Mowing Side cash from bush hog work?

[creekbend]

In my County, most people charge $35.00 to $45.00 an hour. As other TBN members have stated in regards to hidden objects while mowing, it would be to your benefit to consider their advice and take the time to walk over the property. Many potential customers will enlist your aid in mowing fields or land that has not been taken care of for many years and is very overgrown. There is aways the chance that hazardous materials may have been dumped on the property in the past. :tractor:

 

[Charolais]

I just started a job yesterday. I rode over the fields with my 4 wheeler. Already knew there are 2 wells to look out for. I knew where one was and found the other. One thing I didn't see was an old power line pole left by the power company for the owner and he never moved it. Was laying beside the new pole. Saw that just in time to move over a bit and miss it. Also found a pile of dirt left from the trench for the underground power line to the house. Where the other well is there's a septic tank in that area and know one knows where it is. I sure as heck don't want to find it with the tractor either. So I cut around that area and will go back if the owner can find the tank. May be able to use a steel rod and touch the top of the tank. I've found some before like that. I've seen a few that tractors broke through too.

I took this job because the guys my neighbor, friend and work at the same workplace. I also use to farm that ground back in the 70's and 80's. It belonged to my uncle then. It's about 60 acres and I priced it at $70 per hour. Thickest of it I can run 2.8 mph and the rest (about 85%) I can run 3.7 mph with a 10' cut. hasn't been cut in 4 years. Has sweetgums and pines in a few places about 10' tall which is no problem with soft wood. It's 1.5 miles from my home so I just drive there. I just hope I don't run up on any more surprises like the pole. Once I get it all cleaned up I may have this job each year and I'll know where everything is then. The guy was happy to get it done for $70 per hour.

 

[Builder]

Great read so far. This article interests me.
So many variables here. A lot of your potential success depends on where you live, who you know, level of common sense, business saavy, etc.
I live in the richest part of PA. Lots of wealth to be served. The last business I'd go into is small time lawn service. There's plenty of "foreign" labor to serve that market. I've got 10 guys willing to cut the 3 acres of grass around my house for $35. :laughing:
2 years ago, I went into the business of field mowing because I had a couple ongoing construction customers who asked me if I could take on their land to manage. There's a few players around me cutting fields. Many years ago, it was the local farmer. Most of them have sold off or died off and left an opening for cutting fields they once cut.
I already had 2 tractors I used in construction and snow plowing and it wasn't terribly difficult to buy an 8' bush hog and an 11' triplex finish mower (both used-good deals) and dive in.
After 2 years, I found it to be a nice SIDE income, but not primary income (we rely on construction for more serious income). However, now I wouldn't be without my field mowing business.
The key to me is the customer base. I turn down most anything that doesn't feel right and focus on good customers only. I solicit new customers through targeted direct mailing to owners/managers of large parcels. Once I'm "in", I rebuild their barns & garages, build retaining walls, stone driveways, install gates, lay pipe, etc.
Believe it or not, I actually have only 4 really good customers a few other decent customers, and while relying on the good ones, gain hopefully a few more each year. I hope to grow the business carefully aquiring rich clientele and avoiding "hacks" that pay slow or ask to cut anything that looks dangerous to my equipment or myself. I ask to be paid when I'm done, or within a week before I agree to cut.

Bottom line key to me is you need to be versatile-able to do more than just cut their fields. If you buy a tractor and only use it to mow, chances are it won't pay, but if you use it to plow snow, etc., you'll be busier and hopefully making more money with your investment.

lately, I've been asked to hay land for a couple of 40-50 acre customers. It's tempting, but I can't justify the investment in the equipment. Just too much to manage, repair, store.
A man has to know his limitations.

 

[Verticaltrx]

After 2 years, I found it to be a nice SIDE income, but not primary income (we rely on construction for more serious income). However, now I wouldn't be without my field mowing business.
The key to me is the customer base. I turn down most anything that doesn't feel right and focus on good customers only. I solicit new customers through targeted direct mailing to owners/managers of large parcels. Once I'm "in", I rebuild their barns & garages, build retaining walls, stone driveways, install gates, lay pipe, etc.
Believe it or not, I actually have only 4 really good customers a few other decent customers, and while relying on the good ones, gain hopefully a few more each year. I hope to grow the business carefully aquiring rich clientele and avoiding "hacks" that pay slow or ask to cut anything that looks dangerous to my equipment or myself. I ask to be paid when I'm done, or within a week before I agree to cut.

