Contractors

cz527

Thinking of starting up slurry contracting but not sure if it would work out.I've years and years of experience and I'd be starting small enuf tractor tank and agitator but is the country already to full of contractors

johndeere3350

Don't go spreading slurry then.
Find a niche market.
Is there many lads at spraying in your area?

stretch film

johndeere3350 wrote: »

Don't go spreading slurry then.
Find a niche market.
Is there many lads at spraying in your area?

Presume your thinking he quotes for complete spray job. Was brought up at a meeting recently about slow payment to contractors and how this would really squeeze cash flow .
Would require a change in mindset for many farmers.

cz527

Yes there is already 3 lads spraying in my area I would like to find a opening in the market for something but what I don't no I though slurry would be a esey money maker maybe I'm rong

Miname

cz527 wrote: »

Yes there is already 3 lads spraying in my area I would like to find a opening in the market for something but what I don't no I though slurry would be a esey money maker maybe I'm rong

I don't think slurry will make you up on its own. Most contractors have a few things going so as to balance out the workload over the year.

Bullocks

cz527 wrote: »

Yes there is already 3 lads spraying in my area I would like to find a opening in the market for something but what I don't no I though slurry would be a esey money maker maybe I'm rong

Mole ploughing? Don't know if there is any handy money in contracting really

Limestone Cowboy

Bullocks wrote: »

Mole ploughing? Don't know if there is any handy money in contracting really

Agreed on that. If you do happen to find a niche market it's guaranteed 5 more lads in your area will get the same machine aswell the following year.

yellow50HX

If your starting out in that game then I would say start with one thing then add on as you grow your business.

What do you have at the moment machinery wise or are any of the stuff you have at home suitable for contracting?

Neighbour of mine started off on his own a few years ago, only a young lad at the time but no fool. Bought himself a 150 hp tractor and started by drawing silage for a local contractor. Contractor supplied the trailer and diesel. In the authunm and spring he would use his tractor for work with tillage guys or other contractors. Following year he bought a mower and worked with 3 different contractors, he then got himself a slurry tank and agitator for the au them and spring outside of the silage. He slowly built up his business but usually only added one thing a year. After a few years he had to get a second and then 3rd tractor and actually start hiring lads for a few days here and there.

If I were you I start that way.i know most big outfits round here now consist of one main guy who might own the loader and harvester but would hire in the extra tractors for the season similar with tillage farmers who might only need someone for a few weeks in spring and authunm.

I would start that way any. Start with a tractor and sub contractor your self out then see where the markets are and add piece by piece.

cz527

Very true never though of that.could have a few things going on thru the year to keep the work going but nothing to big as ill only be starting out and if it didn't work out for me I don't won't to be to deep in it like I'll have the tank and agitator for my oven farm if it didn't work but don't won't to have a hole load of things and no work for them

9935452

cz527 wrote: »

Thinking of starting up slurry contracting but not sure if it would work out.I've years and years of experience and I'd be starting small enuf tractor tank and agitator but is the country already to full of contractors

There is a lad local to me who took up spreading slurry and is getting on really well , getting loads of work. its the only thing he does
Most contractors will spend the next month caught up in silage and wont have time for slurry. This lad is available the moment the silage is cut but he has 2 2500 gallon tanks on the road and is working morning noon and night .
He can go into a farmer with both tanks and work all hours and move a lot of slurry.
If you go in with a small tank it could annoy farmers as you would be at jobs for 5 or 6 days when a lad like this would finish after 2 days

johndeere3350

stretch film wrote:

Presume your thinking he quotes for complete spray job. Was brought up at a meeting recently about slow payment to contractors and how this would really squeeze cash flow . Would require a change in mindset for many farmers.

stretch film wrote:

Presume your thinking he quotes for complete spray job. Was brought up at a meeting recently about slow payment to contractors and how this would really squeeze cash flow . Would require a change in mindset for many farmers.

Ah it does but there's away around it.
I offer a discount on payment going out the gate it suits me and suits the farmer.
Waiting until Christmas is not on.

cz527 wrote:

Yes there is already 3 lads spraying in my area I would like to find a opening in the market for something but what I don't no I though slurry would be a esey money maker maybe I'm rong

There isn't much things there's handy money at unfortunately.
Here's a couple of tips.
You don't need the newest and best gear.
Don't work cheap you will never be respected for it you will only get the farms no one else wants to do.
Idealy you need to be on and off the farm in a day. Ypur just and inconvenience to a farmer around the place.
Work around them too many contractors for years had the attitude that the farmer should be Greatfull that there comming to work for them.
Biggest tip of all your only as good as your word and your worst man.

I started contracting wrapping bales for a farmer about 200 of them a year.
I bought a small square baler after that and it kinda snowballed from there.
Don't be afraid to diversify into other areas once you get going once you get to the end of one rainbow there will always be some other direction to go in.

