Starting my own contracting business

[JackMS]

Hello

just want to have some thoughts thrown at me about possible ways to start contracting.

I’m 23 and not from farming stock. Always wanted to get my own machine and go off working with it.

I know there’s lots of negatives around it. I’ve read other posts but most are involving farmers sons should I say.

Thanks
Jack

 

[Muddyroads]

How much experience of farming have you got, and how many contacts?

 

[6480]

Have you ever worked for an agricultural contractor, it tough long hours and seasonal work that follows weather conditions very much

 

[Galcam]

Have thought of counselling? ?

 

[JackMS]

Been working 6 years so a fair bit. Not as much as farmers sons my age. That’s why I’m curious on peoples thoughts. Quite a few, I work at our local livestock market too so from a larger area too.

 

[Ali_Maxxum]

Go and work for a contractor for a year or 6 first and then see what you think....

 

[Zebbedee]

Best job in the world some days and bring you to tears the next day

 

[6480]

Best job in the world some days and bring you to tears the next day

Often had nearly 100 thousand owed to me near the end of the season and would hear all the grief and excuses and waste time calling to collect money owed to me

 

[tr250]

Hello

just want to have some thoughts thrown at me about possible ways to start contracting.

I’m 23 and not from farming stock. Always wanted to get my own machine and go off working with it.

I know there’s lots of negatives around it. I’ve read other posts but most are involving farmers sons should I say.

Thanks
Jack

If you really want to do it go for it but do something different. You will need a bit of money behind you though. The whole farmers sons thing on here is only sour grapes

 

[nick...]

I wish you well with your quest but unless you have very good customers you will get work for those who don’t pay their bills.you may also get too much to do and have people swearing at you if you let them down.i get this occasionally with my digger work when one job runs on longer than anticipated.
Nick...

 

[Dave W]

@JackMS just do it if it what you want to do.
If you listen to what the customer wants and do a good job then experience doesn't matter. You'll soon get plenty of that!
Also try to remember an older paid for tractor earns the same amount as a financed new one

 

[james ds]

If you really want to do it go for it but do something different. You will need a bit of money behind you though. The whole farmers sons thing on here is only sour grapes

The farmers son problem is that the son takes no risks , gets daddy’s tractor , machine and fuel, goes out working cheap because he only needs beer money, makes a balls of the job and drops the tractor back in daddy’s yard , loses nothing as it made no differance to him . This young man has to make this work first time , he has no safety net , hard done but can be done . Let’s say more fail than succeed , but at least he can say he tried. I’d say work first with a contractor and save up money to invest in the business , start slowly and good luck.

 

[Zebbedee]

The suggestion of go and work for a contractor is a good one but no contractor is going to employ him just so he can gain experience and start on his own?

 

[deere 6600]

The suggestion of go and work for a contractor is a good one but no contractor is going to employ him just so he can gain experience and start on his own?

Almost all contracters start this way

 

[Werzle]

Best job in the world some days and bring you to tears the next day

and to your knees

 

[Bongodog]

If you start up on your own account you will not be short of work, you will have so much that you will not even need your bed. After a year however when you are owed a small fortune it will dawn on you that all those eager customers owed their previous contractor for a years work and were on credit hold.

 

[Fendt516profi]

If you start up on your own account you will not be short of work, you will have so much that you will not even need your bed. After a year however when you are owed a small fortune it will dawn on you that all those eager customers owed their previous contractor for a years work and were on credit hold.

How would any genuine people feel if they gave a new lad a go and he asked for a deposit or to be payed in full before he left the farm

 

[manfromhill]

See if I knew the guy like friend of someone or through yf then would have now problem squaring up after job or end of month folk need a hand sometimes to get going too many farmers can be dks sometimes

 

[Fendt516profi]

See if I knew the guy like friend of someone or through yf then would have now problem squaring up after job or end of month folk need a hand sometimes to get going too many farmers can be dks sometimes

Pay at end of month cause some folk need a hand, I thought that was normal terms. Was getting a tyre fitted to a rim at a garage (farming stock) he had a sign up 'all work to be paid for on collection you wouldn't go to supermarket and not pay for your shopping would you'

 

[Munkul]

If you start up on your own account you will not be short of work, you will have so much that you will not even need your bed. After a year however when you are owed a small fortune it will dawn on you that all those eager customers owed their previous contractor for a years work and were on credit hold.

Have you ever heard the saying "pick your customers, or your customers will pick you instead"?
Meaning that to be a successful business, you have to try and steer it towards the good customers that you want to work for, and avoid the bad ones as much as possible.
Get bills out promptly, whatever, and put a 30 day payment term on. Any good customer will pay promptly, and anyone who hasn't paid within 30 days... will at least be on your radar for next time...
I could not understand our silage contractor last year... we asked him for a bill after 1st cut... nothing. Then after 2nd cut... nothing. Then after 3rd cut and wholecrop, he stings us for the whole lot, in October which was quite painful and NOT when we wanted money going out.