Sounds similar to my business. I am primarily a fencing and agricultural construction contractor but I also do some 'tractor work' for a variety of customers. Most all of my big construction customers started out as bush hogging customers. I can't charge a lot for bush hogging as my setup is quite small, but I do always turn a profit. I look at it as a way to get my foot in the door and bring new customers to the fencing and construction side of the business.

One thing I learned a long time ago is that you aren't going to get rich doing hourly 'tractor work.' However, you can turn a good profit by using a tractor to complete tasks for other types of work. Fencing and construction are both a good example of this. My tractor is a huge time and labor saver on the construction site and is the mainstay of the fencing business. I generally make about 2-3 times more money per hour (bid by the job) doing that type of work vs tractor work.

 

[Builder]

When I read well meaning TBN members throwing out their hourly rates or acre rates I am somewhat amazed.
I have no idea how this could be done where I cut. My clients have such varying types/difficulties of terrain/trees/flooded spots, etc. that I couldn't do that. I do the seat of the pants approach. I just bid a number for the job's total cost and live with it. I don't really do $/hour or $/acre.

I do a 15 acre property that has 5 radio station towers on it. Very tricky, head-on-swivel-type cut. One false move and you could hit a support cable for a 200' tall tower :ashamed:
I charge considerably more for that per acre than the 40 acre "stroker" property I have where you just go back & forth in straight lines until done.

I guess all mine could be broken down to $/hour or $/acre, but they'd go anywhere from $40/hour to $100/hour if I had to guess.

 

[jenkinsph]

I will say this....If you've got a prospective job where you KNOW the property owner, you KNOW the property, you DO NOT have to load up and haul to the job, and you have enough experience to feel comfortable doing the job, why not....

Just keep in mind that the second you start to haul equipment to a job, you're driving a commercial vehicle. The LEO's/DOT guys don't give a hoot that you're doing it as much as a way to have a little fun, or that it's a one time deal.....You need proof and proper....Insurance, license, ect... Is it worth a couple hundred bucks (maybe) at the risk of THOUSANDS in fines, possible vehicle impoundment, a visit with a judge?

There are so many well camouflaged "trap doors" you can step through doing this sort of work, it's ridiculous. Odds are you'll avoid MOST of them. Question is, what's it worth to you if you only step through ONE? Is the reward worth the risk?

I know of several former small time operators from my area that would most likely tell you it's NOT worth the risk. They've already been there, done that, and lost their butts in the process.

I do not look for bush hog work and only do it on rare occasions for the public, usually it doesn't pay well enough to interest me. Lots of pitfalls as you say.

I am curious why you are so negative about bush hogging yet you are growing your business. I felt that way about the plumbing business and have downsized it dramatically and focused on landscaping which I enjoy doing.

 

[Pete Judd]

I just got tagged for overweight going over to the sister-in-laws house to mow. My truck is only tagged for 6000 gross, and with the trailer, without tractor weighs in at about 7500, with tractor weighs in at around 9500 per the portable scales. Now I have to get larger tonnage tags on the truck plus the fines. No good deed goes unpunished. Our state is out to get every dime out of everybody. I don't do this for a living, sometimes for a few extra bucks to help with paying the bills, so I think I will just drive the tractor 5 miles each way over to the sister in laws to mow her lawn. She is disabled as well as me, But driving the tractor over there is hard on the tractor tires, but in the short run costs less than the gas in the truck pulling the tractor. I was a "small biz owner" with up to 95 employees for over 30 years, in a different market, I know that putting people up in hotels, and treating them right is not cheap. Lots of other bills to pay as well as health ins, rent, power, ect.

 

[LD1]

I just bid a number for the job's total cost and live with it. I don't really do $/hour or $/acre.

This is the same approach I use, as I have said many times before.

There are just too many variables to have a flat per acre rate.

A per hour rate would be more accurate, but when you start throwing around #'s like $70-$75 per hour, it seems to scare away customers. That, and they always ask, "how long do you think it will take?"

And then, when doing it by the hour, it seems harder to appease the customer. They either want you do do it faster (they think you are milking the clock), or they think you are rushing. IMO, it is a NO WIN.