IH784man

Most contractors who are spreading and lifting silage at the same time would be reluctant to hook up the slurry tanker in the middle of silage season for a couple of loads,start with your slurry taker and look about a trailing shoe for it mabey.

johndeere3350

IH784man wrote:

Most contractors who are spreading and lifting silage at the same time would be reluctant to hook up the slurry tanker in the middle of silage season for a couple of loads,start with your slurry taker and look about a trailing shoe for it mabey.

Why would they be reluctant to do that??
Sure if it's only a few loads they would have it done In no time.
Any jobs we have to slurry the tractor and tank is there the same time as the lads drawing the bales
It's not all about grass as some lads get a bit carried away.
Anyway I'd be looking away from silage as a start it's a crammed market and your going to have to show something really unique to shine out at it.
The trailing shoe is a good idea I tink it will become law at some stage.
The slurry has to be pure water for it.
We have most lads into the habit now of a few 6k gallon loads of pig slurry before we even go near the tanks.
Even if you thought you'd have good customer Base at slurry get a tank with the trailing shoe brackets on it you will be already ahead of the rest then.
If you could get lads into the habit of giving you notice before they want you it would be great.
Just a call or a text to say might cut my silage next week it makes organisation alot easier.
Nothing worse than getting a call and a man expecting you to be on in an hour or two.
Someone mentioned there if you got something that was rare in the area next year there would be 5 around.
I wouldn't worry about that.
For 90% of people won't change unless you piss them off

davidk1394

cz527 wrote: »

Thinking of starting up slurry contracting but not sure if it would work out.I've years and years of experience and I'd be starting small enuf tractor tank and agitator but is the country already to full of contractors

I decided to start contracting last year. Its not very big but it's enough to keep me going. We only have a 70 hp tractor but i had a baler and decided to buy a wrapper and i hired in another tractor but i drove it. Theres 4 different baling contractors within a mile of me but i still got work and on a few busy days i got a phone call off a neighbour who was flat out baling and got a few of his jobs. Now this year i have a tractor bought and demoing a baler. I branched out into different jobs like cleaning out sheds dumper work and put my name out for drawing silage if there stuck. If i was you I'd go for it set a price that is fair and you make money.

_Brian

Quad and good weedlicker would compliment slurry spreading well.

Carrigogunnell

Agree with johndeere3350 I think is going that come in that it will be trailing shoe only even so it's getting bigger now with fertiliser prices high farmers want to get more value out of slurry. Wat about a mulcher for rushes was actually half thinking of it myself or even a zero grazer ul never know till u have especially with weather like this.

frazzledhome

cz527 wrote: »

Thinking of starting up slurry contracting but not sure if it would work out.I've years and years of experience and I'd be starting small enuf tractor tank and agitator but is the country already to full of contractors

I wish you all the best as we need more contractors to keep work done.

One question you must ask though, do you know any contractor who has retired a wealthy man?

johndeere3350

I was wealthiest before I started.
I have no dream to be wealthy Id like to have a business that's well able to keep itself going and I'd like to take an average wage from it.
Some lads would begrudge you that alright but I wouldn't bother entertaining them.

AP2014

johndeere3350 wrote: »

I was wealthiest before I started.
I have no dream to be wealthy Id like to have a business that's well able to keep itself going and I'd like to take an average wage from it.
Some lads would begrudge you that alright but I wouldn't bother entertaining them.

Ya won't get rich but as long as you enjoy it and it gets food on the table that's the main thing. Too many rich miserable fellas in jobs they don't like, keeping going for the new car and keeping up with the neighbours.

johndeere3350

Question for farmers on here do they see the contractor doing more and more?
I'd begrudge no man doing his own work alot of lads do

Greengrass1

johndeere3350 wrote: »

Question for farmers on here do they see the contractor doing more and more?
I'd begrudge no man doing his own work alot of lads do

Yep ill be getting contractor in more over next yrs to take on jobs we always do ourselves. Likes of silage and dung.
I like doing the fert so will keep doing that myself

mahoney_j

johndeere3350 wrote: »

Question for farmers on here do they see the contractor doing more and more?
I'd begrudge no man doing his own work alot of lads do

Yep definitely as I expand cow nos don't want money tied up in machinery..as it is 85% slurry contracted and will continue that and probably more,spring fertiliser fully contracted out till April ,all reseeding ,silage bar paddocks for bales ,tedding and drawing in bales same .priority given to stock and grassland management

frazzledhome

johndeere3350 wrote: »

Question for farmers on here do they see the contractor doing more and more?
I'd begrudge no man doing his own work alot of lads do

No question, when calving here contractor does it all. Rest of time we mow tedd and push up silage. That bit gives huge savings here. We do less than half slurry ourselves and about 75% of cattle haulage

Timmaay

I'd consider contracting utterly everything, including winter feeder etc.

