Bush Hogging Rates

Bob_Young · Jul 11, 2005

Could someone please post a link to the recent discussions on determining a rate for custom bush hogging? I've tried search and can't seem to come up with the right combination of words. I get too distracted with other topics if I just browse the forums. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

The neighbor has around 20 acres he wants cut down. It's got alot of high weeds, thistles and 1 inch saplings but little that's bigger. I've got an Kubota L4300 or a Ford 4000 for power and a Brush Bull 720 ( Med. Duty 6') to do the cutting. Figure I can cover 1 to 1.4 acres per hour with steady going. Fuel consumption appears to be between 1 and 2 gph for the Kubota, but that seems low to me.

Don't want to gouge the guy, as he's a friend; but I would like to cover my costs.
Thanks.
Bob

sparkkky · Jul 11, 2005

OSU says $25.19 a hour is the average rate in OK.

sweettractors · Jul 11, 2005

$25 per hour here in Ky. There is a flat rate minimum when a small lot or garden is involved--Ken Sweet

Indydirtfarmer · Jul 11, 2005

Depends on a few things... I get $60 per hour for a 60 HP tractor with 7' mower. $75 minimum. 20 acres would rum about $300 (+ or -) (I'm insured, and run this as a legal business, and not "under the table" cash side work) The drought conditions have played havoc with my business this summer. Fortunately, it's raining cats and dogs right now!

GAFarmer2 · Jul 12, 2005

I would say $25-30/hr. also.

cchoate · Jul 12, 2005

Wow you guys are cheap. I had someone hog 3 acres of mostly dense weeds and charged me $60 for an hours work. Now that was 12 years ago when I was building my house. I checked with a few other people at the time and they all agreed with the price.

I hog a 2 acre horse pasture for a neighbor and get $60 for the 45 minutes it takes me.

$25 an hour wouldn't get the key in the ignition around my area.

johan3400 · Jul 13, 2005

In our area, anything done on a tractor is at least $40.00 per hour. I figure the wear and tear on the tractor and then what I want to earn per hour. Fuel is at least $2.00 per hour. Tractor wear is (in my opion) at least $10-$15 per hour. I then have to figure my time. I know sitting on the seat of the tractor is fun, but my time has to be worth something. I put that at $20.00 per hour. Try to rent a tractor for the day, that is not a cheap venture.

Indydirtfarmer · Jul 13, 2005

I TRY to make at least $25 an hour WITHOUT a tractor involved. No way I'd bush hog for less than $60/Hr.

And I stay swamped with work at those rates.....

bdog · Jul 13, 2005

Around here I charge $20-$25 / acre or $45 per hour. No one seems to complain. Where I am at no one wants to pay by the hour because they want to know the total cost up front so I rarely use my hourly rate but it usually works out the same. Keep in mind this is for small acreages usually 5 acres or less. I have talked to some farmers and from what I gather shredding on large acreages is $10-$15 / acre. Based on that I would agree with above that $300 is about right for 20 acres.

Indydirtfarmer · Jul 13, 2005

( Around here I charge $20-$25 / acre or $45 per hour. No one seems to complain. Where I am at no one wants to pay by the hour because they want to know the total cost up front so I rarely use my hourly rate but it usually works out the same. Keep in mind this is for small acreages usually 5 acres or less. I have talked to some farmers and from what I gather shredding on large acreages is $10-$15 / acre. Based on that I would agree with above that $300 is about right for 20 acres. )

Once upon a time, I got quite a bit of smaller jobs. (5 acres or less) In the last few years, it seems that my insurance and various other cost's effecting my overhead have priced me out of that market. There's a few guys with time to kill and a new tractor that'll do the same thing for $35 or $40 an hour here.I don't even TRY to compete with them. I go after work that requires valid insurance, paying taxes, and just being a legitimate business. For that niche, I'm about the cheapest game in town.

I enjoy what I do.... But when the day is done, I do this for MONEY...If I don't make what i consider fair, you don't get your field mowed....(by me anyway) That simple.

sparkkky · Jul 13, 2005

Above quote was from Okla. State Univ. custom rate page and it is a average of the Pro's like Indy and the wannabe's like Indy talked about.

And most of these posted prices are on the low side. Just finished a wildlife Dept. cost share program, and up to a couple years ago if you did your own manuel work you got to get back half of $6.00 per hour, we got credit for half of $12.50! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

sparkkky · Jul 13, 2005

Indys experience is why I am glad that its against the law for someone without a license to charge for wiring, not that it stops it but it slows it down.

SPEND MOST OF MY DAYS CLEANING UP AFTER DO IT YOURSELFERS ITS SURPRISING MOST NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE NOT BURNED DOWN!

Yes, I was shouting!

bdog · Jul 13, 2005

( I go after work that requires valid insurance, paying taxes, and just being a legitimate business. For that niche, I'm about the cheapest game in town. )

No offense Indy, but I have insurance, I pay taxes, and I have a legitimate business. Trust me you have much more experience at this than I do, and you we even grateful enough to give me advice when I was starting out,but that does not mean that the new guys starting are not doing things legal. I am new to this tractor business but I am not new to business. I

Someone else mentioned the "pros" and the "wannabees" . Cmon guys we are talking about shredding here. It is not rocket science to mow some weeds. Sure experience helps and with that you get much better on the business side of things, but shredding is shredding. I am sure Indy has several guys that work for him as from what I can tell he has a large operation. I hope I can acheive that someday, but for now, as a small owner operator I would think that I do a better job than an hourly worker working for someone else as it is my business and name on the line.

