Horse paddock topping charge?

[Rookie]

Wondered what people charge as a fair rate for topping horse paddocks. Been asked but think it would have to be an hourly rate as quite overgrown and approx only 4 acres. Bit out of touch with what the going rate is. Would be using a kuhn 2.8 m flail mower. Cheers.

 

[Mad For Muck]

£35/hr

 

[multi power]

depending how much of a pain it is bound to be 50-100 quid to do it

 

[rjs15t]

£35/hr

Don't forget to allow for travelling!!

 

[DeeGee]

Needs to be £40 an hour including travelling time, unless the customer is a friend/useful neighbour etc. in which case I would say it still has to be £25/hour minimum to cover your costs. These sort of jobs have to be costed by the hour IMO.

 

[slaney]

It would be €50 euro an hour over here so £40 sounds about rite.

 

[tomg]

I used to charge £35/hr with a minimum charge of £50 per job. If its long go for a good walk around the paddock first, have often found old jumps, tyres and fencing just left in the grass/weeds. I was halfway through 1 job when the owner came running across the field hands waving telling me to stop, she had forgotten to tell me about a metal drain top. Turns out the chap who did it the previous year wrote his topper off hitting it.

 

[roscoe erf]

I used to charge £35/hr with a minimum charge of £50 per job. If its long go for a good walk around the paddock first, have often found old jumps, tyres and fencing just left in the grass/weeds. I was halfway through 1 job when the owner came running across the field hands waving telling me to stop, she had forgotten to tell me about a metal drain top. Turns out the chap who did it the previous year wrote his topper off hitting it.

been there got the tea shirt they really are a p.i.a should charge £100 an hour with all the crap they leave laying around in the grass the damage it does and the time sorting it out best left in the shed

 

[Rookie]

Thanks for the replies. Probably around £40 to £45 / hr then. When compared to a plumber / electrician, rates looks cheap as they get a man, Machine (£70k) and diesel in the cost. But thats farming for you.

 

[JohnDeere8530]

invariably lots of crap in them. £40/hr + any breakages/punctures/broken windows caused by debris in long grass

 

[Wooly]

£150 unless its a friend, then its free.

A lot cheaper than they can do it with a man and a strimmer.

 

[jd6820]

Wondered what people charge as a fair rate for topping horse paddocks. Been asked but think it would have to be an hourly rate as quite overgrown and approx only 4 acres. Bit out of touch with what the going rate is. Would be using a kuhn 2.8 m flail mower. Cheers.

Think of a price that seems too high then double it! The number of jobs like that where you end up returning home for repairs is phenomenal, for this reason I now quote a ridiculous price and if they still want it doing, it is usually worth the risk. There will always be some lad with a machine that will do it for less and then find out themselves why everyone else charges more.

The last job I did was simply removing a small 3 ton trailer full of horse manure, took all of about 1hr including travel and the job itself, I charged £150, the customer was given the price before hand and accepted. They were very happy with the price and have since contacted me again. But you add up the actual costs including the fact it was shavings so take into account the extra Nitrogen to break down and spreading costs and storage of muck till spreading it all adds up. Other industries would charge for all these extras although it costs little to us in the long run.

 

[rob1]

Think of a price that seems too high then double it! The number of jobs like that where you end up returning home for repairs is phenomenal, for this reason I now quote a ridiculous price and if they still want it doing, it is usually worth the risk. There will always be some lad with a machine that will do it for less and then find out themselves why everyone else charges more.

The last job I did was simply removing a small 3 ton trailer full of horse manure, took all of about 1hr including travel and the job itself, I charged £150, the customer was given the price before hand and accepted. They were very happy with the price and have since contacted me again. But you add up the actual costs including the fact it was shavings so take into account the extra Nitrogen to break down and spreading costs and storage of muck till spreading it all adds up. Other industries would charge for all these extras although it costs little to us in the long run.

Glad to see farmers are joining the rip off britain trend. Do dozens of loads a year at £40 a time up to four miles 9 tonne a time, about 45 mins a load, only time I charge more is if any string or plastic in it, they soon learn. The value of the fert and OM more than covers the cost of spreading

 

[Bumble Bee]

We charge £55/hr + vat to top paddocks.

 

[Badshot]

Silly question I am sure but does it come under red diesel allowed use, or should it be derv like sports fields?

 

[slaney]

Silly question I am sure but does it come under red diesel allowed use, or should it be derv like sports fields?

It's ag contracting so I'm guessing red only guessing now so I could be wrong

 

[Bumble Bee]

All the ones we work in have sheep in

 

[roscoe erf]

Silly question I am sure but does it come under red diesel allowed use, or should it be derv like sports fields?

It's ag contracting so I'm guessing red only guessing now so I could be wrong

think youll find its white as horses for pleasure don't count as agricultural at least thats my understanding but as your in a field who the feck is going to care

 

[rob1]

think youll find its white as horses for pleasure don't count as agricultural at least thats my understanding but as your in a field who the feck is going to care

Grazing horses is an ag operation, growing grass is an ag operation, you are off road so its all ok as far as I can see,and who the F is going to check

 

[Wooly]

Glad to see farmers are joining the rip off britain trend.

Grazing horses is an ag operation, growing grass is an ag operation, you are off road so its all ok as far as I can see,and who the F is going to check

So its OK to rip HMCustoms and Excise off then!!!!