Who said anything about begging? I'm asking what a fair rate is FFS. I find that a little insulting. I'm not expecting to pay a pittance and think I have made that clear. If I have a piece of machinery and get asked to quote for a job I would price in the risk of damage and not expect the customer to pay. Where did this pittance thing come from? I was asking what was a fair price. Wasn't I? Jesus.
Topping costs
- Thread starter Pasty
- Start date
In fact the person with the kit owes me a bit of money and I need a job done he can do so was hoping to come to a fair deal if he's up for it. What's wrong with that? The last thing on earth I would want to do is rip him off or take advantage as he works bloody hard and is a good chap. I was asking as I have no idea what would be fair, to both of us. I've done a lot of things but not topping.
multi power
Member
- Location
- pembrokeshire
I would think around £150-200
I know but I haven't got a tractor. I could borrow one I suppose but would probably bend it. Would rather bend my own.
Buy some sheep , they'll sort it .
If my solicitor would get his arse in gear..............At the moment I'm a paper millionaire who can't afford the gas bill.........
Grassman
Member
- Location
- Derbyshire
To be fair it's not been clear if your doing it or want it doing. Also it comes across that you are borrowing the tractor to do it. Bit confusing.
multi power
Member
- Location
- pembrokeshire
I'm not that bright but it's clear to me that the OP was simply asking about the cost of topping
OK, I own the land. Chap who buys the grass has the gear or can borrow it (not sure on that situation, nothing to do with me). Rent is due. I also have other land I want topping. I should do topping of land he rents from me about nowish but haven't seen him for a while so I need to speak to him about what he wants to do. Whether I need to get a contractor in to top the bits he rents if he wants it topped. If he wants to bill me to do it himself that's fine and maybe he can bill me for other bits that I need doing too. I don't have the gear. I hoped to have by this time but things didn't work out ref land sale.
You'll get nowhere with that attitude laddy.
Goweresque
Member
- Location
- North Wilts
Its this concept of a 'fair' rate that doesn't fly with me. Fair to whom? Fair to the person who wants their field topped, or fair to the owner of the topper? There's only one rate that matters, and thats the rate a local contractor would charge for the job. If you're expecting to get the job done for less then you're expecting the owner of the topper to shoulder risk he may not want to. A contractor prices to include risk of damage, and because he's doing paid work all the time, if it does go bang on any given job hopefully he'll have made his money elsewhere to pay for the repair. Thats the nature of his business.
A non-contractor asked for a price for a one off job is in an invidious position - if he quotes to include damage risk it looks like he's being tight, and if he doesn't he stands the risk he'll be out of pocket if there's a problem. I mean its not like a set of chain harrows, or a roller. A topper is a piece of kit thats just waiting to have an expensive accident, and IMO its unfair to ask a neighbour to put his kit on the line when he may not really want to.
Now if he owes you money thats a whole different ball game, but as a general principle I would neither ask to 'hire' a piece of kit that stands a good chance of breaking from a neighbour, nor would I hire out mine. It may seem hard nosed, but bitter experience has taught me its better to be hard nosed up front than regret not be hard nosed afterwards.
Blah. I just want a job done. I don't really care that the guy owes me money (EDIT: I do care as I need it and he doesn't owe me until Aug 1 so it's not a late debt or anything). I thought it might be a way for him to settle some of the payment with labour /machineryon 'fair' terms. That is one that he and I are happy with. If it suits him, fine. If not he can pay me the money owed and I'll get a contractor. I just wanted to come up with a reasonable figure than he and I could talk about without me taking advantage of my position. It's up to him whether he risks damaging his or whatever equipment he uses. If he thinks he can borrow the kit for free and do the job and get a good bit off his rent then we are all happy. The risk is his, not mine. At the end of the day I can stand here like a total pr*ck and demand my money and argue over what should or should not have been topped. I'm not like that. They are a nice couple trying really hard to get on and I don't want to rip them off. I have no gear of my own so was trying to think of a mutually beneficial arrangement. Or is the world just more complicated than that now?
Donkeys. That's my next venture. Lots of donkeys.
- Location
- Ceredigion
£28
A day?
Grassman
Member
- Location
- Derbyshire
I'm not that bright either and it was clear to me as well that he was asking about the cost of topping!
However the details that mattered weren't.
I don't really get the second sentence. I was just asking for a ballpark figure per acre so I can go an talk to my guy about where we go from here.
Plan was by now I would have a topper. I don't. So I need someone in. I need to know what my grass buyer wants / expects and what is fair and what will let us walk away happy and as friends. Maybe do business again next year. I know he has access to a tractor / topper so thought a deal might be reached where I would pay the going rate and he could save some cash by billing me contract rates which I expect to pay anyway as I don't have the gear. If he wants to do that. He may not.
You can see why farmers just buy their own gear and get on with it.
michael N123
Member
At least he can spell acre. He's my man. Might be a bit of travel expense.
- Location
- East Sussex
I think this bit might have confused the ansty posters. I think he was asking how much his neighbour should charge him considering the neighbour has the kit and pasty doesn't?