What to charge for tilling?

[Blk88GT]

Long story:

A guy @ work had me move some top soil for him back in the spring. I moved roughly 60 yards and leveled/graded his lot for him and planted his supplied grass seed (remeber, this will be come into play later) We're talking about 1/2 an acre in the city, with some obstacles to deal with (fences, new construction etc)

I charged him nothing, because he was a friend. I told him to make sure there was plenty of cold here. I got 2 warm beers for 11 hours of work (I ended up doing his neighbors yard at the same time, who I charged $75 for an hour of work (grading/leveling and spreading top soil)

Now, he called me and asked me if I had a tiller and if I would come and till up his yard for him. Apparently he's not happy with the grass that's growing, and there's weeds all over. He didn't do any spraying all summer, contrary to my advice. Anyways.

What is a fair price to till his yard up? He was going to do it by hand, which I would imagine is not enjoyable at the least. Home Depot charges $65/day for a rototiller, and he has a bad back.

What would you charge this guy? I have a brand new 48" tiller (it has about 6 minutes of tilling on it!) and would have to drive roughly 20 miles. Keep in mind he's a friend, but my previous dealing makes me think he should pay for this service.

 

[john_bud]

Man on man, you work cheap!

I'll pay you 3 cold beers per 8 hour day - and an additional cold beer for each and every 90 minute period after that.

I'd charge him 150 bucks. Even with a 48" tiller, you should be able to get done in 2 hours.

jb

 

[Blk88GT]

john, thank you for the reply. That's the same number that stuck in my mind as well.

 

[AlanB]

If you want him to stay a freind, then do it for free, and bring your own cold beer...

Or, Just figure your expenses, then multiply times X (you have to determine but I would say 3 or 4 would be a number to start with) and price that.

Or, call the local car dealer, ask what their service bay charges by hour and charge that out by the hour.

Course, if my buddy did not have plenty of ICE cold one's on hand on the last free job,,, I doubt I would be back for the next one.

Sometimes I find it better to just do freind jobs for free and expect nothing then too get into a mess.

Good luck, hope it works out well for you.

 

[Blk88GT]

I expected nothing going in the first time, other than a half dozen cold beers. I don't think that's unreasonable at all considering I'm using nearly 50k worth of my own equipment to get myself to his place and do work for nothing.

 

[HTWT]

When I put a lawn in, I tell them that they will get weeds. The next spring they can take care of the weeds with preemergers and the appropriate herbicides. Tell your friend to be patient and take care of the weeds in the spring.

 

[ToadHill]

I agree with HTWT, I've been putting in lawns for years and you will "always" get a crop of weeds. Even if you buy the best seed available. The weed seed is in the topsoil and dorment in the soil on the property. Just disturbe some soil and leave it for a week, you'll get a good crop of weeds.

 

[LoneCowboy]

+1 on the weeds
But if the man wants to pay for tilling, let him.
Never argue with the customer.

Tilling is HARD on equipment and slow going.
I find I can till about an acre every 2 hours, and I can rip about an acre an hour. We don't till without ripping. Period. It's much too hard on my equipment. these times are with a 5' scarifier and a 5' tiller.

Figure out what you think you should make an hour and multiply
Add in some travel time, and it's usually your minimum charge for a 1/2 acre plot.
There's also time to hook the equipment up (3 point changes, etc).
and maintain it
and grease it
and pay for fuel
and pay for insurance

Yeah, great business.

Anyway, just tilling it, I would charge at least 200 bucks.
That's a deal, if renting one is 65 bucks, plus going to get it, fueling it and running the thing for HOURS.

 

[Blk88GT]

I suggested he leave it, believe me. I've done lawns before too. But he sprayed the entire lot already in an attempt to kill it before tilling. Some people just don't listen.

I'll see what he says when he calls back, because I'm not doing it for free again.

 

[Rara Avis]

I'll see what he says when he calls back, because I'm not doing it for free again.

Darn...you're learning...and I was going to offer you a six pack to help put up 20 acres of hay in small square bales...and you wouldn't even have to use your equipment...

 

[john_bud]

...and I was going to offer you a six pack to help put up 20 acres of hay in small square bales...and you wouldn't even have to use your equipment...

