• Welcome to The Farming Forum!

    As part of this update, we have made a change to the login and registration process. If you are experiences any problems, please email [email protected] with the details so we can resolve any issues.

Hydraulic Hose Repair Cost?

melted welly

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
DD9.
Not normally, no. A proper business would have an agreement in place before the work begins, with any disagreements resolved in good time.

In such circumstances the person with accountability for procurement would have some questions to answer.

So how does a procurement dept work if they don't query prices?
 

Gerbert

Member
Location
Dutch biblebelt
I had something similar with my excavator, burst hose and needed going. Went to the localish hydraulic shop and got sorted out. All fine and well until I got a bill quite similar to yours. Well it might've been half of that but I figured it was a bit much. Local JD dealer I normally use didn't do that size so hey. as it turned out I could've been much cheaper of if I would've done it through said dealer, who would then bill me. Yeah, go figure.
However, now my nepphew works for an ag dealer who are also in the site repair business. Happy days.
 

Grouse

Member
That’s all well and good on a £10k, £20k or £100k contract but simply wouldn’t work with a man in a van for a £28 hose that gets charged out at £260
 

melted welly

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
DD9.
As a general rule procurement departments set the prices they are willing to accept and invite tenders on that basis.

So how would one implement such a process with suppliers on hydraulic systems repair where there could be spend of thousands one year and virtually nil the next?
 

Beowulf

Member
Location
Scotland
Exactly @Grouse. Now you're getting it. :)

He charged what he could, you paid what you had to. If I want a locksmith to come out at 3am I know I'm going to be paying. £300, despite being able to buy the same locks from Screwfix for £20 at my convenience and fit them myself.

Cost and value.
 

Beowulf

Member
Location
Scotland
So how would one implement such a process with suppliers on hydraulic systems repair where there could be spend of thousands one year and virtually nil the next?

Agree a procurement framework. Just like all other large consumers do.

Agree a fixed pricing schedule in return for exclusive supply to the business, with whichever pricing model you both agree on.

Even small businesses manage it, but farmers tend to think of themselves as special.
 

Grouse

Member
Sorry but you cannot compare Ag to a local authority or other business that goes through that process for everyday parts - you have a lot to learn
 

Beowulf

Member
Location
Scotland
Sorry but you cannot compare Ag to a local authority or other business that goes through that process for everyday parts - you have a lot to learn

Explain why then. Don't state it as fact and expect everyone to accept it as such. Justify it?

If you can convince me I will honestly accept I was wrong and admit it.
 

Grouse

Member
Perhaps it’s more appropriate to ask you why on earth would several companies go through a laborious and drawn out tendering and procurement process and all the associated delays associated with that for just a hydraulic hose ?
 

Beowulf

Member
Location
Scotland
Not just a single hose, but any hoses required during the contract duration. Maybe even across multiple farms.

Do that and you're starting to think like a businessman.
 

Grouse

Member
A burst hose is a rare occurrence - Why on earth would anyone go through your procurement process for 1 hose ?

I would have more success asking Tesco and Asda to quote for my weekly shop
 

Beowulf

Member
Location
Scotland
@Grouse

They wouldn't, they would charge appropriately (see your opening post for suitable charges).

For all hydraulic hose or repair work on a sizeable unit, or across a group of farming enterprises? Much more attractive.

So put it out to bid. It's not hard.
 

melted welly

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
DD9.
Agree a procurement framework. Just like all other large consumers do.

Agree a fixed pricing schedule in return for exclusive supply to the business, with whichever pricing model you both agree on.

Even small businesses manage it, but farmers tend to think of themselves as special.

Yes and I for one have agreements in place for supply of services and/or goods where we consume enough for the supplier to deem it worthwhile to them to enter into an agreement.

I think the point the op is making is that in the instance of his hydraulic pipe repair, it is more akin to a one off incident and for him to try and set up up an exclusivity of supply agreement with the repair company would be a waste of everyone involved's time, money and effort.

As you say, look at cost v value. Cost of a couple hundred quid on repair compared to value of time wasted to get an account set up and 10% off to then not require services again till next year.

On many farms procurement dept, finance dept, admin dept, works dept etc are all the same person. So with his procurement dept hat on op was investigating a. whether price charged was inline with similar works and b. Giving himself a benchmark to work from in future negotiations.

What'd you reckon, almost like an "actual" business would do!? [emoji41]
 

How is your SFI 24 application progressing?

  • havn't been invited to apply

    Votes: 29 35.8%
  • have been invited to apply

    Votes: 15 18.5%
  • applied but not yet accepted

    Votes: 29 35.8%
  • agreement up and running

    Votes: 8 9.9%

Webinar: Expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive offer 2024 -26th Sept

  • 2,467
  • 50
On Thursday 26th September, we’re holding a webinar for farmers to go through the guidance, actions and detail for the expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer. This was planned for end of May, but had to be delayed due to the general election. We apologise about that.

Farming and Countryside Programme Director, Janet Hughes will be joined by policy leads working on SFI, and colleagues from the Rural Payment Agency and Catchment Sensitive Farming.

This webinar will be...
Back
Top