OT Tractor Mowing Rates?

200cs · Feb 1, 2009

Hi everybody,

I recently read a Craigslist post in the Dallas area for a guy offering tractor work: 15.00 an acre for mowing and 25.00 an hour for general tractor work: dirt, fence line cleaning etc.

This seems really cheap to me. I could maybe buy the 15 an acre if he has a big bat wing mower but 25 an hour to run equipment that probably costs 10 an hour for fuel alone not including getting it to the jobsite etc.

What are the rates you all are seeing for the same work. I would like to make a little money with my equipment but I am not interested in working for about 5.00 an hour after all the expenses are calculated : (

What are your thoughts?

Anonymous-0 · Feb 1, 2009

i charge 50 an hr to bush hog good clean ground if its got trees in it that have come up wild i charge 60 an hr and they by any tires i might blow never blown one yet but it can get exspencive i have cut trees down as big as 4in and it is slow going when you get in that stuff also cut roads threw the woods for deer hunters cleared spots for food plots

NcNE · Feb 1, 2009

Hard to tell by what equipment he"s running. Might be able to get by cheaper by decreasing overhead (insurance and etc). Might be able to charge that if hes running junk equip or running without any insurance.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 1, 2009

I cleared 2 acres a couple of years ago for a man, his property had blackberry bushes and what I call sage grass.the bushes were 5 feet and taller,it took me about 2 hours and I got $175.00 for it.so it sounds mighty cheap to me.I am located in n.e.fla,cw

Anonymous-0 · Feb 1, 2009

You'll probably find it's someone who bought some equipment and really hasn't sat down to figure out what his expenses really are, or have much for accounting practices. Probably doesn't have insurance, and has shaky plans in place for equipment repair/replacment.

Poor business planners are their own worst enemy, but they also make it difficult for a guy to make a buck in the service because everyone looks at the guy doing it for $25 an hour and thinks that should be the going rate.

Then on the other hand, it could be a guy who is currently totally out of work and desperate for any dollars he can get, especially if he owes money on that equipment.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 1, 2009

This guy will not be in business long at those rates. Wait until he ruins a tire from something someone left in the field. Maybe the guy is just needing work to get out of the house. Here in Calif I get 90.00 an hour for mowing, with a 6 ft mower. I am one of the cheaper ones also. Stan

Anonymous-0 · Feb 1, 2009

We charge $50 to $65 per acre depending on how rough it is and $75 per hour to haul it there for brush hog, Straight $75 per hour for blade or drag box work.

Traditional Farmer · Feb 1, 2009

$50/hr with a 70HP tractor and a 10ft Bush Hog.

kyhayman · Feb 1, 2009

I'm not turning the key on for under 50.00 an hour for tractor and operator. 15 foot batwing, tractor, and operator 85.00 an hour on good ground, 100.00 an hour for rough stuff, roads, and right of ways. I usually discount the total bill by 5 percent for immediate payment and a full day, and another 5 percent if its cash but thats the extent of it.

Larry59 · Feb 1, 2009

I know someone who does it for 25.00 and hour. Seem cheap to me and I told him about it. But he said he is retired and now looks for something to do. Plus he just enjoys riding his tractor around a lot.
But his price is not to far off here in Mid Missouri. Heard some talk of 50 and hr. but most time it is between 50 and 25 it seems.

dmiller · Feb 1, 2009

I was moving equipment down the road last summer. Had a guy pull over in front of me, flag me down, and ask if I mowed out for hire. He wanted me to mow the access road on a subdivision and mow down his 2 acres for weed/fire control (we're so dry by august every year that there's always wildfire potential).
I didn't really want to mess with it so quoted him what I thought was a crazy price, he didn't hesitate a second. Got $75 for the 2 acres, and $125 for the road ditch. Whole job took longer to drive the tractor there than it did to mow.

IaGary · Feb 1, 2009

I charge $75 an hour or $7 an acre. Which ever comes out higher when the job is done.

I use a $13,000 tractor and a 15 foot batwing.

If there is brush involved the price goes up.

Gary

ChrisinMO · Feb 1, 2009

I've dealt with this scenario in a few of the businesses in which I've engaged in my life. When I was a lot younger, I used to charge about what I thought I would be willing to pay. I discovered that this only worked if everything went perfectly and I kicked my @--. When normal life happened, I frequently made less than minimum wage, after expenses.

A lot of people don't really know what their costs are, and also undervalue their time. Hopefully they stick around long enough to learn what it really takes to make a profit. I don't mind the competition because their customers usually are the ones who are looking for lowest price.Folks who are looking for absolutely the lowest price are usually no fun to work for.

That being said, I like to get at least $50 per hour on any work involving machinery. Overhead is just too steep to go with less.

Christopher

ericlb · Feb 2, 2009

i need a handle's probably got it figured right i ran into one of those kind of guys a few years ago i was mowing a few acres on the other side of the road, and we got to talking since he was about 5 bucks cheaper than me, he said he really wasnt in it for the money, he was retired, and when your retired after a couple years you have 2 missions, escape the mrs, who has had the house to herself for the last 45 years during the day, and isnt used to your being underfoot all day, and enjoy the day, he told me this gets both done

Oldmax · Feb 2, 2009

In this area $40 to $60 an hour . I charge $40 an hour for a 27 HP with a 5' cutter on Grass and small brush. Some don't like price don't care I am retired and if I can't get wages for me & tractor will stay at home. In this part of country Good wages are about $15 to $20 an hour.

Bob Kerr · Feb 2, 2009

Around here some people are so cheap they expect you to work for free or next to free. I just tell them that if I work for free , they can help rebuild the tractor and pay for half the parts when it is wore out. They usually get their wallet out and dig for what I want for the job out of the "secret compartment". I charge for both how big an area and also tack on for how high it is and what is hidden in the grass that will tear up something. If I hit buried junk, they pay for damage to the equipment.

OT Tractor Mowing Rates?

200cs

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Anonymous-0

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NcNE

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Anonymous-0

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Anonymous-0

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Anonymous-0

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Anonymous-0

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Traditional Farmer

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kyhayman

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Larry59

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dmiller

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IaGary

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ChrisinMO

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ericlb

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Oldmax

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Bob Kerr

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