I will look at a job, measure the acreage, and with that, I have a very good Idea how long it is going to take. So I give the customer a flat price. IF I go over a tad on how long I thought it would take, I dont charge more. If I come in under, I dont charge less. My last 13 acre job I was guessing 6 hours, and 1.5hrs in travel. I bid $400. Job only took 5.3hrs, but I still charged $400:thumbsup:

 

[Degolyerent]

This is the same approach I use, as I have said many times before.

There are just too many variables to have a flat per acre rate.

A per hour rate would be more accurate, but when you start throwing around #'s like $70-$75 per hour, it seems to scare away customers. That, and they always ask, "how long do you think it will take?"

And then, when doing it by the hour, it seems harder to appease the customer. They either want you do do it faster (they think you are milking the clock), or they think you are rushing. IMO, it is a NO WIN.

I will look at a job, measure the acreage, and with that, I have a very good Idea how long it is going to take. So I give the customer a flat price. IF I go over a tad on how long I thought it would take, I dont charge more. If I come in under, I dont charge less. My last 13 acre job I was guessing 6 hours, and 1.5hrs in travel. I bid $400. Job only took 5.3hrs, but I still charged $400:thumbsup:

I use the same approach also, people usually always want a flat rate price and I like it better also
I find that I end up making better that way anyhow, usually no less than $50 and sometimes as much as $100 per hour
If I am cutting a pasture that is open and a reasonable height I will bid by the acre, but you have to be sure of your ground speed capability that is why grass height is so important, and it seems in this economy people are letting grass grow a little longer between cuts, also pasture size is important nothing less than about 10 acres. Distance also plays into the calculations with fuel cost and other various cost of transporting equipment

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I do not look for bush hog work and only do it on rare occasions for the public, usually it doesn't pay well enough to interest me. Lots of pitfalls as you say.

I am curious why you are so negative about bush hogging yet you are growing your business. I felt that way about the plumbing business and have downsized it dramatically and focused on landscaping which I enjoy doing.

I'm not so much "negative" about mowing as I am realistic about it. You have to know what you're getting into, and charge accordingly. I see way too many guys who already have a tractor, then get what they perceive as a "good paying job", just to find out a few years down the line they've worn out a mower or worn out a tractor and haven't done anything except break even. If ALL you look at is the positives, a flippin' paper route isn't a bad job....But consider EVERYTHING, and the reward doesn't quite equal the sacrifice.

Anyone who has the desire to go into business can approach it from several directions...You can "stay busy" and make chump change. You can operate at a loss (for a while) or you can go at it like your life depends on it's success. I choose the latter. I decided this HAD to be a profitable venture. No way THAT would happen if I went at it viewing life through rose colored glasses. You HAVE to look at every aspect of the business, bad as well as good. Anything else, you're just trying to fool yourself.

I would like to HELP anyone else who plans on going the same direction. And I would hope to prevent them from being misled or spending a fortune before they picked up on the down side to the business.

If it were easy, EVERYONE would be doing it.....

I've seen several upstart competitors come and go in just the 4 years since I jumped into the fray. Most saw just the positives and weren't prepared to handle the negatives. I see BOTH, recognize BOTH wave a significant impact on my bottom line, and proceed accordingly. Without due respect for the negatives involved, and plans for dealing with such, commercial mowing can be a very poor choice. Same applies to ANY business IMHO. If you aren't prepared for what life throws at you, negatives will win ALMOST EVERY time.

 

[Builder]

I remember last season I ran over some barbed wire, punctured tire & tube and lost a lot of rim gaurd, too. $500 to fix. That wiped out a whole day of cutting I had just done.
Small example of the pain caused by repairs, but thought it might give some of the other newer guys some idea of what can happen.
Couldn't imagine losing a engine, trans, etc. Even a mower spindle would be a pain.
However it's the same with my construction biz. At any time a truck can drop a tranny or you can make a mistake and have to rebuild part of a foundation.
Any business that involves equipment poses this threat. It also poses a threat to your personal safety. I have a relative who owns a nice business- Real Estate Appraisal. All you need is a car, home computer and a camera. Very little overhead/equipment and pretty safe work. I have been asked to take it over and and it's really tempting.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

I have a relative who owns a nice business- Real Estate Appraisal. All you need is a car, home computer and a camera. Very little overhead/equipment and pretty safe work. I have been asked to take it over and and it's really tempting.

