Hiring out your Tractor

[SimonSeven]

Does anyone hire out their tractor for bush hog work, dirt work? I 'm thinking about doing this and I am trying to get an idea of how much one should charge for this kind of project.

 

[Cat_Driver]

Your question is a little vague , at least to me. Are you hiring out "your tractor alone" OR are you hiring out "your tractor with YOU as the operator"?

I would never just hire out the equipment not for any money as the liability would be a nightmare.

Search this site, someone did a large spreadsheet with all the variables, fuel, insurance, depreciation wear and tear, oil, grease etc. etc. and then what the driver wanted per hour, it was fro the mulching business but you can tweak the spreadsheet to get you spot on to what to charge.

If you can't find it let me know I have it on my HD.

 

[rambler]

Check out what liability insurance will cost you. Add that into the price you charge.

That will probably set you back some on the idea.

--->Paul

 

[SimonSeven]

Had not thought about the liability issue. Like my wife says," for a smart man you sure are stupid". Thanks.

 

[LBrown59]

Had not thought about the liability issue. Like my wife says," for a smart man you sure are stupid". Thanks.

It don't matter if you charge or work free the liability issue is still there.
Especially once you get off of your own property.

 

[Reg]

Whatever micro level of cost analysis you decide to indulge in something worth remembering is that you will probably want a fair day's pay for a fair day's work.
Price - costs => FDP (fair day's pay). Insurance, Taxes, etc. are part of costs.
Figure that with loading/unloading & travel just about anything will take you 1/2 or whole day.
Charge 1/2 day at 60% of full day.

 

[newbury]

Your question is a little vague , at least to me. Are you hiring out "your tractor alone" OR are you hiring out "your tractor with YOU as the operator"?

Like he said -
I wouldn't hire out my tractor, my cars, or my wife unless I was the operator.
I would hire out my dog, my shovel and the big stone in the back yard.

 

[CurlyDave]

It don't matter if you charge or work free the liability issue is still there.
Especially once you get off of your own property.

I have questioned my insurance agent at length on exactly this subject, and with my policy it makes a big difference.

Essentially, if I am doing a favor for a neighbor or a friend, and not charging anything, my homeowners liability goes with me and the tractor. The second I charge, it becomes commercial and I need different, and more costly insurance.

Informal trading of services is OK. My neighbor has a smaller tractor with a standard FEL, I have a backhoe with a 4-n-1. If dig his fire pit with my backhoe and the next week he carries a FEL load of wet concrete up to my place, we are OK. If we start to write down hours and try to make them even we are on thinner ice.

What doesn't go with the tractor is theft & comprehensive insurance. If I leave it at his place overnight and it is stolen, I am out of luck. If I drive it back to my place and it is stolen I am covered.

Now where it gets really interesting, and I have no answers is we live on a private road -- ownership is shared equally among 4 properties. What happens if I leave it on the road right-of-way and it is stolen? Agent won't tell me, so I don't leave it out overnight.

 

[Builder]

You can give yourself a world of protection by starting at least an LLC to shed some liability. Wouldn't hurt to have a bank account for that business, either. Both are cheap to do and offer lots of protection for your personal goods. Then get a small biz ins. policy for your mowing business.

My primary business is construction. I also have a farm/estate maintenance operation under an LLC. I put different pieces of equipment in each one so if the worst happens, they can't get all my capital.

I have a Corp and LLC's for my business ventures and I always make sure not to mix any personal expense/activities with business.

I suggest you do same as well as purchase proper liability coverage. Don't worry about equipment. First, see if you can get the work you think you need to make $$, next get the coverage & protection before you perform any said work, then worry about buying equipment.

 

[davygp38]

I did the hustling off the books thing, for a while. I was able to get away with it. That being said, I would never do it again. However you have to do what you have to do. So to answer your question, I ended up with a core group of customers. I never worked for anybody else. New customers were added by word of mouth, and personal recommendations by other customers. In other words, if you wanted to be my customer, you needed references. I charged $300 dollars for a four to eight hour day, within 10 miles of my home. add $50 for over 10, and no further than 25. Cash only, Cash is cash, cash is not a check made out to cash. You need to make that clear to your customers. Most times I would look at the job, and tell them, "OK it will take me 4-6 hours" $300. A small job (less than 4 hours)was always $150, just to show up minimum. I had a mason dump, and it was not worth it. If you need stone,dirt etc, get it delivered. I live in the northeast, and liability insurance, and fees don't make the dump truck cost effective, for the little bit of hauling you might get. If you do good work, do not be shy about the price. If you are trying to live on your business, you have to give a little. if you are just out for extra money, it is not worth it to cut your own throat the first major repair you have to do will teach you that. I say go for it, and good luck. The other posts are on the money about the insurance, so if you are going legit, take their advice. Kubota L4400, BH90, 60"Grapple Tire Chains