Been low-balled? check this out!

[spruce Deere]

Flipping threw the local add paper found this add, Tractor work: $25 per hour; Post holes, backhoe work, field and brush mowing, driveway and light grading. Followed with outfits name and phone number WOW Thought about seeing if the the outfit would sub out under me. Hope its a misprint but kinda doubt. Tough times make for creative thinking or vice versa?

 

[johnk]

Might have a 800 pound garden tractor w/ a 32 inch tiller. Who knows though... Times are really tough for a lot of people...

 

[Heavyduty]

Yep, sounds like someone trying to survive. I know a dude with a fairly new tractor running around with no insurance. His company is on its last leg.

 

[spruce Deere]

The ad leaves a lot for thought...even if its a lawn mower tractor wanna be, JDX540 and such, that seems BARELY enough to cover operating cost. Work is slow coming around, but wow.

 

[MikeD74T]

Yep, sounds like someone trying to survive. I know a dude with a fairly new tractor running around with no insurance. His company is on its last leg.

He don't need insurance if he has nothing else left to loose! Times are hard for lots of folks. MikeD74t

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Here locally, I have "competition" from a 75 year old with a 60HP Ford/7' bush hog who cuts for $35 per hour just to have something to do in his spare time (which he has a LOT of). There's a couple young "upstarts" who have relatively new compacts, 30 to 35 hp range, w/5' mowers who will work ANYWHERE for $25 to $30 per hour. Opposite end of the scale, there's a couple adds where people mow for $100 an acre....

"Legitimate" contractors WERE pricing as high as $150/hr last year (45hp/6'). They discovered how difficult it is to make payments with no income.....

I quit trying to compete with low-ballers a LONG time ago. No point in it. "Legitimate" CUSTOMERS keep my phone ringing.

 

[laen64]

Around these parts brush mowing is going for $50.00 to $70.00 and acre. I thought that was good and I'm glad to have a friend doing the needed work for that price. I beleive in taking care of each other so with that said don't go for the Low Baller stay with your trusted friends or associates.

 

[TigerfaninAR]

Around these parts brush mowing is going for $50.00 to $70.00 and acre. I thought that was good and I'm glad to have a friend doing the needed work for that price. I beleive in taking care of each other so with that said don't go for the Low Baller stay with your trusted friends or associates.

The guy who brush hogs my 7 acres (6 to actually mow) charges 250. He frequents my business and I knew he did that. I just asked him to do it for me without getting a price (he's a good ole boy who I've known a while) and that's what he priced me. Guess I'm getting a good deal.

 

[spruce Deere]

My minimum is $130 for rotary cutting with $60 to 65/ hr. within 20 miles, depending on ground and conditions. My set up is small JD 403, Jd790. I end up doing places a bat wing cant corners, thin narrow places, places to nasty for riding mowers. I had to figure a minimum price cause the acreage figure did not work for the smaller stuff, Darn 'niche' things. Work has not been really "flush" in this area. Just the usual repeats so far....

 

[bjr]

Once in while I'll go help a neighbor. I was asked to do five ac. grass and tumble weeds. I said $300. I've only got a 5' RFM and it would have taken a lot of passes to get evey little blade of cheat grass stickin' up. I never heard back from them. It looked like maybe two guys with pitchforks could have knock away and burned most of it in four hours doing it by hand. I don't like being the cheap way out if someone is lazy and thinks I'd do it for nothin'. bjr

 

[cowboy357]

There Was a Local Guy here that Posted on Craigslist that said He would mow for 85 bucks an acre the Other Day . Just For the Heck of it I called Him & He Said all He has is a 48 inch cut Rider . But Needs the Money . . Bob

 

[chh]

I see a couple of guys on craigslist for $30 and $35/hr. The $35 one is supposed to be a 50 hp tractor and a 6' hog. They would have to be desperate or maybe just not realize how much it actually costs to run/hr.

 

[Heavyduty]

After a couple of flats or something big breaks, the lowballers seem to go away. Add up all your costs (insurance,fuel, transportation and dep of machine) no way you can do anything with 35$ an hour.

 

[spruce Deere]

After a couple of flats or something big breaks, the lowballers seem to go away. Add up all your costs (insurance,fuel, transportation and dep of machine) no way you can do anything with 35$ an hour.

