Diesel Prices - Contractor Charges

reps4

All,

not knocking contractors, its a tough business. we all need to make a buck but given that we always hear about increases in inputs on their side,

who thinks there will be a price reduction?

what %age of a round bale for example can be attributed to diesel costs.

i think the year of contaractors arriving with a full tank and leaving with one could become more common here, i believe its the norm up north.

Blackgrass

reps4 wrote: »

i think the year of contaractors arriving with a full tank and leaving with one could become more common here, i believe its the norm up north.

Not to knock this but most contractors gave this up around here due to unreliable fuel storage on farm playing havoc with very expensive engine parts due to emmisions etc..
Things like fuel stored forced for up to a year with no additive, water, old steel tanks flaking away with rust with no filter on tap end. 99 out of 100 might be grand but only takes one source to do damage.

Reggie.

reps4 wrote: »

All,

not knocking contractors, its a tough business. we all need to make a buck but given that we always hear about increases in inputs on their side,

who thinks there will be a price reduction?

what %age of a round bale for example can be attributed to diesel costs.

i think the year of contaractors arriving with a full tank and leaving with one could become more common here, i believe its the norm up north.

I couldn't see the prices dropping much as this should be a year where the contractors get a bit of breathing room and build up some funds.

Cavanjack

There was a breakdown of costs for a self propelled outfit in the journal last year. I think they worked out fuel costs of €20 an acre, so if fuel prices have fallen say 20% that's €4 an acre.

lakill Farm

Cavanjack wrote: »

There was a breakdown of costs for a self propelled outfit in the journal last year. I think they worked out fuel costs of €20 an acre, so if fuel prices have fallen say 20% that's €4 an acre.

repairs and maintenance on a self propelled is €10 an acres, a trailed is €3

My contractor last year (2013) increased his price from €8.50 to €9.00 for mow, bale and wrap. for previous 3 years it was €8.50. He invested in a new McHale 550 baler also in-between .

I would rather he didn't drop his price and keep up his good service . On 100 bales its €50. I get the grass mowed when I want, baled when I want. Gates shut, no damage, no pulling my bit of hair out wondering where he is.

last year I cut early and the lad on the wrapper took almost all the bales to the gate as wasn't to busy . saved me over an hour on drawing in time

fastrac

The only way to do a deal with your contractor and expect him to come back when you want him is payment on the day.

farmerjj

fastrac wrote: »

The only way to do a deal with your contractor and expect him to come back when you want him is payment on the day.

A lot of contractors don't like to be paid on the day,they prefer to get payment when the seasons over.I find it nearly impossible to pay them on the day

lakill Farm

farmerjj wrote: »

A lot of contractors don't like to be paid on the day,they prefer to get payment when the seasons over.I find it nearly impossible to pay them on the day

I pay my lad at the end of the month he does the work in. he could be 4 weeks or 4 days waiting.

He only called me once for payment. it was 3 months late. I thought herself had paid, and vice versa.

Reggie.

lakill Farm wrote: »

I pay my lad at the end of the month he does the work in. he could be 4 weeks or 4 days waiting.

He only called me once for payment. it was 3 months late. I thought herself had paid, and vice versa.

Hate when lads ring for money. I prefer a leaves the yard paid

Username John

lakill Farm wrote: »

I pay my lad at the end of the month he does the work in. he could be 4 weeks or 4 days waiting.

He only called me once for payment. it was 3 months late. I thought herself had paid, and vice versa.

I don't get much work done, but I paid bill before Christmas for work done in Oct. And I had to chase them numerous times to get a bill.

Another contractor did work for me about 3 years ago, I rang him numerous times to see had he the bill done, same response every time "ah, no, I'll do that the next wet day" I meet him every now and then and say it to him, and I still don't have a bill...

I dunno how they stay in business...

ganmo

farmerjj wrote: »

A lot of contractors don't like to be paid on the day,they prefer to get payment when the seasons over.I find it nearly impossible to pay them on the day

Why is that?
Dad would normally pay up as they're goin out the gate but one lad that we don't use much won't take it...and dad is convinced he never got paid some years.

lakill Farm

Reggie. wrote: »

Hate when lads ring for money. I prefer a leaves the yard paid

Ye but it often happens the boss mows and the 2 lads come to bale and wrap so boss isn't around anyway.

Local sand and gravel lad here is unreal to get a bill off. The soundest man I have ever dealt with. 10ton of washed gravel is €25

Reggie.

ganmo wrote: »

Why is that?
Dad would normally pay up as they're goin out the gate but one lad that we don't use much won't take it...and dad is convinced he never got paid some years.

Cos don't forget contractors wouldn't be getting much money in the winter so it's nice for bills to be paid around that time

Reggie.

lakill Farm wrote: »

Ye but it often happens the boss mows and the 2 lads come to bale and wrap so boss isn't around anyway.

Local sand and gravel lad here is unreal to get a bill off. The soundest man I have ever dealt with. 10ton of washed gravel is €25

Think I got sand off him not to long ago. Oldcastle direction is he

lakill Farm

Reggie. wrote: »

Think I got sand off him not to long ago. Oldcastle direction is he

Ye. sound man.

td5man

lakill Farm wrote: »

Ye. sound man.

TG?

lakill Farm

td5man wrote: »

TG?

Ye

Mulumpy

fastrac wrote:

The only way to do a deal with your contractor and expect him to come back when you want him is payment on the day.

I think my lad must be a bit of rarity. I pay him 3 times a year and even at that have to tell him to lodge it straight away. Used to be annoying cos he'd often leave the cheque til hes short a few bob and your least expecting it.

Reggie.

Mulumpy wrote: »

I think my lad must be a bit of rarity. I pay him 3 times a year and even at that have to tell him to lodge it straight away. Used to be annoying cos he'd often leave the cheque til hes short a few bob and your least expecting it.

Pay cash or bank draft the next time

Injuryprone

Contractors don't look for their money til December round here. Different contractors for pit, bales and slurry, they often all arrive on the same week. Owed pit contractor well over 10k last year as he did a nice bit of reclaimation and reseeding for me as well during the summer, thought for sure he'd be on earlier but no.

Reggie.

Injuryprone wrote: »

Contractors don't look for their money til December round here. Different contractors for pit, bales and slurry, they often all arrive on the same week. Owed pit contractor well over 10k last year as he did a nice bit of reclaimation and reseeding for me as well during the summer, thought for sure he'd be on earlier but no.

Christmas funds

sea12

Reggie. wrote: »

Christmas funds

I after calling into hedge cutter 4 times to get my bill and pay them. Keep saying don't have that but will ring u next week.

Was first time using him aswell as changed as other lad too hard to get.

J DEERE

Username John wrote: »

I don't get much work done, but I paid bill before Christmas for work done in Oct. And I had to chase them numerous times to get a bill.

Another contractor did work for me about 3 years ago, I rang him numerous times to see had he the bill done, same response every time "ah, no, I'll do that the next wet day" I meet him every now and then and say it to him, and I still don't have a bill...

I dunno how they stay in business...

Depends on what ya owe him. If you owed him 10k he wouldn't be waiting for a rainy day

AntrimGlens

reps4 wrote: »

All,

not knocking contractors, its a tough business. we all need to make a buck but given that we always hear about increases in inputs on their side,

who thinks there will be a price reduction?

.

My digger man is £3hr less now than he was six months ago for a 12T machine and tractor and dumper rate is down too.