Bob_Young · Jul 13, 2005

I'd rather charge by the acre; for the reason stated plus the fact that there would be no pressure to run "balls out". It's a new rig and I don't push it too hard on my own fields. On a strange field where "who knows what" is hidden in the grass, I'm even less inclined to hammer it. I'll probably leave the FEL on and use it as a trash detector.

How do you determine how close to cut? Do you ask the landowner what he wants or do you simply set the hog at a height unlikely to scalp or bottom out? Rocks are a big issue around here as well.

Thanks to all for the inputs.
Bob

sparkkky · Jul 13, 2005

Quote

Someone else mentioned the "pros" and the "wannabees" .

Sorry that came from being a electrical contractor and was more directed at people that think if you use 22Ga speaker wire and it works it must be ok!

Todays last job was a women that took out her switch with a short in a new fixture she just tried to hang that tripped a breaker and also unhooked her neutral to the lights in the kitchen.

Next was correcting the wiring to a three way the husband had replaced with the switch leg stabbed into a traveler hole and a traveler leg stuck in the hole thats for removing the wire, and the other traveler hole empty.

Most 3/W's I see that handy persons (hired or just plain helpful) replaced with single poles with the third wire to ground. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Indydirtfarmer · Jul 14, 2005

( ( I go after work that requires valid insurance, paying taxes, and just being a legitimate business. For that niche, I'm about the cheapest game in town. )

No offense Indy, but I have insurance, I pay taxes, and I have a legitimate business. Trust me you have much more experience at this than I do, and you we even grateful enough to give me advice when I was starting out,but that does not mean that the new guys starting are not doing things legal. I am new to this tractor business but I am not new to business. I

Someone else mentioned the "pros" and the "wannabees" . Cmon guys we are talking about shredding here. It is not rocket science to mow some weeds. Sure experience helps and with that you get much better on the business side of things, but shredding is shredding. I am sure Indy has several guys that work for him as from what I can tell he has a large operation. I hope I can acheive that someday, but for now, as a small owner operator I would think that I do a better job than an hourly worker working for someone else as it is my business and name on the line.

)

After looking back at my post to make sure of the facts, I failed to see where I mentioned you, or anyone else in particular as "non-insured, non-tax-paying, or non-legit business"....

And no, it isn't rocket science, no, it doesn't take an MBA to run a successful business.

I'm not sure why you take my comments so personally. They sure weren't intended that way.

After 31 years of operating a successful mowing business, I do feel like I've learned a few lessons that MIGHT help someone else thinking of doing the same.

irnivek · Jul 14, 2005

Yep. Do good work, it takes good equipment, and stand behind it, maybe there will be enough money to replace the beat up equipment in a few years. There will always be the ones working for "beer money;" extra money on their income. I find $20/acre, $55.00 and hour is as cheap as I care to go, carrying excavating insurance. I can "lose" money playing with my kids and my tractor doesn't get beat up.
Indy, I am in Fredericksburg area, just moved to S. Indiana. Hope I'm not stepping on your toes, but it looks like I won't drive your prices down too much.
Kevin

Indydirtfarmer · Jul 14, 2005

( Yep. Do good work, it takes good equipment, and stand behind it, maybe there will be enough money to replace the beat up equipment in a few years. There will always be the ones working for "beer money;" extra money on their income. I find $20/acre, $55.00 and hour is as cheap as I care to go, carrying excavating insurance. I can "lose" money playing with my kids and my tractor doesn't get beat up.
Indy, I am in Fredericksburg area, just moved to S. Indiana. Hope I'm not stepping on your toes, but it looks like I won't drive your prices down too much.
Kevin )

I never mind some competition! Grrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Seriously, You're just about on the fringes of my "territory". And there's plenty work to go around. I get calls all the time for work in your area. Most is what I consider smaller jobs. (5 acres and down....plus a lot of garden plowing/tilling) I'll send you a Personal Message with my phone #. I can't give a good price on jobs that size, that far from home. I'd be glad to refer them to someone else, rather than just saying no to a paying customer....

Oh yeah....Welcome neighbor! (I actually live in Louisville, but we farm not too far from Hanover Indiana)

Indydirtfarmer · Jul 14, 2005

( I'd rather charge by the acre; for the reason stated plus the fact that there would be no pressure to run "balls out". It's a new rig and I don't push it too hard on my own fields. On a strange field where "who knows what" is hidden in the grass, I'm even less inclined to hammer it. I'll probably leave the FEL on and use it as a trash detector.

How do you determine how close to cut? Do you ask the landowner what he wants or do you simply set the hog at a height unlikely to scalp or bottom out? Rocks are a big issue around here as well.

Thanks to all for the inputs.
Bob )

I usually cut as short as conditions will allow. Most of my contract work with state/county/local governments, and several commercial accounts will specify a cutting hieghth. On ground that's not been mowed recently, or that I've never mowed, I won't cut much shorter than 4" to 5". (several regular jobs I do see as tall as 8") In any event, I won't scalp.....Just too rough on equipment.

slowzuki · Jul 14, 2005

I noticed someone mention using the loader as a landmine detector for the hog. I've tried it and found with the loader blocking the view, anything it hits I have run over with my tires and sometimes the hog by the time I get stopped.

I've found affording the best possible front view reduces the number of rocks or fence posts I run over. This means taking the bucket or whole loader off.

Anyone else find this?