Yep, I have got odd looks from people who have got lesser price quotes from other 'tractor work' outfits around here. One was a job a skid steer outfit who was charging $50/hour for a 70 hp skid steer for any kind of work, almost any where. There is always the few $40/ hr. 40hp tractor do anything crowd. They come and go. Times is tough but 25 bucks an hour?????

 

[Sackett2]

Dad and I are doing some tilling, he is retired so it gives him something to do.
We are charging 50. an hour, and so far none of the jobs have taken over a hour. (we only have 5 or 6 under our belts). All of them said that we would get a call next year. The one dad did today told him they had someone else who came up to till, did a pass or two amd said, "I really don't like doing this" and left! Dad turned the lumps into fine powder and they were thrilled.
We talked over cost per hour, read this forum and settled on 50. an hour. it would only be less if we could drive the tractor instead of towing it.
I see some 25-35 an hour. wow. wouldn't even think of it. 50 is our minimum, and people have been thrilled with our speediness and results.. Besides, its easy math!

 

[archeryantny]

I am currently getting between 60$ and 65$ an hour for grapple and brush hog work. I'm in central new jersey. I'm not hooking up to the trailer and towing for anything less than 500.00 a day. I do, however, give them multiple attachment uses included within that price.

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm in a different business, but also have to deal with those who charge minimum wage to do the same thing. At first, I was worried when I saw a few ads for them saying they work for $10 an hour. I pay my help that much because they don't know anything and need supervision. Then as my business grew, I realized that they are actually good for me. They come in, do what they do and then don't show up again. Those clients then start to complain and ask around on who to get to fix the mess that they have. That's when my name comes up. My clients are my sales force and keep my busy. I feel sorry for them, but realize it wasn't my fault that they hired the cheapest person to do the job. The best part of it is they see the difference first hand from hiring cheap to paying what I charge. The job gets done, they are happy and they also become some of my very best sales people. Of those who undercut the going rate and work for cheap, most are good for business because of all the problems they create. They never last, they are unreliable and they don't care about what they are doing. There is no better sales pitch to a new client then being able to show them how it should be done and how paying me more money then the previous guy is actually saving them money in getting it done right the first time.

Eddie

 

[newbury]

I'm in a different business, but also have to deal with those who charge minimum wage to do the same thing. At first, I was worried when I saw a few ads for them saying they work for $10 an hour. I pay my help that much because they don't know anything and need supervision.

Eddie - it sounds like the customers are hiring the same workers twice.
The first time they hire workers who can't do the work without proper supervision. The second time they hire workers who can do the work with proper SUPER VISION -- YOU.

Could be the same workers, the difference is YOU.


[/QUOTE]

 

[lawn_king]

I went up to $75. per hour this year, 4 hour minimum. Im getting a day or two each week, not bad in this economy.

 

[gordyy]

I have been doing a little tilling or actually my kids have been
I kind of bought this lil unit as a way of keeping my retirement money
I have had 5 surgeries on my knee in the last 3 yrs and still am not allowed to do more than play for less than 2 hrs a day
We have been charging $45 per hour we charge a $25 minimum as long as its all in town here which is about a 3 mile circle, then we can just drive it over. dollar wise we have been figuring 1/3 for the operator and 2/3 for the tractor
have been keeping track and its paying its way so far .
I dont think its enough that I will ever get rich off it but then I havent went after any mowing jobs or anything permanent other than the half dozen neighbors I have been blowing snow for for 15 yrs anyway.
Although I put the mower on to help a friend out on the other end of town and the way it cuts I had another of his neighbors stop while I was mowing so my son had an hour or two of cutting lined up for tuesday.
I havent had it long enough yet to know as far as long term upkeep costs and such.
most of the guys mowing around here are at $30 per hour using really cheap mtd stuff
the one property managment company said they might be interested in my cutting some of their stuff but figured I was way out on price per hour compared to the guys they are using, when I asked them if their contractors had insurance etc. they asked me why would they have that.
All the years I have kept up the boilers Air handlers and plumbing for these guys the always asked me for an insurance card for liability and they figure a mower shouldnt need it!!
sometimes people just dont make sense