What Do I Charge for Tractor Work?

[Travis_R]

If you are needing the pay then do up to the $700.oo limit, and come back later to finnish the rest. Your $40 per. hr. will and is part of the price per. hr.
What I would do, I.E. quote him a price for around 1/2 the property, for the $700.00 and include the property perimiter, follow the fence line, and then split the property in 1/2, Mow the front 1/2 first.
I myself have no charge for transport within 15 miles, this I give my customers. the $1.00 per mile after the first 15 miles. but that is why I have repeat customers.
When the customer thinks he's getting something for free, they tend to call you back later on in the yr.
I myself like my customers, and give a little. but you can tell which one will call you back and the ones that won't.

Have fun with you tractor....
david

Thank you David for the advice... Greatly Appreciated!

 

[LD1]

All great advise so far, except I dont like charging by the hour.

I like to make $50+ per hour, but that is where experience comes in. You have to have a good understanding of how long it will take you to do a job, that way you can quote a flat price, and still be in the $$$/hr range you want.

Reasons as to NOT charge by the hour:

First thing a customer will ask is "how long do you think it will take?" And that is a loaded question. If you go TOO slow, they think you are milking the clock. If you hurry the job, you shoot yourself in the foot.

You dont want to end up finishing a job, handing a customer a bill, and them be in sticker-shock because they didnt think it was going to take that long. And also, when someone hears $50/hour, they think that is nuts, because "they dont make that much at work" or whatever. They dont have any clue what goes into maintaining equipment.

And for the customers that just have several odd jobs they want done, like a little bushhogging, gradeing a drive, leveling an area here and there, etc, I usually tell them that it may be best to just hire me for the whole day for $500. And that will get them up-to 10hrs of work. I have done this several times. And if chance I finish up in only 6-7hours, I ask if there is anything else they may want done. If not, I usually only charge $400. And they are always tickled since they were expecting $500.

 

[Bota Bum]

Folks that own acerage should have an idea what it costs to maintain, unless they are 1st time owners. Around here guys charge an hourley rate, plus damages. Landowners will have their own equipment in the shed, and hire out so they do not trash their own equipmnent on hidden stumps/rocks. Beware of the conditions or it will cost you bigtime.

 

[jenkinsph]

I agree with LD1 for the most part, flat price for the job and stick to it.


I bought a new MX6 back in 2005 and it still looks like new for good reason, it is one of the least profitable things you can do with your tractor. In the landscape business it is much more lucrative to build an initial landscape for the right customers rather than to perform mowing maintenance. Mowing 30 acres that you are not personally familiar with in tall grass and weeds is what I consider undesirable work, lots of chances you are taking with your equipment. I wouldn't go faster than I can see the ground ahead of me and bid accordingly.

 

[LoneCowboy]

So far, you are thinking exactly what i am thinking... $40 per hour/ $1200... I told the guy $40 per hour... Problem is he said "he only has about $700 to spend on the job"... I told him that he'll be very lucky if he can get it done for $700. I know that I wouldn't do it for that... He still wants me to come look at it and give an estimate and he's aware that I have a 38 hp tractor and a 5' Bush Hog.... I'd like to charge a flat rate... I definately need the job, but will not do it for $700. That's just crazy!

I would do that job for $900 and I'm considered on the expensive side around here. In rural areas he'll find someone to do it for $500 or so. (some farmer with no insurance, taxes, etc). Take me about 5 hours. I do this for a living. (that's not a typo BTW, 5 hours is a good number)

Unless it's something really custom, you'll find charging by the job is the better way to go. You'll also find that some things either require bigger equipment and you simply can't do them. You'll find some jobs that are perfect for your sized tractor. And you'll find some jobs are too small to be worth doing. (you need a minimum charge). And sometimes you find that your great idea isn't such a great idea and the area doesn't support the work.

It COSTS about $30/hour to run a compact sized tractor. maintenance, depreciation (you have to replace it sometime), tires, fuel, etc, etc, etc. You have to account for transportation time/truck/trailer/etc. You have to account for insurance (both liability and commercial vehicle), workman's comp (if required in your state), advertising, marketing, communication (cell phone), etc, etc, etc

someone in there you're supposed to get paid.
somewhere in there your supposed to make a profit.

I charge by the job, but I'm not getting out of bed for less than $90/$100 an hour. And I"m not making much of a killing, but at least I'm not working for free.

You'll find that ALL bushhogging jobs have crap out in the field, they don't call you til it's real tall and you'll never know what's out there. That's the business and that's why it's not free.

 

[jenkinsph]

Well a 10' cutter would need to average 5.0 mph for five hours non stop to do it. In Louisiana with tall thick grass (4' to 5')it would take a much larger tractor to keep this mower turning up to speed. Just guessing but a 75 hp @pto tractor might work, maybe a few more.

Larger tractors and mowers are certainly more efficient to do this job but beyond the scope of the posters equipment. He certainly can't do this job for $700 or $900 either regardless of what others may charge. The competition may wery well beat him at this game if they are set up more efficiently. I say let them have it before he loses money and time on the deal at that price.

 

[Travis_R]

Well, now the guy has changed his mind. He wants to cut 15 acres instead of the 30... What should I charge now? LOL... This changes everything!

 

[AKfish]

That 15 acres is likely to be where all the "problems" are... stumps, trash - everything that's hard on equipment!

I'd say $700 is a good "final" cost estimate! :thumbsup:

Good luck.

AKfish

 

[Travis_R]

Went and looked at it today. It's VERY BAD. Some places are impassable. Will have to cut my way in there. Thick and tall bahiagrass and cottonwood trees. Some 3-4 inches in diameter.

I'm thinking about renting a skid steer with a brush cutter attachment. Either that or put 2 or 3 tractors on it.

 

[jenkinsph]

Sounds more like "clearing" than bushhogging to me. One of the worse things you can do starting out a new business is to under bid the job. The second mistake is working for someone who can't or won't pay enough for you to make a profit.

I can understand your wanting to work and make some extra cash but I have a bad feeling that this job is going to COST you money and time.