Contractor charges

nashmach

nashmach

Well-Known Member
Anyone know what a contractor would charge for topping - I am thinking no less than €30 an hour considering it is that for hedgecutting - need something to convince the CFO and see about payback.
 
nashmach said:
We can't any longer that is why we are buying a topper.

Was trying to cut some stuff yesterday that had a thick butt and spent a lot of the day burning belts and stopping and restarting. I went from 10.30 till 5.30 with a break of 2 hours. Dad went from 7 to 8.30 and he had had enough when I was talking to him :001_rolleyes:. 8 acre field and still not finished :001_rolleyes::001_rolleyes::001_rolleyes: He even threatened to buy an inline version!! Our grass quality will improve greatly too I know with a topper.

A friend actually paid €450 for a NH mowing bar for his T20:scared:

BTW: anyone know what a contractor would charge for topping - I am thinking no less than €30 an hour considering it is that for hedgecutting - need something to convince the CFO and see about payback.
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I wouldnt do anything with a tractor for less than €40hr (inc vat and Dsl). Plenty would I suppose!
 
Mike said:
I wouldnt do anything with a tractor for less than €40hr (inc vat and Dsl). Plenty would I suppose!
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Hedgecutting must be dear down your way then! I am sure it is between €30 and €35 /hr here. And surely that is what someone at topping would be going on rather than a per acre rate - say 4 acres/hr - which would be done with a 8ft/9ft topper that is €8-€10 /ac!!
 
nashmach said:
Hedgecutting must be dear down your way then! I am sure it is between €30 and €35 /hr here. And surely that is what someone at topping would be going on rather than a per acre rate - say 4 acres/hr - which would be done with a 8ft/9ft topper that is €8-€10 /ac!!
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As I say, plenty fellas will probably work for less.

Lets say a contractor gets 8 hrs topping from a farmer at €30hr
His bill will be under €250 + vat. He must supply diesel, go and come from the job and pay his driver for the day. He aint going to be making much:no:
And thats presuming there are no breakages!
 
seen for sale

dont like working by the hour rather work by the acre or ton if spreading lime or fert it gives you chance earn a more realistic hourly rate
 
nashmach said:
Anyone know what a contractor would charge for topping - I am thinking no less than €30 an hour considering it is that for hedgecutting - need something to convince the CFO and see about payback.
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Just get the contractor in - at any cost - you know that by the time you decide on a topper (judging by your other thread :001_smile:) that the grass etc will be so long/tall you wont even see a tractor :laugh: and any benefit of topping will have long gone :whistling::lol::lol:
 
Topping with a topper,disc mower or flail?
Do a lot at one time or paddock/field by paddock/field?
Rocks?
 
MasseyMan said:
Topping with a topper,disc mower or flail?
Do a lot at one time or paddock/field by paddock/field?
Rocks?
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Say a topper, depends on time of year.

Profi Farmer said:
Nash

Could you not hire a topper off roache in camolin?

Merv
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Not fans of hiring and its a long spin to Camolin from home plus we like the flexibility of hooking up whenever and off we go.

Oh and Reidy - put a sock in it:lol::lol::whistling: We have had several on the go over the past few weeks but couldn't close the deal for us.
 
Surely you could squeeze in another 6in :whistling: . A scrape of a digger bucket down either side would soon buy you a bit of room and make life easier for the future as kit isnt ging to get any smaller.
 
Profi Farmer said:
Surely you could squeeze in another 6in :whistling: . A scrape of a digger bucket down either side would soon buy you a bit of room and make life easier for the future as kit isnt ging to get any smaller.
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Have already done that and can't go any more unless the neighbour's ditch comes down as well.

Plus a trailed topper will take up more room in a shed.

Think Mike will have to split this thread again - I have kept him busy since I came on here:laugh:
 
would a local dealer not hire you a machine then. Could be as cheap as getting someone in a would save even more room in the shed. Dont know how you guys in the south of the county get on with narrow lanes. Most of them around our way have been widened one way or the other.
 
Profi Farmer said:
would a local dealer not hire you a machine then. Could be as cheap as getting someone in a would save even more room in the shed. Dont know how you guys in the south of the county get on with narrow lanes. Most of them around our way have been widened one way or the other.
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Don't know what they would do - and I'm not interested either. Much better to have it in your own shed when you want it. A topper will last us a long time as we mind our gear and don't leave it out all winter covered in the proverbial!
 
a new topper is only small money new and you aint buying some other mans problem like when ya buy a secondhand one.

sure 3.5k will near buy a new one will it not.
 
plenty of narrow lanes round here too but i manage most of them:laugh:
 

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tinman said:
a new topper is only small money new and you aint buying some other mans problem like when ya buy a secondhand one.

sure 3.5k will near buy a new one will it not.
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Agree with the first point but we couldn't justify spending that kind of money for our business on a topper. We will need to buy another trailer and a bigger tractor and loader as well and money doesn't grow on trees (I wish it did:lol:).

The 3 green ones in 8ft format are all in and around that figure. Need to get a quotes on the blue and red ones at some stage over the next few days.

My thinking now is a new 7ft would be a lot better than a s/h 8ft.
 
How will your current tractor deal with a mounted topper. I know when we had a mounted Major the Ford 6600 had to have the frotn loader on otherwise teh front wheels wouldnt touch the ground. Having used a trailed we would never go back to a mounted machine now. The Ford 4600 used to fly along with the 8ft trailed abbey.
 
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Profi Farmer said:
How will your current tractor deal with a mounted topper. I know when we had a mounted Major the Ford 6600 had to have the frotn loader on otherwise teh front wheels wouldnt touch the ground. Having used a trailed we sould never go back to a mounted machine now. The Ford 4600 used to fly along with the 8ft trailed abbey.
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Know where you are coming from but they handle a 3f KV MZ with all discs and skimmers fine so don't think its much of an issue. As you said could always leave the loader on. It will only be a temporary horse anyway.
 
nashmach said:
Say a topper, depends on time of year.



Not fans of hiring and its a long spin to Camolin from home plus we like the flexibility of hooking up whenever and off we go.

Oh and Reidy - put a sock in it:lol::lol::whistling: We have had several on the go over the past few weeks but couldn't close the deal for us.
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:lol::lol::lol::lol:






Yup, you've sure kept things busy here :001_rolleyes:
 
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