Diversification is always a GREAT idea! If you are tempted, might want to go for it.:thumbsup:

PS - I've heard Home Inspector is another good one, you need a ladder and a color printer also for that one.

Be well,
David

 

[MossflowerWoods]

I'm not so much "negative" about mowing as I am realistic about it. You have to know what you're getting into...

Anyone who has the desire to go into business can approach it from several directions...You can "stay busy" and make chump change. You can operate at a loss (for a while) or you can go at it like your life depends on it's success. I choose the latter.

I would like to HELP anyone else who plans on going the same direction. And I would hope to prevent them from being misled or spending a fortune before they picked up on the down side to the business.

If you aren't prepared for what life throws at you, negatives will win ALMOST EVERY time.

Professor Farmwithjunk,

I mean that BTW. Your words I just quoted are rock solid business advise for ANY business.

You have been EXTREMELY helpful on this thread. Your experiences and insight and ATTITUDE have been exemplary.

THANK YOU.

Be well,
David

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

I think success depends alot on your region also. Here in NE CT there's always some guy with there old ford that will do it for $25 and acre. I hear it all the time and it never gets old. There has been alot of good info dispensed here.

I actually started by answering a CL ad looking for 5 acres to be hogged. It was close by and a beautiful pasture that had been neglected. I met the owner there and his focus was all about cost. I explained I was a quality guy and not the cheapest. I already had the insurance and asked if his "other" guy did. His answer " I don't know" so I told him $80/hr 2 hr min and $50 hauling fee. His reply my "other guy" will do it for $100. My reply was to have the other guy do it then. About 3 weeks later who calls begging me to mow it that weekend. He still tried to bargain with me but it was useless at that point. I've mowed more of his land since and it's been a nice Side income.

That said I also mowed for several real estate agents and got stiffed. Now, since I own all my equipment I only lost my time and fuel but that can add up fast. So if your realistic about your profits and stay away from shady customers you can make some nice "beer money". But I'd suggest getting insurance as a min. Just not worth the risk.

Matt

 

[EddieWalker]

Just to add to the thread. I remodel and repair houses for a living. I work with a few realtors, but tend to find that they are in too much of a hurry for me, and I'm rarely able to get to them when they need me. Sometimes they call me about mowing or bushhogging a lot or something on a property. This is side work that if I'm free, will do on a weekend with my 35 hp 4x4 tractor and 6 foot bush hog. It's easy money for what I do in a day, and I've always enjoyed it when it comes along. I wouldn't want to do it full time, and I sure wouldnt want to have to make a living at it.

Contact the local realtors, give them a business card, or friend them on facebook. They probably already have a go to guy, but sometimes he's too busy and they need a back up guy. That's me, and it's led to other jobs that have been very good to me, just by answering the phone on the other jobs. Whether I could do them or not.

Eddie

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Here in NE CT there's always some guy with there old ford that will do it for $25 and acre.

Matt

Smaller acreage, $25 an acre is a give-away. However, on large acreage tracts of open land, and mowing with big equipment, (ie 125hp tractor/15' batwing) "going rate" here in Central Kentucky is something to the effect of $16 to $18 an acre. That still equates to roughly $125+ an hour.

The real trick is to NOT get backed into a corner on price structure. With experience, you learn the difference between $75 an hour work and $150 an hour work....There are jobs I'll do fairly cheap. And there are jobs I wouldn't do for ANY price. When I get an inquiry on my rates, and the caller's first question is "How much do you charge an hour"? I go on the defensive.... I don't know what THEY have, and they don't know (or care usually) what I have (as far as equipment size) Usually these people are just kicking tires. They'll go after the "old Ford for $25 an hour" even though I can be much more productive and do it cheaper with a 125hp tractor and 15' batwing @ $125 an hour.

The longer I do commercial mowing, the farther I want to get from hourly pricing. Let me just tell you what I'll do the entire job for, turn key price, and end it at that.

Then again, I don't do small tracts any longer. Smallest property I mowed this year (with the exception of a couple building lots I own personally) has been 20 acres+. Small jobs invite small operators (sans insurance/legal business status/ect)

The bulk of my work in the past couple years is with state and county government(s). Those have a completely different set of issues, not least of which is 2. 3. even 4 months wait on PARTIAL payments, performance bonds (that tie up monies) and dealing with political favoritism.


