Since this will be your first large mowing ROW job, there will undoubtedly be a steep learning curve.
When I first started bidding small land clearing jobs, I would try to estimate the exact amount of time and money it would take me to do the job. Once I came up with a figure that I was happy with, I would DOUBLE it and use that as my estimate.
Almost every time I would have some sort of unforeseen delay or additional cost or extra work that wasn't accounted for, and that doubled estimate quickly became the new "ideal number" for the work I had done.
So for me, I either severely underestimate how much work a job entails, or it's just the nature of the beast that things do happen like that.
Now that I have some experience under my belt, I'm a lot more accurate with my numbers beforehand, but still overbid with the idea that something will slow me down.
The last thing I want to do is tell a landowner I can do it for X amount, and then hand them a bill for more than I anticipated. I prefer to over bid and if the job goes great, I hand them a bill for LESS than I told them, but if not, I'm still paid for my time.
I can't say from experience specifically with ROW clearing, but I will suggest DOUBLING whatever number you estimate to do the job. Worst case they don't accept your bid and you have a lot more time to spend with your family
Keep in mind I was never in the situation where I HAD to make the money, in other words, if I did a job and never got paid, I could just chock it up as a loss and my kids wouldn't be missing meals!
One last thing, I've found by reading the majority of posts on this forum in relation to similar questions as yours, that most all the replies will be dissuading you to jump into a new venture. There will ALWAYS be reasons people tell you not to, or your not prepared, or etc, but remember that if you want to be safe and not risk losing anything, then don't ever try something new.
If I listened to the advice given when I was thinking of starting a small business, I never would have done it at all. I'm glad I didn't listen.
If you can afford to lose a lot of money on this, then go for it. If not, then just start smaller, but still go for it!