Capercaillie

There is a big niche for an honest contractor.

Greengrass1

Capercaillie wrote: »

There is a big niche for an honest contractor.

Don't get what ye mean? Around here there very decent from what dealings we have with them any way. Try pay when they finish job or within 30 days. I wouldn't like it if my milk cheque was late

Reggie.

Pity I ain't near you big dairy boys

johndeere3350

I tink there is a market for a honest contractor. As I said previously for many years you were to be Greatfull that the contractor would come to you.
There's big contractors out there that want the whole cake and there own flavour.
Infairness we have expanded alot in the last two years. We doubled up on all the gear. And stopped going after work.
There's no point in letting lads down I never set out to be like that.
I tink if your fair with a man 95% of the time his going to remember it and he will be back to you.

frazzledhome

Top tip for a contractor, shut the phuckin gaps after you.

2 gone from here for that reason. Send a guy down the paddocks to do a job and have wires set up for cows opens gap doesn't close, cows everywhere. Annoying

johndeere3350

frazzledhome wrote:

Top tip for a contractor, shut the phuckin gaps after you.

frazzledhome wrote:

2 gone from here for that reason. Send a guy down the paddocks to do a job and have wires set up for cows opens gap doesn't close, cows everywhere. Annoying

That and don't tell johnny down the road what the last lad was like.

Greengrass1

johndeere3350 wrote: »

I tink there is a market for a honest contractor. As I said previously for many years you were to be Greatfull that the contractor would come to you.
There's big contractors out there that want the whole cake and there own flavour.
Infairness we have expanded alot in the last two years. We doubled up on all the gear. And stopped going after work.
There's no point in letting lads down I never set out to be like that.
I tink if your fair with a man 95% of the time his going to remember it and he will be back to you.

That I agree with. The only reason dad ended up with gear was because his own cousins wouldn't do the work. Wanting to bale hay at 8 in the morning. Attitude was well bale it now or I won't be back for a week. Local lads are good I must say give em a few days notice and they come when they say

keep going

frazzledhome wrote: »

Top tip for a contractor, shut the phuckin gaps after you.

2 gone from here for that reason. Send a guy down the paddocks to do a job and have wires set up for cows opens gap doesn't close, cows everywhere. Annoying

One local guy has a nice habit of thanking you for the work, costs him nothing and definitely helps his pr

Capercaillie

Greengrass1 wrote: »

Don't get what ye mean? Around here there very decent from what dealings we have with them any way. Try pay when they finish job or within 30 days. I wouldn't like it if my milk cheque was late

Last year a neighboring farmer took the silage. Farmer organised the contractor and I supervised. The meadows had to be cut centre-out and slow. Contractor seemed to be doing grand so went up to the shop. When I was returning he was racing around the field. A cheeky bastard after me asking him to mow slow. Nearly lost my grant over it.

Fertilizing last year a different contractor didn't spread the whole lot of the fertiliser. Kept some for himself. 3 acres got nothing.

Always pay on the day, never run a bill.

Dawggone

Capercaillie wrote: »

Nearly lost my grant over it.

Is it fair to ask how did you nearly lose the grant?

I'm presuming it's a
callows grant for Corncrake?

Reggie.

Capercaillie wrote: »

Last year a neighboring farmer took the silage. Farmer organised the contractor and I supervised. The meadows had to be cut centre-out and slow. Contractor seemed to be doing grand so went up to the shop. When I was returning he was racing around the field. A cheeky bastard after me asking him to mow slow. Nearly lost my grant over it.

Fertilizing last year a different contractor didn't spread the whole lot of the fertiliser. Kept some for himself. 3 acres got nothing.

Always pay on the day, never run a bill.

Cheeky bastards

Capercaillie

Dawggone wrote: »

Is it fair to ask how did you nearly lose the grant?

I'm presuming it's a
callows grant for Corncrake?

In Mayo, but the same corncrake grant. If the fieldworker was there when he was mowing like that I would have lost the grant. Worse he could have killed corncrake as well.

Dawggone

Capercaillie wrote: »

In Mayo, but the same corncrake grant. If the fieldworker was there when he was mowing like that I would have lost the grant. Worse he could have killed corncrake as well.

"If".
No harm done. Hire a contractor that will do as asked. Be prepared to pay extra, because you are.

farmerjj

Dawggone wrote: »

"If".
No harm done. Hire a contractor that will do as asked. Be prepared to pay extra, because you are.

Why would he pay extra?

Dawggone

farmerjj wrote: »

Why would he pay extra?

Less efficient work and more time consuming.
Contractors are not semi state bodies you know.

farmerjj

Dawggone wrote: »

Less efficient work and more time consuming.
Contractors are not semi state bodies you know.

