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Who gives a flying f*ck about Depreciation= Initial cost- salvage value/ useful life annual depreciation if that's what you are worried about, start wrapping rubber baby buggy bumpers on your skid steer because the second you get a scratch on it, you'll lose money!!!!!!

Just run the god damn sh*t out of the machine and the hell with all the other crap, make money instead of worrying about crap that only accountants think about!
 
Who gives a flying f*ck about Depreciation= Initial cost- salvage value/ useful life annual depreciation if that's what you are worried about, start wrapping rubber baby buggy bumpers on your skid steer because the second you get a scratch on it, you'll lose money!!!!!!

Just run the god damn sh*t out of the machine and the hell with all the other crap, make money instead of worrying about crap that only accountants think about!
Tell me your fuc$ing kidding.
 
Ron is right in some ways just run the machine and quit worrying if it will ever pay for itself. I wouldn't be running a machine for 20 dollars per hour that is way too low even for a old skid steer like the guy on Craigslist has.

Talking to one of my owner operator friends the other day he said he won't run his gravel truck for anyless than 100 per hour the cost of fuel etc work for anyless your not making money.

You can crunch numbers all you want but all it takes is one big problem like blowing a cooler line for the engine and it pumps out the oil and engine seizes up. Hydraulic fires are another problem and the machine burns up.

Any of the contractors here they don't get involved in crunching the numbers if they need a specific machine they buy it. Skid steers have always been a low money maker around here with their limited uses they were never do make good money. Rubber tired backhoes are being phased out most contractors don't own one anymore if they do it is a older machine that has been paid for.

Working for lowball rates you will never win.
 
I'm with Ron. When something major fails, the machine's gone. It gets sent to wherever track loaders go to heaven- Probably with Burnout running them.

I was odwn to one machine at the time I joined this site. I owned a mighty fleet (125C, 941B, 125E) of track loaders, and rebuilt them every seven thousand hours, and when it was time for the second rebuild, they left my posession.
 
You people and your low baller hating.

Here's the math numb nuts.

22 working days, weekends off- 22 x 8 hour days = 176 hours.

176 hours x $20 per hour= $3520.00 income.

Caterpillar has skid steers for as low as $400 a month financed amount.

$3520.00 - $400 monthly payment= $3120.00 left to use.

Fuel- $3.00 per hour x 176 hours = $528.00, now it's even cheaper to use off road with bio-diesel mix here.

Now you have $2592.00 per month.
If the "low baller" bought a cheap good running machine and everything they own is paid for, and they have investments on the side, trust me, it's a good living.

Geebus Christ, do the math before you start hating the low ballers, even I am a low baller to get the work.
You have to factor in the truck and trailer and there is other business stuff. But at those numbers you could do better working at Menards(or somewhere else...) and taking a bunch of overtime, you would make more money.
 
Just run the god damn sh*t out of the machine and the hell with all the other crap, make money instead of worrying about crap that only accountants think about!
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

I wouldn't run someone elses machine for $20 an hour.
I would!

and seriously, Ron think about it. If he wants $20 an hour, pretty soon his name is out and he's busier than hell. And your sitting at home. What do you have to do to get work? Stoop to his level.

So he is pushing the prices down in his area, hurting everyone.
 
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

I would!

and seriously, Ron think about it. If he wants $20 an hour, pretty soon his name is out and he's busier than hell. And your sitting at home. What do you have to do to get work? Stoop to his level.

So he is pushing the prices down in his area, hurting everyone.
I have dropped my prices, and I am cutting deals with customers to keep the work, I have a big 2 week job this winter (location and description is for my eyes only) hell I even bought an HD camera just for that work.
My machine doesn't even pay for itself, but the way our tax system is set up and my income from the big iron, who gives a sh*t, it's still better than renting a machine.
 
I have dropped my prices, and I am cutting deals with customers to keep the work, I have a big 2 week job this winter (location and description is for my eyes only) hell I even bought an HD camera just for that work.
My machine doesn't even pay for itself, but the way our tax system is set up and my income from the big iron, who gives a sh*t, it's still better than renting a machine.
I thought you were kidding with these posts. I guess you do what you have to do if you don't have work, but it definitely is not profitible no matter how you spin it.
 
You have to factor in the truck and trailer and there is other business stuff. But at those numbers you could do better working at Menards(or somewhere else...) and taking a bunch of overtime, you would make more money.
Truck and trailer is paid for, just like my F450 and GN trailer, all paid for.
Insurance? Shop around, I did that 4 years ago and I saved $800 on a million dollar liability policy and my vehicles are insured through the same people so I get discounts.

And my calculations are based on 22 working days, let's say this "low baller" grabs a bunch of weekend work and 12 hour days with minimal travel time, income goes up even more, cut a deal with a farmer and use his fuel, then save 3 bucks more an hour.
 
I thought you were kidding with these posts. I guess you do what you have to do if you don't have work, but is definitely is not profitible no matter how you spin it.
I'm glad things arn't that bad around here. I'd park all the crap before I ran it for less then it cost me keep it going.
 
Truck and trailer is paid for, just like my F450 and GN trailer, all paid for.
Insurance? Shop around, I did that 4 years ago and I saved $800 on a million dollar liability policy and my vehicles are insured through the same people so I get discounts.

