Charges to till with tractor

[DoubleD]

I have seen and been asked what to charge for tilling a garden or food plot. If area is til ready (no stumps, boulders, or known obstacles) I charge $65 1st hour, $35 per every hour after with a 2 hour minimum, $100. using Kubota L3301 with LandPride 5’ tiller. If it’s a backyard gardener and I can catch it on a run from another job, I’ll just charge the 1st hour fee. For large jobs such as a hunt club I did with multiple food plots and tractor work to prep the ground, I set a flat fee, using my hourly rates as a guide. 1 club gave me a free membership, $900 value. My fee was $650. Using these amounts has worked for me and I think fair to both sides. I get the “but you can do it in 4 or 5 passes”. While true, the few passes have to be done a few times to amend the soil, turn in fertilizer etc. After they price renting a tiller, buying fuel, busting a hump doing to work, clean up then refueling and taking it back, I usually get the job. Hope my personal guide helps someone.

 

[BigG]

You are not charging enough. The "what ifs" come to mind. My teenage son has been getting $20 an hour for odd jobs. So you are charging $100 minus $40 for your labor for 2 hours. That means you are renting your $20 some thing thousand dollar tractor for $30 an hour. What if you catch the post on the gate with the tiller and pull a section of fence down? What if you roll over a object and punch a hole in your tire? What if there is a chain buried in the garden and you damage the tiller before the shear pin brakes?What if a new garden is staked out and you cut the TV cable? What if you cut the sprinkler line?

Check with one of the rental yards and see what they charge for a tractor near your size of tractor.

You are worth more. Even if you are retired and doing it for "play money",

JMHO

 

[NHSleddog]

80.00/hr. 4hr min. or delivery is paid.

I make them sign a liability release anytime I put something below ground. ESPECIALLY when tilling. The form states "everything below the surface will be destroyed". Not that you don't have insurance for it, but it is a hassle when it happens. It is a lot easier when you are holding that wire that went out to the old lamp post in you hand, or a 50' run of sprinkler. All you hear is, "so that is why you make us sign a waiver".

It isn't bad in a garden, but lawns and everywhere else is always a crap shoot.

 

[D2Cat]

80.00/hr. 4hr min. or delivery is paid.

I make them sign a liability release anytime I put something below ground. ESPECIALLY when tilling. The form states "everything below the surface will be destroyed". Not that you don't have insurance for it, but it is a hassle when it happens. It is a lot easier when you are holding that wire that went out to the old lamp post in you hand, or a 50' run of sprinkler. All you hear is, "so that is why you make us sign a waiver".

It isn't bad in a garden, but lawns and everywhere else is always a crap shoot.

But be aware if anything really important is cut the liability release becomes another contention. The equipment operator is responsible, locates called in is all that saves your butt (and then they have a 2' each side easement you have to hand dig).

 

[BAP]

If utilities get cut or damaged it becomes the responsibility Of the equipment owner/operator regardless of any liability waivers signed unless Dig Safe was called and the property marked out.

 

[NHSleddog]

I am not worried about liability beyond my form and carried insurance. In NH we have DigSafe and you call them before doing any digging. If they fail to show up within 72 hours or fail to mark it, it is on them. If you damage what they mark, it is on you. Half the time dig-safe gets mad for being called because you are only working to 1 foot depth.

My release is for the homeowners property (in dig-safe terms it is "private infrastructure") and I have been assured by my attorney, in NH I will be fine. It literally states EVERYTHING will be destroyed up to 1 foot deep while tlling.

It is mostly for sprinkler systems and wiring going to outside lighting that gets chewed up. I have never been asked to replace anything. One job took out the wiring to a septic pump tank and that was messy problem for them to deal with.

This is in NH.

Maybe it is a bad idea to have a customer sign a liability waiver in your state when tillling? It is a great idea in my state. It was suggested by my insurance agent and seemed like an easy enough step to take.