Tractor Work Business Advice

[jenkinsph]

Also consider, you need to be handy enough to be able to quickly fix your machine and implements. You WILL break things, often during a job. Time is money, and you need to be able to fix your equip and finish the job. And, paying for repairs will quickly eat into potential profits.

Last year, I got hired after another contractor had a breakdown and left his skid sitting on the property... Apparently he couldn't afford to fix it. After the 4th week, the homeowner had the machine towed and called me. You'd be surprised, but that actually happens more than you'd expect.

Yep, had a contractor leave his skid steer in the middle of the road above a property I keep up. He was lucky that no one bothered it for four months sitting there. When he picked it up I asked why he left it there and he said "money".

 

[adventure bob]

On the positive side. 1. Advertise a wheeled tractor does less ground damage than a skid. That matters to folks. 2. If you have new equipment tout that in your sales pitch as well; more work for the buck kinda thing. 3. Actually make it a company, form a LLC or an S Corp to protect your other stuff not associated with the business. 4. Write protectable contracts for the work you're doing. No handshakes and no vagaries.

You cannot go half in and expect to make a real business out of it. If you're going to go, go all the way or you'll just be a guy with a tractor doing odd jobs for low pay.