Once he tells the contractor when he's booking him that he needs to slow it down a bit when cutting I could not see any extra charge.

darragh_haven

farmerjj wrote: »

Once he tells the contractor when he's booking him that he needs to slow it down a bit when cutting I could not see any extra charge.

But does the contractor then say "because I'm going slower, I'll have to charge you €30/acre instead of €25/acre" I think he'd have to!

farmerjj

darragh_haven wrote: »

But does the contractor then say "because I'm going slower, I'll have to charge you €30/acre instead of €25/acre" I think he'd have to!

If he does and the farmers happy then that's ok, but I wouldn't except it a lot of contractors would be happy with the work

kevthegaff

I had lads doing the silage a few years ago, anyway giving out about everything (didnt like taking orders from a young lad!) Wouldnt cut as was too dangerous! Cousin used to draw with a 16ft trailer and 78hp 2wd and these lads had 150hp+ yokes, anyway changed to another lad. Silage lads take ye for granted when your straight, dont thsnk you for the dinner, lazy covering pit, littering the list goes on and on.. Never had trouble with lads bailing etc

Capercaillie

darragh_haven wrote: »

But does the contractor then say "because I'm going slower, I'll have to charge you €30/acre instead of €25/acre" I think he'd have to!

I couldn't sell the silage. I gave it away on condition of slow/centre-out mowing and the farmer would aftergraze my meadows with cattle. He did neither.

Dawggone

Capercaillie wrote: »

I couldn't sell the silage. I gave it away on condition of slow/centre-out mowing and the farmer would aftergraze my meadows with cattle. He did neither.

Totally different business deal.
Offload.

Capercaillie

johndeere3350 wrote: »

I tink there is a market for a honest contractor. As I said previously for many years you were to be Greatfull that the contractor would come to you.
There's big contractors out there that want the whole cake and there own flavour.
Infairness we have expanded alot in the last two years. We doubled up on all the gear. And stopped going after work.
There's no point in letting lads down I never set out to be like that.
I tink if your fair with a man 95% of the time his going to remember it and he will be back to you.

If i could get an honest lad, he would get the work for ever. Wouldn't mind paying more for it either.

mayota

kevthegaff wrote: »

I had lads doing the silage a few years ago, anyway giving out about everything (didnt like taking orders from a young lad!) Wouldnt cut as was too dangerous! Cousin used to draw with a 16ft trailer and 78hp 2wd and these lads had 150hp+ yokes, anyway changed to another lad. Silage lads take ye for granted when your straight, dont thsnk you for the dinner, lazy covering pit, littering the list goes on and on.. Never had trouble with lads bailing etc

Id love to see them hills, you must be a bit crazy to work them!

johndeere3350

Capercaillie wrote:

If i could get an honest lad, he would get the work for ever. Wouldn't mind paying more for it either.

I wouldn't see why you should have go pay more.
Were all out there to make money no matter what walk of life you come from.
There's contractors out there who are brilliant with machinery but terrible at running a business and with customer relations.
The carry on of spreading fertiliser and keeping it is a joke.
Jasus some lads get it awful.

Now Infairness some farmers are hard deal with too.
Some lads would just break you up.
One man rings here for the silage.
All he says is will you cut next week when you have a chance.
You know the feilds and you know where I stack them.It's a gift

I would like if lads would cut back bushes and low hanging branches.
No need to be breaking beacons and mirrors.
And I like comming into a place that has the gates hanging and latching.
Pallets tied together with baling twine should be outlawed.
Might seem a bit harsh but surely alot of gates in farms are a safety risk and should be part of the inspections?
There's an opening for you OP going around in the winter or quite season hanging gets properly and fencing

Limestone Cowboy

mayota wrote: »

Id love to see them hills, you must be a bit crazy to work them!

Was going to a match in Thurles a few weeks ago and about half way between Nenagh and Thurles there is a hill on the left hand side of the road that was burnt off. Id be slow about walking it let alone bringing a tractor on it! Is it yours kev

davidk1394

Im starting out myself this year so i decided i will take all ye're advice onboard. Just a quick question. I have a tractor on long term lease and if i get a job hauling bales i have to hire in a friends tractor to do stacking and hauling as well because the digger wouldn't be quick on the road. I'll be providing the trailers for the jobs. Anyway what is a fair price per hour ?? I was thinking €30 its a 100hp tractor he will drive it fill it with diesel and i provide the trailers. What do ye think ??

kevthegaff

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

Was going to a match in Thurles a few weeks ago and about half way between Nenagh and Thurles there is a hill on the left hand side of the road that was burnt off. Id be slow about walking it let alone bringing a tractor on it! Is it yours kev

bobby ryan tipp hurler, im 3 miles as the crow flies, I have alot higher ones then that!!