And worth mentioning, prices are a regional thing....I'm sure in certain areas of the country, the prices we get here in rural Kentucky appear to be ridiculously low, and prices I see in "big city" eastern US areas look ridiculously high to me.

 

[sandman2234]

I do not look for bush hog work and only do it on rare occasions for the public, usually it doesn't pay well enough to interest me. Lots of pitfalls as you say.

I am curious why you are so negative about bush hogging yet you are growing your business. I felt that way about the plumbing business and have downsized it dramatically and focused on landscaping which I enjoy doing.

I don't think Farmwithjunk is negative about bush hogging, only about how people go about getting into the business. My opinions of his posting on this thread is that he is trying to help out people who are considering trying it, or doing it on a small scale, by letting them in on certain basic facts, the most of which is the hidden dangers of underbidding your competition. Coupled with the fact that he is actually doing it, makes him a pretty good person to have around should you be interested in doing some side work for profit, not just beer money. I did some small lots nearby my house at a low hourly rate and ended up in the good, till that one last time... which made me realize that working cheap is rough on my pocketbook, not the customers. I was fortunate that I really was working for beer money, even if it was IBC Rootbeers...
David from jax

 

[sweep]

If you want to cut something cut lawns. A friend and his wife started a lawn business a few years back. They are now making good money. Their objectives where get on a street and get as many yards as possible to reduce moving equipment from place to place. Be full service provider, lawn, trim, core aerate/seed, cut down trees (or sub contract it), build fences, leaf/fall cleanup (big money there) etc, people like one person to deal with. As business improves get rid of the hard properties and hard to deal with customers. He keeps his equipment clean, working and blades sharpened. New customers get same day service, first impression is everything. At the end of the day, he cleans up the equipment and makes ready for the next day and his wife does the bills and gets dinner ready. Not saying it is easy work on those hot and humid days. Winter months are a little R&R time, maintenance on equipment, research on equipment/landscape and new services to offer. Big jobs gets a few guys from a temp agency.

One of my clients does this. Has a senior citizen clientel almost exclusively and he treats them right, is on time and they are extremely loyal as a result. One thing he does you did not mention is he plows snow for them in the winter as well and also hauls stuff to the landfill for them with his dumptruck.

He made 78k last year after expenses and could make more if he wanted to but he is starting to slow down age wise and he is a one man operation that way he can control everything. .. I know what he makes because I am the agent on his disability insurance.

 

[Builder]

Smaller acreage, $25 an acre is a give-away. However, on large acreage tracts of open land, and mowing with big equipment, (ie 125hp tractor/15' batwing) "going rate" here in Central Kentucky is something to the effect of $16 to $18 an acre. That still equates to roughly $125+ an hour.

The real trick is to NOT get backed into a corner on price structure. With experience, you learn the difference between $75 an hour work and $150 an hour work....There are jobs I'll do fairly cheap. And there are jobs I wouldn't do for ANY price. When I get an inquiry on my rates, and the caller's first question is "How much do you charge an hour"? I go on the defensive.... I don't know what THEY have, and they don't know (or care usually) what I have (as far as equipment size) Usually these people are just kicking tires. They'll go after the "old Ford for $25 an hour" even though I can be much more productive and do it cheaper with a 125hp tractor and 15' batwing @ $125 an hour.

The longer I do commercial mowing, the farther I want to get from hourly pricing. Let me just tell you what I'll do the entire job for, turn key price, and end it at that.

Then again, I don't do small tracts any longer. Smallest property I mowed this year (with the exception of a couple building lots I own personally) has been 20 acres+. Small jobs invite small operators (sans insurance/legal business status/ect)

The bulk of my work in the past couple years is with state and county government(s). Those have a completely different set of issues, not least of which is 2. 3. even 4 months wait on PARTIAL payments, performance bonds (that tie up monies) and dealing with political favoritism.


And worth mentioning, prices are a regional thing....I'm sure in certain areas of the country, the prices we get here in rural Kentucky appear to be ridiculously low, and prices I see in "big city" eastern US areas look ridiculously high to me.

We hunt a tract out in Iowa that belongs to a friend of mine. Out there standard rate for a 20' batwing is ~$10/acre.

 

[RickB]

We hunt a tract out in Iowa that belongs to a friend of mine. Out there standard rate for a 20' batwing is ~$10/hr.

$10 per hour won't buy enough fuel to run a 20 foot mower.