What to charge for making trails

soder33 · Apr 3, 2012

I have a Ford 8N with a 5 foot brush mower and loader on it. I have guys that want me to make trails for them in land they use for recreation. I have done this on my own land so it's something I actually enjoy.
There is some driving to this land (one is 30 miles each way). What should I charge for milage and then what hourly rate would be about right.

730d se · Apr 3, 2012

Mileage would be going rate for transport of equipment in your area.
The hourly rate can be arrived several ways. You would know the basic cost of operation of your tractor, brush hog, and loader. Take that number per hour and add what you want to make in profit.
The other way is to just pick an hourly number out of the air and float it past them. You find out quickly what they are really willing to pay.

Ken Macfarlane · Apr 3, 2012

Depends on the area. Its hard to set rates starting out. I charge 65$ an hour for bushhogging with a 50 hp tractor. I don't get much for me in that, maybe 5-10$ per hour. My tractor is newer and taking a bigger depreciation hit though. Fuel is about 12$ per hour, repairs average out to about 10$ an hour when cutting trees/brush, depreciation of cutter and tractor is about 20$ an hour, insurance works out to about 10$ an hour depending of course on how much work you do.

Billy NY · Apr 3, 2012

Also figure in the risk or danger involved with that kind of work, I've done quite a bit of that with my 850, it can be real nasty work at times, without overhead protection. I see the saw in the bucket, a must have, to free up things before pushing, have to include saw time/cost too.

Anonymous-0 · Apr 3, 2012

(quoted from post at 05:57:20 04/03/12) I have a Ford 8N with a 5 foot brush mower and loader on it. I have guys that want me to make trails for them in land they use for recreation. I have done this on my own land so it's something I actually enjoy.
There is some driving to this land (one is 30 miles each way). What should I charge for milage and then what hourly rate would be about right.

I wouldn't sell yourself any shorter than what they'd have to pay a landscaper to do it.... Prolly a sure bet that they expect you to do it for peanuts....

Have Fun....

Zachary Hoyt · Apr 3, 2012

The fact that they need trails cut indicates that it is overgrown, and probably nobody knows what you may run over out there. If you cut a rear tire badly you can be out hundreds, so it could be a risky proposition, I would think.
Zach

jason, NW Ontario · Apr 3, 2012

I side with Ken: figure out what it costs. Ask them what they're willing to pay. If they low-ball you, justify the figure you counter back. Most people haven't thought about looking at the deal from both sides.

Jay

Tom-NorthCenTX · Apr 3, 2012

You should charge $2.50 per one-way loaded mile, then figure what it s worth for your time, wear and tear to tractor/equipment and name them a FIRM price, negotiation is a slippery slope as they will want it done for next to nothing. If they reject your stated price, move on and feel lucky.
Tom

Trac1 · Apr 3, 2012

Friend of mine who at the time was cutting with a Ford 7610 mudder and a 6' Brown Tree Cutter was asked to cut 20 miles of railroad right-of-way. 10 miles down-10 miles back. He threw a price at them of $100.00 a mile. They could not say YES fast enough. This has been 12-13 years ago. Probably woth at least 1-1/2X that now, at least.

dej(Jed) · Apr 3, 2012

It depends on how bad you want the work. At $2.50 a mile and up, chances are you won't get many jobs. Pick an hourly rate and then add an hour coming and an hour going for your hauling. With what you are running I would think $35 an hour would be good.

mkirsch · Apr 3, 2012

It can go one of two ways:

1. They've priced out the professionals and think you'll do it for a handful of magic beans.
2. They have no idea what the job is worth and will say yes to any price.

Just don't let "being a nice guy" factor into this AT ALL. You will just get taken advantage of. Ask what you think is fair and be prepared to walk away.

BTW, that is not a "brush hog." That is a rotary mower. If you start trying to take on thick brush with that thing you are going to tear it up.

Anonymous-0 · Apr 3, 2012

You don't have enough tractor or heavy enough mower to tackle the job in unknown territory. Hope you have an over running coupler on the pto. One tire = $500 + tube and labor. I wouldn't attempt that for less than $150/hr from the time I start from home til I'm back.

JDSNOW · Apr 3, 2012

I do a lot of R.O.W. cutting and are rates are $98/hr for ford 5610 and alamo mower and $70/hr for ford 4610 and 7 foot cutter. I would look for a bigger tractor and tougher mower before I would take a job on. Constantly rebuilding and fixing on our pair. Even wiped a pressure plate out in the 4610 once. Stick lodged in throwout lever pushed throwout bearing into pressure plate so for bent fingers. Had running in 48hrs. Bill about 200-250hrs a year. Good luck and be ready with good insurance for the unexpected. Have many stories.

Rick Kr · Apr 3, 2012

Charge per hour. No telling what you are going to run into. Depending on the woods you will spend time going around or cutting down trees to make the trails. A dense woodlot could really slow you down compared to 20 year old overgrowth.

The per hour charge takes care of the unforseen issues. $40/hr or so.

Rick

What to charge for making trails

soder33

Member

730d se

Well-known Member

Ken Macfarlane

Well-known Member

Billy NY

Well-known Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

Zachary Hoyt

Well-known Member

jason, NW Ontario

Member

Tom-NorthCenTX

Member

Trac1

Member

dej(Jed)

Well-known Member

mkirsch

Well-known Member

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

JDSNOW

Member

Rick Kr

Well-known Member

Similar threads