What to charge

W

whatscookin

Member
I have been asked to mow rake and square bale hay and don't know what to charge, i bought my equipment because you cannot depend on someone getting the job done on your own stuff, i have been able to retire recently which gives me time, funny thing with that is i have less time seems like but life is better. I have been asked to do this and have tossed around figures and some have said by the bale\acre but i figure to me the best way is by the hour and that starts when my tires hit the black top and i figure my tractor and i to be worth $40.00 per hour. I did two different peoples hay yesterday and by the time i figure road time, fuel ect it comes out to $2.00 per bale which seems sky high but i have what i consider nice equipment. I don't really need to do this for the money but i like to run my equipment. My Kuin disc mower is new and my bailer is a NH 273 and the rake is a Massey mounted rake, i used my Allis 185 to mow with the IH 424 to rake and the Kubota 3130 HST to bale so i do have some dollars tied up in eqiupment, what is the going rate for doing this, thanks.
 
I can't really help you on the going rate, but that seems low. Just remember, just because you like to run your equipment and you aren't doing it for the money, you still need to turn a profit. While your equipment is new now, it will breakdown and require repairs and tractor parts aren't cheap. Another thing to consider is replacement. At some point, you keep using it, it'll wear out and have to be replaced. Also what about insurance costs? That isn't cheap either. Lastly, what is your time worth? If you weren't doing other people's hay, what would you be doing? Your own hay? What if the weather turns bad, who's hay will you do first? Theirs or yours? A paying customer thinks you should do theirs first, but then what about your horses or cattle, what are they going to do?

Like I said, I can't really help with the price, but that seems low. I know right now on my little New Holland, with the price of fuel right now it costs me probably $6 or $7 an hour right now just in fuel to operate it under load of the MMM or the rotary cutter.
 
I don't mow but I do small excavating jobs and the first thing I'd be considering is insurance. Probably need to get something in writing if you don't have liability/maritime insurance. How well do you know the guy wanting the work done ........ even friends will FY when push comes to shove .......... :respect:

AFA pricing I consider the job. Some (most) are hour rates especially if it's going to take more than 2 hours and I charge $50/hr on my tractor and dump that's about 65% of what a large excavator wants in my area. I never get any complaints on the charge.

I fix price jobs also for example ... Guy wants a spot cleared for his new above ground swimming pool. It's gonna take me less than 2 hours but I do have to haul, unload, move material, and pack up again. I quoted $200 and the guy was happy with the price ......... A bigger contractor is going to be 50% more for sure.

Materials with hauling I mark up 20% plus the hauling and the haul is dependent on distance/location (double the price of fuel/mile).

BTW .......... I don't do it to feed the family, :smile: .......... I do it because I like to and supplement some equipment write off.
 
a couple years ago I was quoted $2.50/bale to have my brome cut and baled for me -- or the guy was willing to split the crop with me 50/50. We each got 400 bales off my 10 acres that year.
With the current state of fuel, $2.50 - $3.00 sounds reasonable. (I got $3.50 - $4/small square when I sold it)
 
I don't have a clue about the square bales, but last I heard going rate around here was about 10 - $15 per round bale (4x5), or on the 50/50 split. Except about 2 years ago when the only one I could find to bale mine got 60%, (and no, I have not called him back.) Going rate for other tractor work is in the $50/hour range for mid-sized tractors, so that should be about right.
I understand about enjoying the ride & using the equipment, but like others said, you do have to keep the equipment up, and repairs will come.
 
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