And my calculations are based on 22 working days, let's say this "low baller" grabs a bunch of weekend work and 12 hour days with minimal travel time, income goes up even more, cut a deal with a farmer and use his fuel, then save 3 bucks more an hour.
He is making under 40k dollars a year no matter how you look at it plus his expenses....Take taxes, insurance, fuel, machine break downs, payments....no money left over. I honestly can't believe this is a real discussion. Do what you have to do. You are honestly better off working job at a conveince store or grocery store than you are working for 20 bucks an hour with your own machine. I guess people are really hurting out there. If you are really gonna charge that, you are better off just giving your machine back to the bank and getting a job for 10-12 dollars an hour. You would be way ahead and would probably stay busy for 40 hours.
 
He is making under 40k dollars a year no matter how you look at it plus his expenses....Take taxes, insurance, fuel, machine break downs, payments....no money left over. I honestly can't believe this is a real discussion. Do what you have to do. You are honestly better off working job at a conveince store or grocery store than you are working for 20 bucks an hour with your own machine. I guess people are really hurting out there. If you are really gonna charge that, you are better off just giving your machine back to the bank and getting a job for 10-12 dollars an hour. You would be way ahead and would probably stay busy for 40 hours.
Some still aren't seeing the big picture, what if the "low baller" saved up his money from years past and used let's say about $6000 to buy a 753 Bobcat (good resale price) and the rest is being used to live on, no banks to rely on for money other than savings accounts, all cash in hand to make purchases.

Now I am going to go back to doing what I need to do.....which is counting my money from my investments.
 
You can't run a machine for 20 bucks an hour and have any money left over to support yourself. Well, at least those of us that don't live at home with mom and dad can't.

Even if your truck was paid for, the machine was paid for, to legitimately run a business taxes and insurance must be paid. Taxes take at least 20% right off the top, so $20 an hour just turned into $16/hr. You're telling me you can pay insurance on the truck and business liability, fuel for truck to transport, maintenance of truck and machine, and fuel for the machine on $16/hr. AND have anything left over to feed yourself and keep a roof over your head? You're dreaming, big time.
 
You can't run a machine for 20 bucks an hour and have any money left over to support yourself. Well, at least those of us that don't live at home with mom and dad can't.

Even if your truck was paid for, the machine was paid for, to legitimately run a business taxes and insurance must be paid. Taxes take at least 20% right off the top, so $20 an hour just turned into $16/hr. You're telling me you can pay insurance on the truck and business liability, fuel for truck to transport, maintenance of truck and machine, and fuel for the machine on $16/hr. AND have anything left over to feed yourself and keep a roof over your head? You're dreaming, big time.
Wow you are paying 20% taxes, ouch.

I am in a low income tax bracket, I do not pay taxes because my personal income is below the $9,999 limit, so I pay no tax. My business qualifies for every Government small business tax exemption and self proprietorship category out there, I pay no tax on it either, now because of the HST we all hate to pay, I am getting refunds back every 3 months and I haven't paid any taxes since taking on a lease on a used machine. All my accounting is done by a CGA and even I am surprised how this new tax is paying off for me.
As for maintenance, making the right choices in equipment is key and doing any repairs yourself is also key. My Dad and I use bulk fuel that is bought when prices are good and we save money by filling up at home and not running all over the country filling up with fuel.
I won't say any more, but there's some very clever planning involved in how you can really save money.
 
Most entrepreneurs in the US will tell you that taxes are closer to 30% but it varies. 20% of my paycheck goes to taxes. Sucks but that's the way it is.

You're still in a dream world. You would not survive with your kind of income even while playing the tax loophole game that you are if you had to put a roof over your head. I'm willing to bet that if you were financially able to live on your own, you would. No reason to attempt play all of us here on LS for fools, I think we all now the score.
 
There is no way in this world I would run my skidsteer for $20.00 per hour. First lets look at the facts. Your not going to be able to run the machine every day of the year. There is a good two or three months it's basically going to be sitting due to weather. Next this is hard work. It takes allot of planning, experience, money, equipment and so on to do it. Also when the machine is broke down your not making any cash. Suppose your broke down a week that really eats into your money. Obviously if your working at rates this cheap your not gonna have the cash to pay for the equipment unless you have other income supporting it. If that's the case your not following the normal standards of making it in this business on its own. I have a full time regular job and I don't run it for less than $70.00 an hour. I will run it for a buddy of mine at $50.00 per hour plus he supplies the fuel is the cheapest. At $20.00 per hour that looks like peanuts compared to equipment cost and don't forget often we need help on jobsites and need hand tools and so on. All of this would come out of your $20.00 per hour. Be better taking a job at Wal-Mart for minimum wage. Bobcat ron you know the cost of this business more than anyone. It shocks me you would make a statement like this. I hope your kidding. Maybe that med is affecting your thought process. :)
 
Most entrepreneurs in the US will tell you that taxes are closer to 30% but it varies. 20% of my paycheck goes to taxes. Sucks but that's the way it is.

You're still in a dream world. You would not survive with your kind of income even while playing the tax loophole game that you are if you had to put a roof over your head. I'm willing to bet that if you were financially able to live on your own, you would. No reason to attempt play all of us here on LS for fools, I think we all now the score.
Self employment tax is about 30%. 1 out every 3 dollars goes to taxes on your taxable income.
 
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