how to price a job using a harly rake

[bjs]

ive got a couple of jobs needing a harly rake. not had the chance to use one yet. i have a john deere 333d high flow 2011 cab heat air. so how do i give prices out to customers ? ive been in lawn care and purchised this any help would b great thanks.

 

[Steve Frazier]

I calculated my work at $150/hr, machine plus attachment. They don't clean up as quickly as you see on their videos, I generally made 3 passes to get where I wanted, both with grading and stone removal. Around here most lawns are 1 to 2 acres, I could prep them in a day and a half. Make a deep pass, about 4" to grade and bring the rocks to the top. Then make another pass another about an inch deep to grade again and get most of the rocks cleaned off. Then make a final pass just skimming the top of the soil, you should just see s little light under the rotating bar. This will get the last of the stones up and leave a finish you'll hardly have to touch before seeding.

I found it more productive to keep the end boxes on rather than try to windrow, it just seems to work better.

 

[TomG]

I calculated my work at $150/hr, machine plus attachment. They don't clean up as quickly as you see on their videos, I generally made 3 passes to get where I wanted, both with grading and stone removal. Around here most lawns are 1 to 2 acres, I could prep them in a day and a half. Make a deep pass, about 4" to grade and bring the rocks to the top. Then make another pass another about an inch deep to grade again and get most of the rocks cleaned off. Then make a final pass just skimming the top of the soil, you should just see s little light under the rotating bar. This will get the last of the stones up and leave a finish you'll hardly have to touch before seeding.

I found it more productive to keep the end boxes on rather than try to windrow, it just seems to work better.

10-4 on that. I agree 100%. I will add that I have found that if you go all the same direction for the first 2 passes then for the final, go across the direction of the first two it really helps to level out the yard. I see people all the time around me going over an area 5, 6+ times, 3 is really the max for me. There is defiantly a correct way of using a harley rake... and not necessarily a wrong way but a way less efficient way.

 

[bjs]

thank you so much this will help tremendously . buy the way is there a min on this attachment or no

 

[Steve Frazier]

I ran a half day minimum, by the time you transport to a job, complete the job and move to the next, you've burned up haf a day even if the job took only 20 minutes.

 

[KSSS]

I would consider getting a scarifier attachment or make one yourself. Especially in the Fall when the ground gets harder. The scarifier is worth its weight in gold. You can break up the ground first with the ripper than hit it with the Harley rake. Makes life much easier on the rock rake. I dont use a Harley but a Preparator but the concept is the same. I also have the best luck by going 90 degress to my last pass direction. There are numerous other tricks you pick up. It is not an attachment that you just hook up to and go, and get the best performance out of it. It takes some technique which takes some time on the attachment to develop.

 

[bjs]

thank you ksss i will b in training alot this helps so much

 

[Jim Dandy]

Maybe I am not charging enough but I charge $125/day for the harley rake plus the hourly rate of the machine that it is attached to. I charge $80/hr for the John Deere 332. James River Equipment charges 125/day rental rate and I just copied that.

 

[dloiselle]

The above rates sound fair. One of the best things I found with mine, first pass is in reverse. If you have the carbide tips, it will tear the h&ll out of the ground. As was mentioned, you want to get deep into the soil. As for the box ends, I prefer to have them on, just fully winged out. It will carry a tremendous amount of debris.

 

[Hokiesmokes]

I'm bidding a job now for a guy that I'm considering either a harley rake or a rock hound. The builder spread the subgrade material to finish elevation, left me no room to cover up the debris. There are chunks of concrete, rock and bricks. I'm wondering if the harley rake would work on this? It's close quarters too, no room to do a 90 degree pass to finish, but big enough area that I'm not gonna hand work it. I've not worked with one before myself, the only other option is to excavate the material and start over with clean fill, which I want to avoid.

 

[Jim Dandy]

My harly rake when attached to my JD 332 will deal with bricks and chunks of rock and concrete up to a little bigger than softball size especially if the debris is not packed into the soil. If I hook the rake up to my little new holland LS 160 it doesn't turn the drum as fast and does not do as well. If you can rent one and see what you think. But I have no regrets about buying mine. It is a back saver and time saver.