Help me price a job

[smstonypoint]

Why not consider fabricating some nice looking wooden post to slip down over the existing post, to be used as a name post, bird feeder post, bird house post etc. Just a suggestion from a guy who has seen how nasty lawsuits and damage claims can be. Good luck.

:thumbsup:

I really like that idea. Some cedar (or similar wood), a table saw, a router (if you wanted to fabricate caps) and you would be in business.

Steve

 

[trook]

trook
All this grief when all you really wanted to do was get some good tractor time while showing off what your tractor can do for the neighbors.

Good luck.

Exactly!!!

I spoke with the city earlier today. These posts are not the official survey markers (they are metal and underground) as I suspected. They were placed at the approximate property lines so potential buyers could see the lay of the lots.

 

[beenthere]

Now that's a horse of a different color. Have at it.

 

[Elviscaretaker]

Since they are not official markers... go for it.
As far as what you charge then ... keep in mind that you have a tractor and they don't! They are not cheap to rent so figure at least 30 a post and see how many bite. Got to make it worth your time.
Don't forget to get the state /cities cut of the haul

 

[two_bit_score]

I live in a nice college town neighborhood in Mississippi. When my neighborhood was plotted, property lines were marked by driving metal fence posts about 2 ft into the ground. Last week, I used my tractor FEL to pull out a post for a neighbor. To my surprise, the post was really tough to pull and definitely needed a tractor with a FEL. Many other fence posts are still there, and they will probably need a FEL on a tractor to pull them out. I am considering passing out flyers to advertise that I will pull out the posts for a fee, but I am not sure of what to charge. That is where I need your help.

I know this task will only take about 5 min per post, but the job will require a tractor. Further, the average house in this neighborhood is valued around $250,000 and they are proud of their nice manicured lawns. For example, many of the people in this neighborhood use professional landscape companies to maintain their 1/4 acre yards for $50 per cut. For many homeowners, I believe that a metal fence post in the corner of their front yard is an eyesore they would like to eliminate for a reasonable fee.

The goal would be to pull as many posts as possible while I have my tractor at my house instead of at the farm. This area of the neighborhood consists of approximately 100 homes. Probably 1/4 of them still have posts in their yards. What fee should I mark on the flyers? $20? $25?

To heck with the naysayers.

You've hit on one heck of a great idea.

All you really wanted to know was how much to charge $20 or $25

Just have at it at $25 a pop. :thumbsup:

Let us all know how much fun you have and how much money you make.

 

[deepNdirt]

Exactly!!!

I spoke with the city earlier today. These posts are not the official survey markers (they are metal and underground) as I suspected. They were placed at the approximate property lines so potential buyers could see the lay of the lots.

Yeah I seen similar when subdivisions are being developed and lots are being plotted off, although they are 2" white PVC pipes sticking out of the ground by 5 or 6 ft. much easier to remove so how far would you say these post are in the ground?
There is a tool made for removing these post
although would take removing many post to pay for itself,

 

[beenthere]

To heck with the naysayers.

....

I think most were trying to help keep trook out of trouble. So be if you would like, but hope the trook isn't.

Now he knows the official rods are buried and the posts are just for a visual aid. With his knowledge, moving ahead with that information while contacting his neighbors will give him the answer if any of them ask the questions we asked.

 

[CurlyDave]

I wouldn't touch one of those posts for less than $100, which is about the minimum hourly rate you will find for a machine plus operator.

I am just not going to take half my Saturday pulling a post for $25. And by the time you have all the business arrangements made, plus get the tractor started, drive it to the location, pull the post and clean up, you will have half a day in it.

 

[sixdogs]

As a retired, self employed claims adjuster, I can see a lot of legal issues and hazards in your proposed endeavor. Many previous posters have hit on most of the issues. You would be considered a business by your homeowners liability, or whatever policy you have, and as such, there would likely be no coverage for you should one of your customers decide you caused some damage and filed suit against you. You would need to purchase a business policy. You would need a written agreement between adjoining property owners as the post delineates a border for two property owners. These are just several of the many problems you could be faced with. Why not consider fabricating some nice looking wooden post to slip down over the existing post, to be used as a name post, bird feeder post, bird house post etc. Just a suggestion from a guy who has seen how nasty lawsuits and damage claims can be. Good luck.

This is right on. Having dealt over the years in a business that involved the financial aspect of legal issues, I would never touch a line marker, even if only allegedly visual..
As well, I do think it's illegal in most areas.
Right now I am aware of a border dispute that one of the homeowners would love to find that someone moved a post without his permission.

Things look less clear as time passes and unless you have a legally written and recorded contract between parties for removal,
it evolves to a he said-she said dispute and both parties will eventually look to your insurance or personal assets for financial remedy.
Even for situations long forgotten, these things boomerang back and a $25 easy job becomes a $5,000 headache--each--- with open ended liability.
Just my personal opinion.

 

[trook]

I wouldn't touch one of those posts for less than $100, which is about the minimum hourly rate you will find for a machine plus operator.

I am just not going to take half my Saturday pulling a post for $25. And by the time you have all the business arrangements made, plus get the tractor started, drive it to the location, pull the post and clean up, you will have half a day in it.

Several frugal and logical people I talked to said that you can't get anyone to come to your house for anything less than $50.00. However, since this is in my own neighborhood and this particular street is only about 1/4 mile away,and considering that my tractor is at my house 1/2 the time, I think $40 is fair. What do you think?

In response to CurlyDave's perception, I will probably wait until I have 3-4 customers before decide to pull some posts. However, supposing I only had one customer, I imagine I could drive over, remove the post and be back in my recliner in about 15-20 minutes...

Also, as a reminder, I spoke with the city planner who stated that these posts are not official survey markers and that the official markers are metal rods that are under the ground. These posts were originally placed so that potential customers could "see" the particular lot they wanted to buy at a time when the neighborhood was undeveloped.