brian

 

[Bird]

I agree with thatguy. Unless you know for sure what kind of soil you'll be in, and it might be different as you go deeper, I'd only price it by the hour, not by the hole.

 

[two_bit_score]

I agree with thatguy. Unless you know for sure what kind of soil you'll be in, and it might be different as you go deeper, I'd only price it by the hour, not by the hole.

Or....maybe by the steak? If you get into hard ground the price goes from a sirloin to a t-bone to a ribe eye to a filet migon.

 

[kthompson]

Horse ring sounds like some of this would not apply but: be sure to take into consideration travel time, any permits required, will you need to have underground utilities marked, if you charge him will you need a license?

 

[Redneck in training]

If it is a small job (one day job or so) I prefer barter especially with friend or neighbors. You help them and they will help you when needed. Works well for me.

 

[radman1]

I just bought a new PHD and talking with this guy over a bottle of liquid entertainment he asked how much I would charge per hole for his horse ring Didn't really plan on making any money with it but why not. He just wants the hole dug, no post setting. Thoughts.

Have you used a post hole digger much in the past? If not, you will have a bit of learning curve. You need to practice on getting a straight hole. Also what is the ground like? Rocks? Dirt? Hard? Most horse arenas will have curved ends which can be a bit of a pain to get the curve right. If you do this, I would have him set a flag at each post location. Then it is up to him to get the curve right, spacing, places for gates etc. Then it is his fault if he doesn't like it. He can buy 50 flags for several bucks.

On open ground and holes marked, I could probably dig each hole in 2 minutes (or less) with skidsteer, vertical lift and hydraulic auger. I would guess 2-3X longer for pto drive PHD - if good conditions. A riding arena should be flat, open ground.

 

[AKfish]

radman1 has some very good advice.. Let your buddy be responsible for the layout; location of holes, etc.

Depending upon the soil type; the going could be tough - shear pins broken and jammed auger bits. Sometimes worse things can happen - broken u-joints, twisted pto shaft, broken gear drive.

Who pays if something goes south...?

Best of luck.

AKfish

 

[Cat_Driver]

Always a tough decision when someone wants a price on soemething done when one doesn't "normally" price that type of work.

One way to get it off your back and back onto his is say - get three honest bids from contractors and I'll beat the lowest one you get as a favor to you.

But like other have said, not being in the" business" one breakage could make YOU the one IN THE HOLE.

 

[BILL_K]

I charge $5.00 a hole with a $100.00 min and do not have any trouble getting it.

 

[schmism]

is it near by... like hitch up the PHD and tool on down the road 2 min?

I know if my neighbor/friend wanted some holes dug id be more likely to work on the barter/favor payment.

Having him come bail me out with his 100hp tractor or cut hay or whatever is much more valuable to me than the few bucks i could make plunking a 20 holes in the ground.

FYI when i put the holes in for my hoop house... 12 holes it took me maybee 20 min. but im in IL flat farm land also soooo...

 

[radman1]

I charge $5.00 a hole with a $100.00 min and do not have any trouble getting it.

I lived in Kingman, AZ for a few years back in the late 1980's. Digging a hole in Golden Valley should be easy except for the rock. The sandy soil makes it easy for the auger to go in the ground. I do like your pricing for digging holes.

 

[kebo]

I just bought a new PHD and talking with this guy over a bottle of liquid entertainment he asked how much I would charge per hole for his horse ring Didn't really plan on making any money with it but why not. He just wants the hole dug, no post setting. Thoughts.

Ask him how much is it worth per hole for him to NOT have an aching back!!!!!

 

[boxygen]

I subscribe to the mindset that neighbors do not charge each other for things, nor do they keep track of who owes who for what, they just help each other whenever they can. I do stuff for my neighbors all the time and they always want to pay me and I never accept. I do accept pans of lasagna, cookies and other items too. They all work for a major outdoor outfitter, and they note things like when I need new boots. They can buy them for pennies on the dollar using employee discount. This past year I've gotten 3 pairs of boots, two pairs of snowpants, dogbeds and a bunch of other stuff that cost at least 500 bucks. All in exchange for a couple minutes worth of tractor work. Everybody wins. I do understand, however, that not all neighbors and friends have a like mindset. I like to leave money out of it and barter/trade if they insist on giving you something. Just my opinion/experience.

 

[CCWKen]

Yeah, depending on how far you have to travel, the first hole might be $50-$100. After that, $3-$5 a hole is reasonable based on soil. Like most, the barter/trade works well around here. That is, if you don't have to wait for your half.

 

[whistlepig]

I priced having 2,500 feet of fence done here from two different contractors. It was $2.50 per foot with me supplying the materials. $2.50 per foot just for labor. That seems to be the going rate around here and I am in the country. $6,250 for 2,500 feet of fence just in labor. I did it myself. Bought a $1,200 Bush Hog post hole digger, a $300.00 roller/stretcher and misc. fence tools for an additional $300.00.

 

[AKfish]

I lend a hand to the neighbor's around here, too. Snowplowing, rototilling, burying a horse..
A jar of homemade pickles, cookies, some smoked salmon; no money.

But... after a couple of bad experiences; I really scope out the project BEFORE I'll commit to anything!!

After the 2nd chunk of 15' x 3/8" chain wrapped around my tiller - I don't go over to that lady's place anymore to turn over her garden or yard!

And just missing the 4th chunk of 1/2" rebar with my rear tire that another neighbor had poked into the ground to stabilize a decorative white picket fence; I don't plow snow at that neighbor's anymore, either.

AKfish

 

[jjcc246]

around here about $7 per hole. min. $90. customer stakes the hole you drill. 42" - 48 " depth and 8" diameter. more for wider diameter. they also use old tractors set up just for hole drilling. a lot of tork at the PHD, takes about 3 minutes to unlaod the rig and about 3-4 minutes to drill per hole. 20-30 minutes the deck post holes are done and he's on his way. actually pretty impressive to watch.

 

[Temp97]

I do the same for friends and neighbors. I just try to help out when I can. I have used PHD's in the past and will practice for a bit before I go charging anybody. I priced around and found that $7 per hole is the average for this area. Not being an expert I will throw out $5 per hole and see what happens. I know after digging 22 holes by hand last summer for my back deck I would have paid $5 dollars easily!!!!!!

 

[Diamondpilot]

If I am doing it for a friend or neighbor I barter. If I am doing it for someone else I charge $75 per hour for most things like bush hogging and grading but people like to know how much per hole on a job like that so I keep the math simple and charge $10 per hole. I have no problems getting that. I will not do anything less than 10 holes, if less I tell them to dig by hand, that's what I do. Just not worth putting the auger on.

Chris