Rototilling

[Ryansweatt2004]

Hey everyone, How do you guys go about quoting someone a price for rototilling? Do you go by the hour or quote by the job? If by the job how do you figure a price? I just went to look at a plot of land that a guy wants tilled. It's approximately 1.5-2 acres of field that's been previously tilled and bush hogged. The land owner was quoted somewhere around $1200 to have everything tilled. I figured with a five foot tiller I'd have at least 8-10 hours maybe less depending on how well the soil and grass breaks up. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[boomer1025]

Charge what you would be willing to pay to have it done

 

[jenkinsph]

Hey everyone, How do you guys go about quoting someone a price for rototilling? Do you go by the hour or quote by the job? If by the job how do you figure a price? I just went to look at a plot of land that a guy wants tilled. It's approximately 1.5-2 acres of field that's been previously tilled and bush hogged. The land owner was quoted somewhere around $1200 to have everything tilled. I figured with a five foot tiller I'd have at least 8-10 hours maybe less depending on how well the soil and grass breaks up. Any advice is appreciated.

I would think you can till this plot in about 2 to 2.5 hours. So for two passes in different directions about 5 hours total. That is running about 1.5 mph average speed.

 

[jeff9366]

There are several good threads here examining the cost of operating a compact utility tractor.

A considerable variable is whether you service tractor yourself and how you value your time doing the service. Many value their time at "0".

Some, including myself, have the dealer perform preventative maintenance and repairs.

Bottom line: Your Kubota L3901 tractor costs $25 to $35 an hour to operate, plus a bit for the tiller.

Commercial liability insurance additional.

Your time additional.

 

[jeff9366]

The land owner was quoted somewhere around $1200 to have everything tilled. I figured with a five foot tiller I'd have at least 8-10 hours maybe less depending on how well the soil and grass breaks up. Any advice is appreciated.

What about your travel time, each way?

What if you pull up with your truck, trailer and tractor and the gate is locked?

What if you get fifteen feet of buried barbed wire wrapped around the blades?

What if you lift a buried concrete footer with four feet of steel T post sticking out? May ruin a rear tire beyond repair.

What if there is an old septic tank or well in the field, and one wheel drops in, stranding the tractor?

You need to price in some contingencies. Maybe the previous tiller did not return because $1,200 was not enough.......

Collect half the price agreed, in cash, before moving tractor off the trailer.

These events all happened to FARMWITHJUNK in his commercial mowing operation.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

What about your travel time, each way?

What if you pull up with your truck, trailer and tractor and the gate is locked?

What if you get fifteen feet of buried barbed wire wrapped around the blades?

What if you lift a buried concrete footer with four feet of steel T post sticking out? May ruin a rear tire beyond repair.

What if there is an old septic tank or well in the field, and one wheel drops in, stranding the tractor?

You need to price in some contingencies. Maybe the previous tiller did not return because $1,200 was not enough.......

Collect half the price agreed, in cash, before moving tractor off the trailer.

What if you get hit by lightening??

What if a tornado comes and takes your tractor away?

What if you strike oil and you get your tractor dirty??

I NEVER play the "what if" game! I charge by the hour and if I'm driving my tractor there, the clock starts when I leave my drive... AND I NEVER collect ANY money before I start the job!!

I till "normally" at 2.5mph UNLESS "they" come to the field and say they want something different...

I don't recommend tilling twice in one day, I recommend waiting several days between tilling, so the clods of grass have time to dry out/die, AND I sure don't want to ruin the soil structure of the area I'm tilling, by over tilling or going too slow.

Educating the folks you are tilling for, WILL get you more "call backs".......and that = more $.

SR

 

[sixdogs]

It will take longer than you think and will not come out as well as you think unless you till in multiple directions.

Good points on "what if" problems because they do happen and are not priced into the job. What if you hit a phone line? Metal fence posts and break tines? 500 feet of old wire that takes half a day to remove? I chisel plow open ground first, let it dry for a few days or more and then till it. It's easier on the tiller and tractor and any trash is pulled up.

One thing that really works is to first spray it with roundup to kill everything. Wait two weeks, chisel plow, till and it will be beautiful and then some. Charge $125 an hour and travel time one way. You won't have it but you need minimum liability insurance in case you till a fiber optic line or hit something that isn't supposed to be there. Also, your equipment won't be insured once it leaves your property so factor that risk in.

If you don't want to charge $125 an hour, don't do the job because that's the going rate.

 

[TheMan419]

$1200 to till 2 acres? Are Canadian acres different than US acres?

Seriously I am tilling my own land with a 5 foot tiller and only about 17 HP at the PTO. I can do 2 acres in well less than a day's time. I am certainly not tilling at 2.5 MPH as one other poster says he does, but that is because my tractor can't do it.

You should be able to till that in a few hours time I would think. Of course I have no idea what your operating costs are. Insurance, gas, time etc etc etc.

 

[pmsmechanic]

I charge $100/hour and that on the low side. It doesn't matter what size the garden is the charge is an hour unless it takes longer. If I can schedule numerous gardens in one day then there is no travel time. Otherwise travel time one way is added. Beware of new garden plots as they take longer than you think and you never know what you'll find in your tines.

 

[TheMan419]

Also I would have the home owner roundup the plot a week before you came out. I have tilled some areas with growing grass/weeds.... much tougher to do. The areas that we sprayed are much easier.