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How to charge for bush hogging

Started by tyb525, June 19, 2009, 07:06:05 PM

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tyb525

I saw a listing on craigslist about someone needing 2-3 acres mowed (with a bush hog). It turns out it's the old gas station just off I-69 about a mile from me. Now, I have a tractor (IH 656) and mower. I don't know how to charge. Enough to make money. By the hour? How would I figure that, say $30-40 an hour, similar to a sawmill?

I'm sure someone here has experience with this. I know how to mow with it, just not what it is worth.
LT10G10, Stihl 038 Magnum, many woodworking tools. Currently a farm service applicator, trying to find time to saw!

beenthere

Being you will likely drive to it, and not have to haul the equipment on a trailer, I'd say $40 actual time butting. Otherwise, I charge $50.

But it somewhat depends on how much of that type of work you want.  :)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

pappy19

I'd say that $20/hr for the operator and $30/hour for the bush-hog was about right. I would go up $10/hr for fuel over $1.50/gallon, plus your travel cost, etc. It all goes up.
2008 F-250 V-10
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Frickman

$60.00 / hour is the least I will charge for any  custom equipment work.
If you're not broke down once in a while, you're not working hard enough

I'm not a hillbilly. I'm an "Appalachian American"

Retired  Conventional hand-felling logging operation with cable skidder and forwarder, Frick 01 handset sawmill

Pretend farmer when I have the time

Don_Papenburg

UofI and other land grant universities should have a listing of the latest cost per hour for equipment and various sizes of power units.     Making money with machinery is expensive.
Frick saw mill  '58   820 John Deere power. Diamond T trucks

tyb525

Based on your responses, I've decided on $50.
As always on this forum, great responses, thanks guys. :)
LT10G10, Stihl 038 Magnum, many woodworking tools. Currently a farm service applicator, trying to find time to saw!

Ironwood

I do it sometimes, and generally $60-75 an hour for work, brush hogging, loader, crane work, porthole to porthole. It takes money to keep up equipment.

         I'm near Frickman, Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

fishpharmer

No less than fifty dollars per hour for a six foot bush hog.  Bigger equipment=bigger money.

Personally I would not give a price until I looked closely at the jobsite first.  For instance, if its a field that hasn't been mowed in a year that is easy.  If its someone trying to clear a building site or make a field in rough stumpy, hole filled, rocky terrain than it is an altogether different (higher) price.  You will be tempted to ask for less.  I have done several jobs like that.  I usually end up thinking I should have charged more.   Especially the time I got over an underground yellowjacket nest.  They didn't appreciate my bushhogging around their house, they lit me up. (The land owner actually gave me a little extra for my pain). 

You might consider taking a little less if it is a regular job, once a month or so.  I say that because if you clip it on a regular basis than you know it won't be so thick and it won't take so long as the first time.  Give it a shot.  Be careful and watch out for yellow jackets. 8) 8)




Built my own band mill with the help of Forestry Forum. 
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The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work. --Tom A. Edison

DanG

Ty, I did tractor work as a sideline business back in the eighties.  At that time, I was charging $30 per hour with a 2 hour minimum.  I had a couple of repetitive, large jobs that were just straight mowing(80-90 acres each) that I charged $25 for.  I think your $50 price is reasonable, and you should be able to come out on the plus side for that.  If you find that the ground is too rough on your equipment after the first time, you can always refuse it on the second request.

Fish gave you some good advice. ;)
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

tyb525

I have seen it, I drive by it at least once a week. It's your basic overgrown grass. A no-longer-used gas station with about 3 acres of grass. No big deal, he wants is done about once a month. Our pasture here at home isn't near as flat.

Once again, thank you guys :)
LT10G10, Stihl 038 Magnum, many woodworking tools. Currently a farm service applicator, trying to find time to saw!

thedeeredude

carry a can of raid on that tractor ;D  It really comes in handy.

