Mulching/Mowing between Pine rows

[Terra Firma Scott]

-I have been asked to bid a job mulching/mowing between Pine rows...
-I have never done pine rows but am thinking it should be fairly easy......
-Should I stick to my hourly $$ rate or drop it since its basically mowing in straight lines.....mostly underbrush grown up between rows and pines range from 12 to 30 feet...claims to have been mowed 4 years ago...

Looking for feedback from mulchers who have mowed pine rows/farms compared to selective clearing work...drop the rate or hold my ground????

 

[WestshoreConstruction]

-I have been asked to bid a job mulching/mowing between Pine rows...
-I have never done pine rows but am thinking it should be fairly easy......
-Should I stick to my hourly $$ rate or drop it since its basically mowing in straight lines.....mostly underbrush grown up between rows and pines range from 12 to 30 feet...claims to have been mowed 4 years ago...

Looking for feedback from mulchers who have mowed pine rows/farms compared to selective clearing work...drop the rate or hold my ground????

Why drop your rate ? Fuel isn't getting any cheaper. Is there competition for the job ? I would bid a flat rate for the job and giver !!!

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

Exactly what west said. Hold your ground. Yes flat rate then the faster you are the better for you. Have you looked the job over. People forget facts!!!

 

[Terra Firma Scott]

I looked briefly at the job but unsure past eyes view...The customer is actually the division of forestry...they want a bid calculated at an hourly rate...they need 2 bids mine being 1 and unknown bidder the other..so they can compare apple to apples...They have grant money to spend.....im sure not enough $$ but want to give them the most for the money they have to spend and hope to land future projects...

 

[Cat_Driver]

Bids with the Government are tough. My buddy lost a huge job with the Government for a penny per item. Often times they are mandated to purchase by numbers only and has nothing to do with speed or quality.

Bid per hour is the dumbest thing the Government could ask for. Heck I'd bid it at $5.00 an hour - and work accordingly, joking of course, but you get my point.

A lot depends on you, if you need the money bid accordingly.

Granted fuel etc. but some money is always better than no money.

Profit is profit - if you can earn a profit sharpen your pencil.

I make a lot of money off of people who refuse to be flexible and negotiate, and say things like - "here's my rate take it or leave it"

 

[Tony Puckett]

I have mowed well over 100 acres of planted pines in the past year. they can be easy or they can be tough. If you run up on a cluster of hardwood in the middle of a row it can get real tough. There is no moving to the side and taking them off a few at a time. You have to often take the all at once with little manuvering room. I personally find them very fustrating. The last group I did took about 2.2 hours per acre on average ( about 25 acres). They were not real bad. I did one job last year that took 9 hrs for only about 2 acres. We quit at a agreed on set amount of money and concluded that they were to thick to be cut cost effecively. Basicly the poorer the stand of pines the harder they are to cut because there is more trash growin in the open areas.

I did offer a small volume discount for work over 20 hours. Not much just enough to make them feel they were getting a good deal and to go ahead and do more work while I was there.

Tony

 

[Eagleview]

Make sure they are not the second generation growth . The first planted crop is in nice neat rows with a clean floor . Second growth (in OZ anyway) is what comes up again with stumps and logging trash strewn throughout . And as stated previously , with hardball government departments demanding an hourly rate , bid low and work at half noise .

 

[davitk]

Gov't contracts pay slow (can you say 'four months'), raise your rate and make it worth your while.

 

[MikeD74T]

My first construction job after high school was for a bridge contractor. 100% government work. He told me he bid every job they sent him, conservatively if he wanted the job, double if he didn't. Made a lot of money on some of the "double" jobs & less on some. Sometimes there's a reason nobody else bid lower. Only govenrment agencies can work for free and stay in business. MikeD74T

 

[Terra Firma Scott]

Hey Guys/Mates, Thanx for all the replies!!!!!

