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Has anyone ever traded work for anything other than money?

Vetech63

Vetech63

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2016
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6,440
Location
Oklahoma
I did one time years ago and ended up with a Dresser TD8 dozer. I ended up doing some small repairs on it and turning it for my money +.
I'm currently doing some A/C work for my neighbor who has a small construction company...........but he also is a rancher. I was thinking about doing a partial trade out for a cow..............yes, I said a COW. ;) It would be strictly for butchering and the wife seems ok with it as long as she never "meets/meats" the cow.
 
Tyler d4c

Tyler d4c

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
1,829
Location
Salix Pa
Call me what you like but she'd be meeting the cow or one like it. On night at the supper table we where eating away and mom says that Currly tasted pretty good my sister was pretty buddy's with curtly the bull. Needless to say 3 of use are died of laughter and sis was flying off the handle.
 
T

terex herder

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2017
Messages
1,804
Location
Kansas
You don't want a cow unless you want to turn it all into hamburger. And thats a lot of hamburger. Also, check with the local processor you plan to use to both check out the schedule and cost. A whole beef is to much meat for anything less than a family of 15. It will get old long before it gets eaten, and do you have two freezers to use to store all your beef?
 
CM1995

CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
13,378
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
I traded a nice size project for a local landowner/developer that also owns a flooring and furniture store. When the wife and I build our new house we pretty much have all the hardwoods and tile paid for. Wife is hoping some of the credit is left over for furniture..:D

Friend of mine raises grass fed cattle and we ordered a 1/4 cow several years ago. Wife and I didn't care for the gameyness of the steaks but the hamburger was fantastic.
 
John C.

John C.

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Jun 11, 2007
Messages
12,870
Location
Northwest
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Machinery & Equipment Appraiser
In years past I had to do that to get paid once in awhile. One customer owed me and had a burned out excavator. I got some components from the excavator for what was owed and rebuild and sold them for a decent profit. When I was starting out I would at times trade overtime for tools that I needed. You do need to be careful about trading though. I have dealt with people that seem to think later on that you still owe them, for the rest of their life.
 
B

Birken Vogt

Charter Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2003
Messages
5,324
Location
Grass Valley, Ca
I knew one guy who would trade work like this, but he wanted you to give him "a deal" on the underlying assumed rate and then he would also assume "a deal" on his rate and then the two would offset. He was very honest and trustworthy but I would say "unclear on the concept". The deal/deal thing just made figuring the value of the trade unnecessarily complicated.
 
673moto

673moto

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2019
Messages
320
Location
NorCal
Occupation
Slacker
The barter system is my jam. ... things I’ve gotten in trade for work:
7.3 f250
‘71 chevelle
Bobcat t180
Mountain bike
5.9 Dodge Ram
35 series mini excavator

I’m usually cash poor... but I got the skills to haggle for stuff.
Works out great... I’m working part time for now until the kids are older so I knock out side projects for random stuff I need
 
JPV

JPV

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Joined
Aug 20, 2015
Messages
756
Location
S.W. Washington
crane operator said:
I don't want to talk about it.
Click to expand...

Now you got to, you know how us inquiring minds are!
I trade a lot of work for all kinds of stuff, works out great. A farmer friend of mine makes excellent summer sausage and brats and pepperoni, he keeps me stalked up and I jump when he calls, same with my neighbor who is great at catching salmon and smoking it!
 
C

cuttin edge

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
Messages
2,736
Location
NB Canada
Occupation
Finish grader operator
The company I'm at used to take land for payment. They have property all over the place. Worked with a fella who was a brick layer. Did a chimney and some work on a fella's house years ago, and the guy gave him a bunch of waterfront. It wasn't worth much then, but in the last few years, he has sold it for $80,000 for 1 acre building lots. Said he sold all 12 lots. Took a while, but that's a good payday for some brick work.
 
CM1995

CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
13,378
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
cuttin edge said:
The company I'm at used to take land for payment. They have property all over the place. Worked with a fella who was a brick layer. Did a chimney and some work on a fella's house years ago, and the guy gave him a bunch of waterfront. It wasn't worth much then, but in the last few years, he has sold it for $80,000 for 1 acre building lots. Said he sold all 12 lots. Took a while, but that's a good payday for some brick work.
Click to expand...

I'd trade moving dirt for land depending on the circumstances.
 
C

cuttin edge

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Joined
Nov 9, 2014
Messages
2,736
Location
NB Canada
Occupation
Finish grader operator
CM1995 said:
I'd trade moving dirt for land depending on the circumstances.
Click to expand...
One of the key materials here for building is sandstone. Our asphalt plant has a sandstone pit, but it is really coarse. Ok for fill, but every year they bring the jaw crusher in, probably doing it now actually, and put up a pile for the summer. The lower end of the property, can't be accessed from the plant yard, but it has nice fine sandstone. Problem is that it is in a residential area. We sneak some material out every now and then, but then the neighbors complain. They are always on the look out for property with clean sandstone so it doesn't always have to come from the plant. Digging out of the pit is cheaper than the crushed stuff. Some of the land they were traded years ago were used for gravel, but most gravel is crushed on government owned land now. Our quarry is on a 99 year lease, and I think one of the larger gravel pits is on crown land as well. I used to put the neighbors winter wood in for ice cream when I was a kid.
 
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