Reasonable price to till 100'x100' garden

[scott_vt]

Afternoon jmt,
I think you made a very fair offer to that fella ! I know others on this thread feel you should offer to do for free but as you stated he was in his mid forties and not on a fixed income as some retired folks are!

Im sure you have done plenty of freebies for your neighbors as all of use have at one time or another, but to do everything for free is ludicrous also !
You need to strike a happy medium IMO, I have done plenty of free snowplow jobs for neighbors but if someone wanted me to bushog a 5 acre field for free I would tell the guy to go fly a kite !

Ending if it was a nice old gent with a small garden with little to offer other than some veggies I would be inclined to do it free !

 

[jmt1271]

Thanks Scott, we are on the same page.

 

[shvl73]

Being neighborly should work both ways. I didn't see where this person was a relative or close friend. If he needs to get it done and if cost is an issue, then he could've offered some sort of service/favor in return. There are always some people that feel it should just flow one way, their way.

 

[jmt1271]

The first time I ever saw/spoke to the guy was when he rolled up and asked if I did side work? But, alas, I am a capitalist.

 

[Atlas]

I talked to my insurance agent when I got my tractor and was told that my home owner's insurance covered the tractor as long as I don't use it for financial gain. Granted, how would they know, but I don't wish to go into business tilling, mowing, and moving snow and dirt.
In my case I guess $100 just to do an estimate is a good place to start.

 

[Fergie]

My neighbour in Florida charges $50 an hour but adds traveling time to his fees.

 

[NHTC30]

Workinallthetime,

You asked if a tiller would work up bermuda grass well enough to scoop it out and get rid of the roots. Mine KK tiller will. In fact, I bought it to till up sites where houses would be built and scoop out the grass and weeds where the slab would be poured. I work up about 4 or 5 gardens each year as well. I worked up a new garden site last Saturday that was all bermuda, and I could have easily scooped out the loose dirt and roots and left them hard bare dirt. It works up the dirt well, no clods or root wads left, and it works it up at least 6 inches deep.

As far as what I charge to till a garden, I charge my usual 40 dollars per hour, unless I have to drive over 20 to 25 miles one way, then I charge a hour and a half minimum. Most jobs I get are between 5 and 15 miles away.
My insurance costs seem to be much lower that some operators on this board seem to have to pay, and my tractor is pretty easy on the diesel, I wish my truck was a little easier on gas. 40 to 50 dollars per hour is the going rate around here for the type of work I do, and I'm not fast enough to feel comfortable charging 50 dollars per hour yet. If gas and diesel prices keep climbing like they have the last two weeks, I may have to charge more though.