Brush Hog Work Rate

[Redneck_Randy]

Have a neighbor that want's me to start mower his 18 acres every other month. I'm thinking $45 and hour. I'm in northeast Oklahoma. Is this to high or low for my area?

Thanks
Randy

 

[Redneck_Randy]

Have a neighbor that want's me to start mower his 18 acres every other month. I'm thinking $45 and hour. I'm in northeast Oklahoma. Is this to high or low for my area?

Thanks
Randy

 

[RonR]

Sounds fair to me. What does he think?

You should give him an idea of how long it will take you, so he knows that $45 x 5 hrs = $225. While that is less than buying his own tractor/mower, it's still some significant cash every month.

He might be thinking you would do it for $50/cutting! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Then you'd both be surprised, big time.

You can calculate pretty roughly how long it should take by taking the cut of your mower, the acreage, and the speed. Then you factor obstacles, etc. This will give you a ballpark total figure, just so there are no surprises.

My calc says it will take you almost 6 hrs with a 5ft cutter (not allowing for overlap), going 5MPH, and no obstacles and no time lost for turning, etc.

Hope this helps.
ron

 

[RonR]

Sounds fair to me. What does he think?

You should give him an idea of how long it will take you, so he knows that $45 x 5 hrs = $225. While that is less than buying his own tractor/mower, it's still some significant cash every month.

He might be thinking you would do it for $50/cutting! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Then you'd both be surprised, big time.

You can calculate pretty roughly how long it should take by taking the cut of your mower, the acreage, and the speed. Then you factor obstacles, etc. This will give you a ballpark total figure, just so there are no surprises.

My calc says it will take you almost 6 hrs with a 5ft cutter (not allowing for overlap), going 5MPH, and no obstacles and no time lost for turning, etc.

Hope this helps.
ron

 

[JerryG]

You are just over the state line from where I live. Given that and the size of your tractor/mower that price would be about right. That is unless the job is actually land clearing instead of mowing. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[JerryG]

You are just over the state line from where I live. Given that and the size of your tractor/mower that price would be about right. That is unless the job is actually land clearing instead of mowing. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[flusher]

Last year, before I got my B7510HST and 4-ft KK brush hog, I was quoted $55 per acre (not per hour) for brush hogging.
I passed on that price.
Now with the construction complete on the house and garage/shop and considering the lawn area and small almond orchard that I mow with my Huskee lawn tractor, I have about 7 acres of weeds to mow with the hog.

Took me 11 hours to mow that 7 acres a few weeks ago. Weeds were tall and thick from all the rain the last few months.

 

[flusher]

Last year, before I got my B7510HST and 4-ft KK brush hog, I was quoted $55 per acre (not per hour) for brush hogging.
I passed on that price.
Now with the construction complete on the house and garage/shop and considering the lawn area and small almond orchard that I mow with my Huskee lawn tractor, I have about 7 acres of weeds to mow with the hog.

Took me 11 hours to mow that 7 acres a few weeks ago. Weeds were tall and thick from all the rain the last few months.

 

[MFL]

Randy,

My two cents, but keep an eye on your liability. There is a church down the road from me about a 1/4mi, and last summer one of it's members saw me out bushhogging in front of my house and stopped. He told me that the guy that used to do their field, had moved, and would I consider doing the cutting. I checked into what my exposure would be if I entered into that contract ( any exchange of service for money is a contract, written of not), and found that in the state of Georgia it was more than I wanted to bite off. I ended up cutting their field just for the fuel costs for two months until they found someone that does it for a living. Hopefully that guy has the proper insurance, licenses, etc.

Not sure what it's like in OK, but if you're working for this guy and damage a fence, or hit a barn, or run over his favorite cow, you're on the hook for the costs of repair or replacement! Could get sticky, depending on the neighbor.

Hope it works out.

 

[MFL]

Randy,

My two cents, but keep an eye on your liability. There is a church down the road from me about a 1/4mi, and last summer one of it's members saw me out bushhogging in front of my house and stopped. He told me that the guy that used to do their field, had moved, and would I consider doing the cutting. I checked into what my exposure would be if I entered into that contract ( any exchange of service for money is a contract, written of not), and found that in the state of Georgia it was more than I wanted to bite off. I ended up cutting their field just for the fuel costs for two months until they found someone that does it for a living. Hopefully that guy has the proper insurance, licenses, etc.

Not sure what it's like in OK, but if you're working for this guy and damage a fence, or hit a barn, or run over his favorite cow, you're on the hook for the costs of repair or replacement! Could get sticky, depending on the neighbor.

Hope it works out.