Hi been offered a good chance to go owner driver and buy my own machine . Looking at machines at 65k and also have a contract for minimum 6000ha is it worth making the move . Insurance prices should I be expecting to pay minimum charge for small areas under a ha or price per hour for small jobs . Any info would be appreciated Tia
Contract spraying business start up .
- Thread starter Precision specialists
- Start date
- Location
- Easter ross
Insurance prices seem to vary who you are. Think I was £6-700 All in for everything. Given up contract spraying as was always away from home chasing the weather and more farms going contract farming.
Good job and quiet winters and was able to live off a round similar to that maybe a wee bit less at peak. Didn’t have a fancy machine, usually 10yr old and accept some repairs at times. Minimum charged anything less than 6ha at £100, depending on distance would add travel aswell at machines average rate.
Good job and quiet winters and was able to live off a round similar to that maybe a wee bit less at peak. Didn’t have a fancy machine, usually 10yr old and accept some repairs at times. Minimum charged anything less than 6ha at £100, depending on distance would add travel aswell at machines average rate.
£6-£700 a year ? I am looking at a machine 7years old has 5000hrs but will have a bit left in it yet to get me started. Most of the jobs will be in a 30mile radius so I was thinking of charging say £28hr travel till reached the area then on by the hectare once in the area as road work will be involved .
- Location
- Easter ross
Charging travel was just for small jobs, bigger regular guys were just on a per ha basis. £11.50-12.50/ha. Usually charged travel at £50/hr which I still thought was too cheap considering what you could spray in an hour on average. Yeah £6-700 For the year with an independent insurance guy. NFU were 4-5 times that.
Can you remember of the top of your head what company you used for the insurance ? That's what I would charge aswell for little small jobs to be fair anything under 3ha . Also did you charge if applying slug pellets on spuds aswell as spraying. I hear rumours some contractors don't charge for spreading pellets just for the spraying at £12ha which I think is stupid as the pelleter is a cost along with the pellets they are a seperate product and application
Your probably right actually . If you think about it say 20ha an hour works out at £260 so a small job at 3ha plus travel should be at least minimum charge of £260 I would say maybe bit steep but I'm not working for free
grainboy
Member
- Location
- Bedfordshire
Bear in mind your age, marital status, and family,
Because you won’t see them between March and October,
I sprayed for 20 yrs, 18,000 acres a year on my own, I missed my girls growing up, and I only made a living, not a fortune,
Because you won’t see them between March and October,
I sprayed for 20 yrs, 18,000 acres a year on my own, I missed my girls growing up, and I only made a living, not a fortune,
grainboy
Member
- Location
- Bedfordshire
Oh and I was on medication at the end, possibly due to prolonged exposure of chemicals.
What sort of living are we talking about if you don't mint me asking ? I'm a he's sprayer operator at the minute anyway so it won't make to much of a difference really . What did you do in the winter months ?
grainboy
Member
- Location
- Bedfordshire
18,000 Acres x probably average of £2.75 ac
= £49,500 gross
You do the maths, probably no more than £25 k gross income,
I packed up yr 2000, customers wouldn’t pay any more,
Winter was Firewood, and occasion spraying.
= £49,500 gross
You do the maths, probably no more than £25 k gross income,
I packed up yr 2000, customers wouldn’t pay any more,
Winter was Firewood, and occasion spraying.
Bit different now . If your doing 18000 acre at say £5.50 then you would be kicking on £99k a year which is very strong money now. And also a very decent income if you ask me
- Location
- Lincolnshire
Depending where you are, £5.50 won't get a lot of acres. And you'll want some in the pot for new wheel motors with all the driving about.
grainboy
Member
- Location
- Bedfordshire
Don’t think anyone will giving you a 6000 ha contract at £13.58 ha, do you, !!
non of my work was guaranteed, I just had an understanding that I undertook, the spraying on a number of farms, but believe me, a few management, or situation changes, and I was soon forgotten about,.
Your 5000 hr machine, will struggle, in my latter years, changed Machine every three years, my last replacement cost £78 k, now days you will need to finance nearer £150 k possibly £200 k.
Be very wary of what you are promised, I’m not knocking your ambition, but it’s not a Bed of roses.
non of my work was guaranteed, I just had an understanding that I undertook, the spraying on a number of farms, but believe me, a few management, or situation changes, and I was soon forgotten about,.
Your 5000 hr machine, will struggle, in my latter years, changed Machine every three years, my last replacement cost £78 k, now days you will need to finance nearer £150 k possibly £200 k.
Be very wary of what you are promised, I’m not knocking your ambition, but it’s not a Bed of roses.
I have a guaranteed contract from one farm large growers you see that I know very well and I know the work is guaranteed. I'm only looking at a 5000hr machine as it's a good baseline to start with and everyone has to start somewhere. Yes I looked at leasing a 4 year old machine but it just wasn't practical so I thought spend 60k get something half decent and take it from there
- Location
- Lincolnshire
Wheel motor will go on the Friday of a bank holiday weekend. £2500.
grainboy
Member
- Location
- Bedfordshire
Believe me I’m not knocking, but written guarantees .?
if you are working on a large outfit, with decent kit, conditions etc, I should stick with it, let someone else pick up the bills, and agro,
Good luck with your decision.
if you are working on a large outfit, with decent kit, conditions etc, I should stick with it, let someone else pick up the bills, and agro,
Good luck with your decision.
- Location
- Lincolnshire
Tbh, it's not going to kill you having a try for £60k. Might as well have a go.
ridger
Member
- Location
- Tyrone, Northern Ireland
Why not buy a trailed sprayer for 2000 pounds first and see how it goes
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