# What to charge.



## scrapiron (Mar 10, 2010)

Neighbor came over this late this morning asking for help. Had just purchasted a NEW 60+ hp tractor, 6 disc enrossi mower, wheel rake & a new 4x5 baler. This is all in the last week.

His new tractor would not handle the disc mower due to the 11.4x 24 rear tires. Dealer made a big mistake. I took my 100hp tractor over & mowed 10 acres of real rank, thick bermuda grass. This 10ac will prob make 100 4x5 rolls. At 4 mph the mower would bog down & belts start to slip, had to mow at 3.5mph. It took over 5 hrs to mow the 10ac. Tractor was using 2.5 gl of fuel an hour mowing. At 5ac I had to stop & flip blades, they are totally wore out now & have to be replaced. That was some really thick hay.

He wants to pay me but I don't know what to charge him. We have never helped each other with equipment because he never had any. He does now know what equipment cost & what it cost to run and maintain. Should I charge him by the hour for tractor & me or just a flat rate. He will probably have me over there sat or sun to help him bale. I'm not going to do it for free,do not want to lose money & be fair to him.

scrapiron


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## man of steel (Feb 1, 2010)

A neighbor in need

If I was not in the custom haying business and I had the time I would ask for nothing for the mowing just the fuel. Just explain what the cost are and that you are just helping a neighbor in need. If he insisted I would ask him to make a donation to his favorite charity and buy you a case of beer.

It's not like he isn't trying to have the right stuff and is just out looking for freebies. i would also help him along with getting the dealer of his equipment to make things right also


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## NCSteveH (Jun 30, 2009)

I understand that he is your neighbor and he now knows what equipment cost. It might be to your advantage to spend a day with him and get him off on the right foot with the baler.

If you may find in the long run that he will then not need your help when you can least afford to give it. Plus he will remember that you spent a day with him and showed him the ropes.

Also push him to get his dealer to make his tractor right. If it was me I would have called last week and told the dealer he needed to get a set of rims and tires here yesterday.


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## FCF (Apr 23, 2010)

What kind of dealer would sell you equipment that doesn't work together? The dealer needs to make things right! I would be very cautious in the future with a dealer doing business this way. The only way I could understand a dealer doing this, and it is very slim, is if they have never sold a similair setup to someone before.


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## NCSteveH (Jun 30, 2009)

The more I think about it, wow, 11.4x24's are what's on the *FRONT* of my tractor. Would never think of running them on the rear.

At 60+ hp it must look out of place with those tires.


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## Will 400m (Aug 1, 2011)

That does seem like small tires my 50 hp has 14.9-26. That must have looked prety funny but I hope it was an oversite and they made it right. I would ask him to pay for the supplys and explane to him that your giving him a hand and your glad to help. And hopefuly one day when your in a jam and need a hand maby he can repay the favor.


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## haymaker1979 (Nov 20, 2011)

i never charge my neighbors for the help i offer. but you always have to remember when he sees you in the field in the summer he will jump in and help you out also. thats what all farms in my area do for each other.


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## scrapiron (Mar 10, 2010)

Well neighbor got his new tires , 14.9x24 still to small, same size as my front tires on the massey. He is supposed to get new tires & wheels sometime next week, 16.9x28. Those might be ok.

Yesterday I was moving some hay,neighbor showes up, he has a problem. He started baling sat at noon, this is wed afternoon, he has only rolled 9 rolls. Baler would only make a 46in roll, net & twine would not work. Dealer's "baler mechanic" was there 5hrs mon, 8hrs tue, and already 4hrs wed. Changed monitors,wiring harness, several sensors. Still nothing would work. I didn't mess with it.

Will you bring your M&W baler over & bale my hay.Sure will, we loaded up the tractor & baler and off we went to the hay field. I rolled 89rolls for him. He filled my tractor with fuel & gave me 3boxes of string & wants to pay me $25.00 per roll,I don't want that much, just enough to cover my expences.

What should I do ? I am thinking go ahead and take the money and give most if not all of it to our church. They could put it to good use, expecially this time of year.

Oh yea, if I paid $31,000 for a 4x5 baler I would expect it to work good.

scrapiron


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

If he paid for the string and fuel I would not accept the full amount of cash, if I accepted any.
Helping a neighbor, especially one who is the same position to lend me a hand one day, is just part of being a neighbor to me. All of us have been in a bind and needed a hand.
It sounds like your neighbor is in a position to pay with out it breaking his bank. No all are that fortunate.
Good neighbors are priceless.


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## man of steel (Feb 1, 2010)

X2......................


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

Yep, ..X3................


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Scrapiron, the going rate in my area is $15 for a 5x5 1000# bale.

Here's the toughy: Balancing bale size vs $/bale vs your time vs friendship.

I custom bale occasionally and some people want the biggest, tightest bale I can make. Sometimes they have small, little windrows that take forever to make a bale. Sometimes, they have ground so rough you can only creep over it. Sometimes they're just real good people I like to help out.

And then there's some people who have stiffed me in the past that I find myself being already committed to doing something else when they come knocking. (First time a person messes with me is free. There is no second freebie.)

Ralph


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## ronald dansby (Jun 1, 2011)

If he is your neighbor an want a like wise relationship do not charge him anything,it will come back to you ten fold for it.I have never charged a nieghbor to help them out,if he is a good neighbor he will be there when you need him.He will cost you on the front end,but it will all work out down the road,but if he doesn't return the favor kick his ass to the curb.


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## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

If your shingle was already hung out as a custom operator and he knew it in advance, I would expect payment. If custom work is not your game and your helping a neighbor out, you let it go at that. That is the way we work it in our neighborhood, if it is your business you get paid.


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