That's a quality offer, I was wondering if he would help cut trails thru my swamp for a 1/2 case?

jb

 

[Blk88GT]

Wow, tough crowd.

I'll help almost any buddy for some cold beer, but 2 warm beers over 12 hours is ridiculous.

 

[Ford850]

If he's truely killed the grass and weeds, I'd suggest he rent a top seeder that you can pull with your tractor. Much faster. Little wear on you or your tractor. And a lot less work in the end. You can have it top seeded and fertilized in less time than to till it. If the lot is already graded as he likes, I wouldn't re-till it.

 

[Redbug]

It's nice helping "friends" and co-workers out now and again with your skills and tools. Just be careful...some of these "friends/co-workers" may start to use you. If you get a funny hunch or feeling, I would back off and keep my distance. Sometimes you get suckered in...

 

[john_bud]

It's nice helping "friends" and co-workers out now and again with your skills and tools. Just be careful...some of these "friends/co-workers" may start to use you. If you get a funny hunch or feeling, I would back off and keep my distance. Sometimes you get suckered in...

No kidding! It's like that around here now with hunting land. I get a lot of buddies now that Bow season starts on Saturday. But I was sweating my buns off with just one helper in the summer putting in food plots. And it was my wallet alone that was getting trim when it came time to buy seed, lime, fertilizer....

He and I are going bambi slaying Saturday - dem other bums - they can sit on the sofa and get fatter!

jb

 

[bx24]

Its always tough to raise your prices once you have done something for free. Just like its tough to tighten the rules once you have set the norm at "carefree".

This type of situation stinks. The only good advice I can give is for everyone on here to set standard hourly rates that you can reference if anyone ever asks. Like it or not, if someone was expecting zero and you say $50, their going to be less than impressed. If you say you normally would charge $100 but because they are a friend you will only charge $50, they feel like you helped them out.

If you stop to add up the time, fuel costs, wear and tear and loss of your family time, it should cost something. There are even times I would charge family if they acted more like mooches in the past rather than kin.

Each case is different, but you have to draw the line somewhere. True friends will always be happy to at least offer something (more than warm beer). Friends who don't appreciate your efforts really should not fall in the "friends" category. As the saying goes, with friends like that, who needs enemies!

 

[Mickey_Fx]

Here is another 2 cents worth.

If you consider him a real freind, not the other way around, I'd tell him contribute your time for X (x= free or some small amount) but he's going to have to pay for the out of pocket expenses. I'd want at least the current rate uncle sam permits for milage (isn't that something like $.25-$.35/mi). I'd also want something to cover the wear and tear on the equipment and maybe something like $3-$5 for fuel cost for the tractor.

When you come up with a figure and he give you that look, tell him you can get a couple warm beers a lot closer to home and not have to work all day to pay for it.

 

[schmism]

I'd want at least the current rate uncle sam permits for milage (isn't that something like $.25-$.35/mi).

BAAAHHHWWWWWAAAAHHHHHHH!

oh thats good... i needed a good laugh....

IRS Announces 2007 Standard Mileage Rates

try again bud, nearly TWICE THAT!

 

[LoneCowboy]

Here is another 2 cents worth.

When you come up with a figure and he give you that look, tell him you can get a couple warm beers a lot closer to home and not have to work all day to pay for it.

That's classic.
Good one

 

[bx24]

Its always tough to raise your prices once you have done something for free. Just like its tough to tighten the rules once you have set the norm at "carefree".

This type of situation stinks. The only good advice I can give is for everyone on here to set standard hourly rates that you can reference if anyone ever asks. Like it or not, if someone was expecting zero and you say $50, their going to be less than impressed. If you say you normally would charge $100 but because they are a friend you will only charge $50, they feel like you helped them out.

If you stop to add up the time, fuel costs, wear and tear and loss of your family time, it should cost something. There are even times I would charge family if they acted more like mooches in the past rather than kin.

Each case is different, but you have to draw the line somewhere. True friends will always be happy to at least offer something (more than warm beer). Friends who don't appreciate your efforts really should not fall in the "friends" category. As the saying goes, with friends like that, who needs enemies!