Pricing Bushhogging Service

[Mark T]

I have acquired a bushhog to go with my tractor and would like to earn some extra money on those days I don't trust the weather enough to cut hay.

How would you figure out a fair price for bushhogging services?

[Harry Chickpea]

LOL, If you had to bushhog my land, you would plotz. I have a number of slopes I have to quarter, and have to use 4WD on much of it. Each pass can be a challenge "is the rig going to tip over?" I'd suggest you set a base price for flat land, then walk each property and give an estimate based on conditions.

[rambler]

Two things you won't think of until you get started in this jib....

Insurance. My bil whacked off an extension cord to 2 travel trailers. Repairing the cord was $50 or so. Rplacing the fried appliances in the travel trailers was $2000.

You hit a power, telephone, water pipe, etc deal, you could have some real liability on your hands. Throwa rock through a windshield or house window....


And, the damage to your tractor/hog. People tend to hire you for the junk jobs - hills, tree stumps, debris laying in the tall grass, gopher mounds, old wire fence.

It's a little different helping a friend or neighbor. But hang out a shingle, and be careful you cover these costs!

--->Paul

[Micheal]

Two years ago, I charged $25.00 a machine hour - starting from when I left my place to when I got back.... with $100.00 up-front deposit. Which gave them 4 hours of time; mine and/or machine. I did give money back if the job took less than 4 hours though.
I also met with the land-owner and sorta walked the boundries of the area they wanted cleared looking for and asking about any rocks, fallen trees, wet spots, ruts, woodchuck holes, fences, etc. in the area they wanted cleared. That was before I would even say that I would or would not do the job.
Sometime I went and wrote up a simple contract as to who was responsible for what and who paid for any damage incurred specially if I had to go near a building, outside fuel tanks or where kids had been playing.

Word of advise though - if the job just doesn't seem right or the land-owner hems or haws about answering any question you may have - run do not walk away!!!!!!!!

[wy_white_wolf]

Until you get a real good feel for how long jobs take, I would only work by the hour.

To many variables to deal with in slope, rocks, how heavy the brush is, etc.

[Tricky Grama]

A few yrs ago b/4 we got our ol' "Red Belly" we had someone bush hog, but its about 10 ac & pretty flat-some trees to navigate tho-& pd $100. Can't rememeber what gas was, maybe $2.25?

[Lazy J]

I'd go with $65 to $100 per hour. The trouble with "bush hoggin" is that you can not see everything and you end up hitting things you shouldn't.

We no longer bush hog for others and we ---- sure don't let others use our mowers either.

Jim

[HoosierHog]

Around here they charge 30-50$ per acre. but its flat mostly. Id walk the field first and go by the layout of the land it self if your in an area thats really hilly or rough.

[fishhead]

I'd be sure to put something into the contract to cover hitting that old coil of barbed wire the owner forgot about. That will give the owner the incentive to walk the land first.

[clovis]

Originally Posted by HoosierHog

Around here they charge 30-50$ per acre. but its flat mostly. Id walk the field first and go by the layout of the land it self if your in an area thats really hilly or rough.

I second this. I think my dad paid $35 an hour for mowing a few acres of weeds. The ground is flat, and really, was a big weed field. No stumps, trash, or junk laying there...just weeds.

Fuel was pushing $5 a gallon then.

[Windy in Kansas]

Mow several of your own acres to determine how long it takes, figure out how long it takes to move to the areas others want mowed, and figure what sort of profit you want per acre/job. Also take into account replacing mower blades on occasion.

Just another thought---you can probably figure that you will get burned on getting paid by a few but at least you know who NEVER to work for again.

[agmantoo]

Figure out what you think is a reasonable charge per hour for the work and add at least 20%. What you earn from you charge portion take out the expenses for fuel and normal maintenance. Put the additional 20% aside for major expenses such as destroyed tires, broken PTO components, damage to bushhog, broken front tractor parts, etc. You will be surprised at what damage you will incurred. Print out a "hold harmless" form and have the person requesting your services to sign same. Good luck!

[Jolly]

Around here it's $35/hr for flat land, no obstacles.

Never, NEVER take people's word for what on their place, though. Always walk it out...people always seem to forget that old roll of wire by the fence corner or where granddad's junkpile was....

[texican]

I was getting $25/hour machine time back in the 70's. I'd have to have a lot more now... that 25 would just about cover my minimum wage. Then the cost of diesel, tractor use, and wear and tear on bushhog. I'd imagine $50/hr minimum.

[Cabin Fever]

Skidsteer-mounted brush hog work around here is $75 to $100/hour.

[Tricky Grama]

Originally Posted by fishhead

I'd be sure to put something into the contract to cover hitting that old coil of barbed wire the owner forgot about. That will give the owner the incentive to walk the land first.

No, we already hit that.