What should I be charging?

[Sa86]

Sorry if this is in the wrong section, about to take on a topping land management contract to do 75 acres every 3 weeks would be using my tractor and topper what should I be charging for the job farmers weekly says £19.25/AC is that a realistic price for the job only say that as they say man and tractor should be £65 an hour which it should but good luck getting that.

 

[roscoe erf]

Location makes a difference

 

[Mc115reed]

Sorry if this is in the wrong section, about to take on a topping land management contract to do 75 acres every 3 weeks would be using my tractor and topper what should I be charging for the job farmers weekly says £19.25/AC is that a realistic price for the job only say that as they say man and tractor should be £65 an hour which it should but good luck getting that.

£14.50 an acre I was charged too top 75 acres this summer… I’d imagine if you were doing it every 3 weeks it would want too be a few quid less

 

[Sa86]

Location makes a difference

North Yorkshire it's for someone money isn't the object they just want someone reliable to make it like a lawn. Saying money isn't the object rich folk are only rich because they haven't paid through the nose for stuff hence my post as I'm not sure what's reasonable

 

[roscoe erf]

North Yorkshire it's for someone money isn't the object they just want someone reliable to make it like a lawn. Saying money isn't the object rich folk are only rich because they haven't paid through the nose for stuff hence my post as I'm not sure what's reasonable

How long will it take any travailing involved diesel used wear and tear etc then your labour rate and a small profit equals hourly rate

 

[roscoe erf]

Don’t be a busy fool

 

[Sa86]

How long will it take any travailing involved diesel used wear and tear etc then your labour rate and a small profit equals hourly rate

No traveling adjoining land to ours 2 minutes drive don't even need to go down the road

 

[lloyd]

How much bulk do you expect?
Sometimes topping can be slower than mowing for animal use.

 

[britishblue]

My plumber stays 1 mile down the road in local village but he charges £38 hour to everybody!

 

[davidroberts30]

Sorry if this is in the wrong section, about to take on a topping land management contract to do 75 acres every 3 weeks would be using my tractor and topper what should I be charging for the job farmers weekly says £19.25/AC is that a realistic price for the job only say that as they say man and tractor should be £65 an hour which it should but good luck getting that.

How many ACRE a hour can you topp?
More than 4 and your over 65 a HOUR

 

[Wooly]

https://www.naac.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/NAAC-Contracting-Prices-Survey-2024.pdf

£19-25 is the rate

So if you do 75 acres is £1444 per time and probably not much to top. You could easily do 75 acres / day with a decent batwing topper.

 

[MrNoo]

It's surprising how much fuel you use topping, certainly with a decent wide batwing topper, mine was using 17ltrs/hour the other day admittedly on some thicker stuff. Once every 3 weeks you'd use less. As above you should knock that out in a day.
But if they want a lawn then you'll have to be careful with your cleated tyres esp when the ground gets wet. As nothing worse walking on grass that has been cut with loads of cleat marks, esp when dry, twist your ankle just like that!

 

[quavers]

friends mower currently broken , asked a price for a local garden guy to cut it , about a 1 acre £250

 

[vantage]

friends mower currently broken , asked a price for a local garden guy to cut it , about a 1 acre £250

It would take a fair bit of time with a pair of scissors, to be fair!!

 

[hoff135]

You basically need near £20 an hour for yourself for a wage in 2024, the day of a tenner and hour are over.

150hp tractor would need to be 50/hr minimum plus what it's pulling behind it.

 

[Bury the Trash]

It would take a fair bit of time with a pair of scissors, to be fair!!

less capital out lay and mechanical running costs than a 150hp tractor and batwing tho.

travel to site would be more frugal as well. they would fit in a rucksack with lunch bag and no more than a bicycle for wheels.


no quite as grand a feeling as sitting up there on that air seat bit more humble, ,granted .

 

[bobk]

£20 an acre and tell them it will look like Wimbledon

 

[betweenthelines]

First question is how much will it cost you?

If you don't know that, you're in trouble.

 

[Tubbylew]

Sorry if this is in the wrong section, about to take on a topping land management contract to do 75 acres every 3 weeks would be using my tractor and topper what should I be charging for the job farmers weekly says £19.25/AC is that a realistic price for the job only say that as they say man and tractor should be £65 an hour which it should but good luck getting that.

Charge plenty, what happens if it's too wet and how fussy are the clients? it doesn't sound like they just want a few acres of weeds tidied up, don't take the agricultral approach to this, sit down and work out what that job costs you and add your profit margin, I guess it should be done on white but thats non of my beeswax, as long as you make enough to cover the hassle it could be a good job.

 

[principal skinner]

What ever it costs you plus 10-20%
I would be no less than £65+ vat per hour from the moment I start the engine until I turn it off at the end.