Contracting price guide for a beginner

Oh, jakers, i see you've already started. Might not be too late to pull out though.country's polluted as it is with established lads at it, many of them on the bread line, if were to believe them.

Not a farmer at all, I just like some of the threads here.

I work in construction and I see it there to, lads getting big, needing more money to cover overheads etc. There's always room for a hard and smart (don't forget smart) working "small lad". I don't even like the term, it's like a negative. They say a jack of all trades is a master of none. The full saying is: a jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one. Now, your situation isn't about mastery however the "big lad" has gone all in and needs bigger numbers to make it work, you can tip around at the edges on a smaller scale and make good money for yerself.

As to what to charge, work out what it costs to have the machine on the road, diesel, wear and tear, depreciation, insurance, tax, etc and then yer own time. For example, are you paying a relief farmer/help (whatever the term is) to work your ground while your out contracting well then that's the base rate. Are ya an accountant? Well then that's the base cost rate. Basically figure out how to put a value on your time. That plus the running cost roughly bolded above would have you breaking even, then add a margin for yourself.

In the long term avoid getting diesel off farmers in drums and factor it in to your cost instead. Serious hassle in dirty diesel.

Absolutely.

If the topping was easy the farmer would do it himself.

Topping rushes @ €10 per acre is small money.

The responses so far in this thread proves something another chap wrote in here recently, basically the farmer will be happier paying the lad making no money😀

Roll-bar?