Brush Cutting Quote Help Please

[wooley99]

I've been lurking and searching on this site for 6 weeks and started a business a month ago. I appreciate all the knowledge you guys share and now I have a question I can't search up an answer for.

I've been asked to bid on mowing brush on 4 lots (all next to or across the street from each other). The total is 2 1/2 acres. Quote if for initial mowing and monthly follow-up.

All I've found so far in searches is a general estimate of $50 acre for bush hogging. I'd be doing this with a (rental) walk-behind bush hog. I don't know how fast it goes but I'm reasonably sure it goes faster than I do. Since I'm not swamped with work I have all day to screw around with this if necessary but I'd prefer not to.

One lot (1.3 acre) is full of prickly pear cactus and two are full of raspberry briars and wait-a-minute vine.

My initial guesstimate for the initial mowing is:
brush cutting - $350 (anything the mower will push over I'll cut) and with the walk-behind I can cut into the tree lines.

Debris pick-up (tires, batteries, concrete, wood and other crap scattered around the 4 lots (not more than one load - $35 fee to dispose) - $200

I'd appreciate any advice you can offer.

The details and photos are below.

Lot #1 15,300 ft/sq (1/3 acre) grass/sand parking with 10 minutes trimming along structure.

Lot #2 59,310 ft/sq (1 1/3 acre) nothing but a few stumps, briars, lots of prickly pear and a few snakes.

Lot #3 15,525 ft/sq (1/3 acre) one hurricane abandoned trailer in the middle and a fair amount of junk around it.

Lot #4 23,166 ft/sq (1/2 acre) with a parking lot and shed to trim around and about half of the rest outside the treeline to be hogged.

Again, any help (either useful or entertaining) would be great!

thanks,

[KTO Enterprises]

I get 200 per acre to bush hog. at least 100 per hour. I would bid the whole job in the 700 range.

[topsites]

Man see I have this problem too, of being short on work, but while the temptation to bid low is there I think you should bid high.

There are only two ways to go about it:
1) You rent the hog and eat a ton of cost in ways of delivery / pickup / rental.
2) In my case I'd take the Z through there, but I always find something (like rocks, stumps, bottles, etc), so I eat a ton of cost through wear and tear.

idk what wait-a-minute vine is but I hope there's no jesus thorns up in there lol, and I know briars are rough and tough, that stuff can hurt you even riding on a big machine, it winds itself all up and around the blades and refuses to be cut with all but hand shears lol.

At LEAST 3-400, but really 600 is more like it, up to you.

[wooley99]

Thanks for the help!