How much to charge

[okie2]

I am a teacher and I talked to the superintendant about me mowing the grass this summer. He actually seemed interested. This is my first year and I am doing it part time. Its 30-35 acres mowing only. I have a 60" JD 757. Will I ever be able to do this and stay caught up? How much should I charge per acre?

[hackitdown]

This question is very tough to answer. Is it a single giant 35 acre field with no obstacles? Is it 35 1 acre patches in different areas with walks, buildings, beds, trees, ponds, hills, children, and other stuff?

[okie2]

Its flat land. Very few trees. Mostly wide open. I am meeting with him tomorrow. What do you think?

[carcrz]

It could be done. That'll take probably 2 long days by yourself. I'm talking daylight to daybreak w/ that mower.

[okie2]

So how much would you charge per acre?

[Roger]

Something is missing here. Who is doing the mowing in the Spring and Fall. He wants you for the Summer, but that is only part of the year. Why would another contractor take the job for the early part of the season, and then be asked to return to take the last part of the season? Or, doesn't the grass grow much between June 1 and September 1? If that is the case, then it wouldn't be much work for you either, only cutting a couple of times.

[okie2]

I am a teacher at this school. The maintenance people mow it now.

[Runner]

Yeah, THAT ought to go over well with the union!

[hackitdown]

If, I need to earn $400/day, and it takes me 2 days, I would charge $800.

[topsites]

That machine should reasonably do 12 acres / day at 8-9 hours straight mowing, I am sure you'll want to break for lunch some time? You can shoot for more, but you won't get much past 14, if you can do 1.5 an hour and work 10 hours solid you still only get 15 in, hence why I say 12 reasonably.

But it doesn't work without trimming, all lots include some sort of trimming, there's a tree or a fence or something, always...
Hmmm, I'll get back to this...

Say it take you 3 days, $20 an acre x 35 = 700
That's kinda low, you can try 25 but quote them 900 and see what they say.
So go in between, 790, that might work.

Then if they say yes you wait until the day before you need to go do it, then splurge and get yourself a $300 trimmer, it would be a worthwhile investment I am almost sure there are some areas that could use it. If nothing else you only get to do it one time then your labor was free but at least you got a nice trimmer out of the deal.
The reason I say wait until the day before is in case they cancel, if that happens you take the trimmer back, didn't need it.

[hackitdown]

I was thinking 3 acres (or maybe 4) per hour on a 60" ZTR at full speed with few turns. If you worked 8 hrs @ 3 acres per hour, it may only take 10 to 12 hrs total. But as Topsites said, you gotta trim, and that could take hours and hours.

If they irrigate and fertilize, the lawn is thick, and it will take much longer. If there are obstacles, it will take much longer.

Here's another option. If you have a good relationship with him, have a conversation with the superintendant, and tell him it is difficult to put a price on it. You could tell him it will be "between $600 and $1000", depending on how long it takes. Or ask him to pay you on a per hour basis for the first cut. Tell him the going rate for a 60" Z with an operator is $60/hr (or whatever works in your market).

[Kris@PrecisionLawnCare]

I have an account that is 5 acres in which I use a 72" JD, the property is rather flat with a variety of large trees and evergreens. Usually I can come in and be out of there under the 3 hour mark, just to give you some numbers to work with.

[okie2]

Dont think there will beany trimming. The maintenence will handle that