I think I am coming in at a fair rate considering the competitiion has a lot of BIG equipment with probly ALOT of overhead.....the only thing is they are also running a DAVCO mower and ASV RC 100......and probly operating cost for this job is lower than a mulcher....A mulcher will give a better product versus a mower......nuff said but does the project co-ordinator understand this?..I am an appearance freak....Want a great final product.??...Man when is this LO flow CIMAF head coming??????????lol...robbie/fred hook me up....??what is the sticker on a low flow??? I am tired of SHARPENING these timber ax blades as they are so large/long...I am curious as to the interval and ease of sharpening of the CIMAF head.....What is the interval and how hard is it to keep the cimaf sharp???

I want CHIPS.......not shreds........

 

[rutwad]

I recently saw a Rayco 705 cutter on a Bobcat T300 and I was really impressed with the speed at which it would obliverate pine trees.

Good luck with the bid.

 

[Amer Pine Straw]

If they are having you clean pine stands its for the same thing that I am up too. Its for raking pine straw. We don't care about mulch. We want clean stands that can be raked like you rake the leaves on your lawn. If you just cut the underbrush, drag it to the end of the row with a dump rake and leave it. Go with whats fastest. That is all that I have been trying to establish with all of my questions in this forum. As long as the stems are cut flush you have achieved the goal. Litter layer is not necessary.

If it was mowed 4 years ago its easy money. Give me a general area and I can recommend a bid. PM me if you would like.

Jason

 

[Terra Firma Scott]

The division of forestry is interested in FIRE prevention and wants to clean between the rows...Young pines and they say if the row gets too narrow I am to stop as not to harm the trees.

I dont beleive they are upto fetching the straw now but I suppose someday they will..probly 50 acres of a 100 acre parcel scattered different areas they want to get control of so they can begin a burn regime...this parcel backs upto a small home community which is a "fire-wise" community...some of the rows or areas are mixed with hardwood and some of the ares are just too close too homes and they want a defensable barrier to fight fire if needed...So calling this job a "PROJECT" is right inline with what it is!...

probly wont be any fires with all the rain we are fixin to get!!

 

[Rhino59]

While you're waiting for the Low Flow Cimaf head, why not use a Low Flow GyroTrak head.....they're already available!

 

[Amer Pine Straw]

Not so much hijacking a thread I hope but why Gyro Track opposed to Denis Cimaf?

Jason

 

[Terra Firma Scott]

Thanks for the PM rhino-

Cimaf understands customer communication and service...

GT sent me a great DVD but wasnt too interested in selling me a low flow...Couldnt answer questions about specs and couldnt tell me if it would run properly on my machine..Said they would get back to me.......That was early 07....

 

[Rhino59]

Yes, Gyro's dealer network was basically non-existent up until recently. They have been getting Vermeer dealers on board as GyroTrac dealers and the response, parts availability, and service before/after the sale has changed dramatically. In North Florida, you've got Vermeer locations in Jacksonville, Tallahassee, and Pensacola. Hopefully Gyro didn't burn any bridges with you - if not, give the guys at the local Vermeer shop a try.

 

[Rhino59]

Don't know about the Cimaf heads - but the Gyro Low Flow does decent on a 60hp tractor, but the jump to a slightly larger tractor (like a Takeuchi TL140) makes a huge difference in the production of the head. One thing to keep in mind is the width of the tracks vs. the width of the Low Flow head - that may or may not be a factor to consider, depending on where and what you're cutting.

 

[Robbie Hegwood]

My turn. Gyro has been using DENIS CIMAF technology since the beginning so if we made it then we can improve on that.

We have also closed the gap on track width verses cutting width. OOPS..wider then Gyro.. sorry.

Okay you have me ours isn't out yet. But it will be worth the wait. We pride ourselves on giving the customer the highest production possible with the best finished product. I believe we have upheld that and will continue to do so with future heads!! The End

 

[McCaskey]

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