Dana

I charge $55.00 per hour to using a 65 h.p. tractor and an 11 or 12 ft Bush Hog. That width of cut makes short order of most jobs, probably should be charging more.
Grass-fed beef farmer, part time sawyer

SwampDonkey

Looking from the road is different than walking about in there to see if old iron is hiding. I had a guy try to bush hog an old field that looked like just grass, burdock and raspberry canes on a tree planting site. Wasn't long finding the iron and getting a flat tire. I figured we should just walk away from that site. Old burdock and raspberry shoulda sent up the red flag as potential old building site.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Ironwood

Old yard (mowed) can have some VERY thick dense grass. I also really like my FEL (loader) for "unknown" stuff lurking below eyesight and for knocking down smallish trees that need wacked.  I like to mow when the grass is wet, as it keeps the dust and seeds flying down and lubricates the blades. FYI


            Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

Hans 1

 By the hour is the way to go if it gets rough you can slow down. I mow alot of crp and sometimes charge by the acre if it is a big field.

Ironmower

Sounds reasonable to me also, but the one havin the mowin done might have a different idea of being reasonable. NO joke around here, you start talkin even $30.00 an hour they turn and run. ::) :( Not all, most local people understand, it's the high flutin' rich in their $50,000 BMW, that want it done for nuthin.
I guess that's why their "grass"  has trees growin thru it ;D ;D
It's bin my experience, most people don't understand equipment costs.I've had said to me; It's already payed for right??? Sometimes it's hard not to go off, on those people. >:( >:(

WM lt35 hd 950 JD

maple flats

I used to do some of that in the eighties. If it has been years without mowing be very careful of what lurks in those weeds. Broken glass, steel/iron etc. One punctured tire can take the whole profit away. On the other hand, if it is mowed every year even if just once it should not be too bad. In the eighties I charged $30/hr for a 60" hog. You also want to be sure there are no spectators that could get hit by flying whatever you hit..
logging small time for years but just learning how,  2012 36 HP Mahindra tractor, 3point log arch, 8000# class excavator, lifts 2500# and sets logs on mill precisely where needed, Woodland Mills HM130Max , maple syrup a hobby that consumes my time. looking to learn blacksmithing.

tyb525

It's been almost two weeks, he hasn't emailed back, the grass is still there.
LT10G10, Stihl 038 Magnum, many woodworking tools. Currently a farm service applicator, trying to find time to saw!

Maineloggerkid

Wow, I only charge $25 an hour to bushhog and that like the top dollar up here for field mowing. I'm coming down where all you guys live.
JD 540D cable skidder, and 2 huskies- just right.   

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SwampDonkey

Dad used to do it for nothing for some neighbors. I know it was for nothing, because they would expect it for nothing.  These new farmer types can't even keep their mowing done in the ditches and around buildings. ::)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

eamassey

I did quite a bit of bush hogging for hire back when I was younger and more reckless.  It just does not pay.  People want you to make a place look like a lawn, and really don't care that you break your equipment on hidden stumps, wire, scrap iron, etc. 

I do a lot of bush hogging on my own property.  It costs a lot of money.  I doubt anyone would pay me enough to run my equipment for hire, by the hour.  I could likely make some money by the acre, though.  I run a 15 foot batwing with an 84 hp 4wd tractor.  I also have a 6 foot that I use on a 55 hp, and a super-duty 7 foot for the really rough stuff.

What would be a good hourly rate for the 15 footer?

My true cost on my 84 hp tractor, to include fuel, is $20 per hour.  My cost on the 15 foot batwing is $10 per hour.  These include no labor cost--- and when thinking about labor cost, one should multiply it by about 1.5 to cover the labor of all these: changing/sharpening blades, fueling up, oil changes, various repairs, going to town for parts, flat tires, etc., etc.   

Ironwood

eamassey,

Great input. You didn't even calculate for transport (if needed to job site). I charge $50-75 an hour for just about anything I do, truck/ crane, tractor loader/hoe (coming), tractor/ brush hog. As you stated there are TON of costs associated w/ all this (dont forget trailer costs).
I recently had to go move some historic house timbers from a farm pasture (forklift NOT an option), I charged $75 hour port- port. Guy was intitially taken aback, but once I was there and moving he was impressed. It is just what it takes. I worked my tail off for two days (including accidentally running over my small Huskey that was left under the trailer to protect it from some rain ::)). I had a tractor FEL, trailer, F-550 and a crane on the truck. about 60-70,000 in equipment (new cost) to do his job. If they dont want to pay, I can gladly stay home and do shop work. I also tell all my customers when I am NOT the best fit for the job, which adds credibility.


         Ironwood
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

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