glasshouse
Member
- Location
- lothians
If you charge "enough" you wont get the gig.
Simples
Stubble to stubble contract.
- Thread starter samsung
- Start date
Simples
In which case you’re better off without it.
ratchet spanner
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders
Are you not using your expertise to make money on land you wouldnt get to farm otherwise. IF! the basic contract charge is sensible ,a good honest land owner, and a contractor who knows what they are doing can agree plan and stick to it. If all goes to plan you can be well paid for your expertise.
glasshouse
Member
- Location
- lothians
Its a pointless arguement, you either work for nowt or sit at home.
Renting on a high rent is equally stupid.
Sooner bps stops the better, contract farmng will stop too
We charge significantly more than that and always have even though that post is 5 years old
To many people on here need to get a grip as to where agriculture is today.
1) There is no cheap machinery, ring up any machinery dealer the prices are frightening.
2) Parts service and repairs, tyres, again frightening costs.
3) £90/hr service technician costs from dealers are the norm!
4) Diesel prices near 70p/L.
5) Labour has gone up, shortage have meant having to pay ur staff THE GOING RATE or they leave!
Some will get it today, some will get it after there auction simple as that.
1) There is no cheap machinery, ring up any machinery dealer the prices are frightening.
2) Parts service and repairs, tyres, again frightening costs.
3) £90/hr service technician costs from dealers are the norm!
4) Diesel prices near 70p/L.
5) Labour has gone up, shortage have meant having to pay ur staff THE GOING RATE or they leave!
Some will get it today, some will get it after there auction simple as that.
glasshouse
Member
- Location
- lothians
But nobody will rent the land out because they want to be seen as the "farmer" and collect bps and tree grants etc so its not a realistic alternative
That doesn’t mean you take there risk for them though!
glasshouse
Member
- Location
- lothians
You dont get it do you?
The lowest quote gets the gig, unless you have compromising pics of the agent.
Dont you believe it.
It’s like saying any lowest priced plumber, builder, painter etc gets the job, how the job is done overrules any of that as with all walks of life.
- Location
- Lincolnshire
Gave up contract farming and never regretted it. It was the fastest way to wear yourself and your kit out for peanuts.
I'll do a bit of contracting on a job by job basis at an agreed price but anything more open ended usually draws you in to a lot more work and expense than anticipated. Who sorts out the busted drains etc? The farmer isn't bothered if your sprayer is stuck, so you end up dojng it for nothing. I even ended up marketing and storing the grain, loading it, evething. That's what some people expect from stubble to stubble. Avoid.
I'll do a bit of contracting on a job by job basis at an agreed price but anything more open ended usually draws you in to a lot more work and expense than anticipated. Who sorts out the busted drains etc? The farmer isn't bothered if your sprayer is stuck, so you end up dojng it for nothing. I even ended up marketing and storing the grain, loading it, evething. That's what some people expect from stubble to stubble. Avoid.
Lexion1000
Member
In my experience the return from contract farming is broadly similar to renting, but contract farming an awful lot more hassle in terms of office work, extra meetings, rotations etc etc. Totally agree with everyone above though, to make proper money at contract farming or contracting you need to be charging a rate that isn’t in line with what will get you work these days. The trouble is that people enjoy farming and are perfectly happy to do more work for negligible returns.
- Location
- Lincolnshire
That last sentence is spot on. Most people can't seem to use a calculator or just don't care if they are losing money, at least until the heap has gone.
glasshouse
Member
- Location
- lothians
The job will have to be done perfectly regardless.
I know of instances of ridiculous low bids being used to reduce existing contract deals, so even if you negotiate a better rate its not safe.
Its a landlords dream, no security and devil take the hindmost
True, but I can earn £14-15/hr sitting in somebody else’s sprayer. If that’s better money than sitting in my own gear then so be it.
Low prices are never done properly. without losing money it’s physically impossible
glasshouse
Member
- Location
- lothians
But that doesnt stop the idiots , does it?
Lexion1000
Member
I would guess that if it went to tender you would get a range of bids between £100-150. If I was choosing someone to s2s my farm I would ignore that price and choose someone on how tidy their farm was, how good their crops look and how easy to work with they are/ how well you get on with them. £20 here or there on a contracting fee is nothing in comparison to having someone do a good job on your land. Getting the right person is the important bit.