kthompson
Elite Member
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2008
- Messages
- 3,509
- Location
- South Carolina
- Tractor
- Kubotas B2710, M6800, L6060 cab, Volvo EC excavator, 2 ZTRs and various implements.
As a full time business person and part time farmer and other tractor work want to share some thoughts. Price the insurance and licenses first, I do sell insurance and no idea what you will find price wise but it may help you decide. If you are moving dirt it is mining or if you are spraying roundup or such are you licensed and again insured. In SC you need a commercial applicator license to spray that yard with roundup (my understanding). If grading do you know what is wet lands and the rules with them? Insurance probably will not cover you in case of violations of such laws.
There is a lot of building in my area as I am only 20 miles west of Myrtle Beach, SC. Here tractors and skid steers both are used for grading but compact tractors probably most popular choice, four wheel drive. Part of that is lot size, 1/4 lot is about most common.
As to bushogging most farmers handle the work on the land they farm, part of the deal. Some cutters are very costly. This can be very dangerous depending on how near a road, building or such you are working. A heavy rough cut mower can throw even a broken blade or large anything a long way. This is reason some use flail mowers.
My first suggestion is to look around and talk with others in your area about what they wish they could hire someone to do but have hard time doing so.
One issue to me with the landscaping work is for the most part it is one and done and now find another customer unless you get tied in with a builder and then I know several builders who do their own grading.
In my area the bushogging I think would have the best success. As farmers get older, as they don't want to buy the $15,000 plus cutter for their ditches or such. As subdivisions are built and they have woods around them that will need to be kept cut back think that will be a growing business. Now that is HERE. I would look for subdivision, small towns, anything with woods around the property as the trees keep growing into the open area.
I have a 4 foot flail boom mower and think if I wanted to stay busy with it could. A 70 hp tractor should handle a 3 or 4 foot boom flail mower or a 6 foot 3 pth rough cut. Again before you decide on anything keep asking and gaining from others experience.
Will tell you went through the hay thought process in fair detail the winter in place of my row crops. I asked and asked until I felt comfortable I had the right answer for me. Have two friends who raise hay who gave me great advice and also our farm agent on hay and think all three were telling the truth but one told a lot different story than the others, his was very glowing. I thought and thought as to why and finally realized he has not been raising hay long or large and has not been at it near long enough to be worn his equipment much. His operation is also small enough he is able to sell his crop out rather quickly to other friends with horses. On that line the farm agent quickly told me you can not make money with round bales, only small square. Again all of this is local markets.
Before you begin with any custom hired work you be sure you have your pricing where you are making money. You can go broke quicker with equipment running than parked if pricing is wrong. If you are getting every job you bid you are too low or very very good. kt
There is a lot of building in my area as I am only 20 miles west of Myrtle Beach, SC. Here tractors and skid steers both are used for grading but compact tractors probably most popular choice, four wheel drive. Part of that is lot size, 1/4 lot is about most common.
As to bushogging most farmers handle the work on the land they farm, part of the deal. Some cutters are very costly. This can be very dangerous depending on how near a road, building or such you are working. A heavy rough cut mower can throw even a broken blade or large anything a long way. This is reason some use flail mowers.
My first suggestion is to look around and talk with others in your area about what they wish they could hire someone to do but have hard time doing so.
One issue to me with the landscaping work is for the most part it is one and done and now find another customer unless you get tied in with a builder and then I know several builders who do their own grading.
In my area the bushogging I think would have the best success. As farmers get older, as they don't want to buy the $15,000 plus cutter for their ditches or such. As subdivisions are built and they have woods around them that will need to be kept cut back think that will be a growing business. Now that is HERE. I would look for subdivision, small towns, anything with woods around the property as the trees keep growing into the open area.
I have a 4 foot flail boom mower and think if I wanted to stay busy with it could. A 70 hp tractor should handle a 3 or 4 foot boom flail mower or a 6 foot 3 pth rough cut. Again before you decide on anything keep asking and gaining from others experience.
Will tell you went through the hay thought process in fair detail the winter in place of my row crops. I asked and asked until I felt comfortable I had the right answer for me. Have two friends who raise hay who gave me great advice and also our farm agent on hay and think all three were telling the truth but one told a lot different story than the others, his was very glowing. I thought and thought as to why and finally realized he has not been raising hay long or large and has not been at it near long enough to be worn his equipment much. His operation is also small enough he is able to sell his crop out rather quickly to other friends with horses. On that line the farm agent quickly told me you can not make money with round bales, only small square. Again all of this is local markets.
Before you begin with any custom hired work you be sure you have your pricing where you are making money. You can go broke quicker with equipment running than parked if pricing is wrong. If you are getting every job you bid you are too low or very very good. kt