Contractor charges: Our guide for 2010

This year’s contractor price guide reflects lower fuel costs but higher machinery purchase costs.


It was compiled by the National Association of Agricultural Contractors, which used the figures sent in by members around the UK.


“You get what you pay for” is a common quote and it applies just as well to land-based contractors as any other business.


“You would say that,” I hear you cry, “you’re just protecting the interests of NAAC members”. True – however in reality if you pay rock-bottom prices it is highly likely you will get rock-bottom service.


Think about it. How can a contractor who has not costed a job properly in terms of labour, fuel, insurance, machinery, depreciation and time really expect to provide you with a sustainable high-quality service?


It may be tempting to take the cheapest option or pull in a favour from a neighbour, but what happens if things don’t go to plan? Who is covered by insurance? Is it you? Let’s face it – accidents do happen and you need to check that you are covered.


You are, after all, placing your business (and potential profits) in your contractor’s hands and it is vital that you get a reliable service.


Like your own business, it costs your contractor money to retain trained, competent staff, keep machinery well maintained and up-to-date and make sure that standards of safety are upheld. In fact these costs probably represent the reasons you are considering a contractor.


Jill-HewittJill Hewitt
Chief executive
NAAC


 


 


 


 


 


 


This year’s contractor rates


The figures for 2009/10 in the table below are only a guide, but do give an indication of the current market price.


They have been drawn up from a range of charges sent in by NAAC members from all over the UK. Boiling the range down into a single figure inevitably hides the quite large variations that occur. The figures do, however, include fuel.


There will inevitably be some regional variation and the quote you get from your local contractor may vary, but this gives you a ball-park figure.


In addition, rates will depend on the type of land and the specific terms of the individual job to be completed (eg size of field, distance travelled etc).





NAAC CONTRACTORS’ CHARGES FOR 2009/2010


These are the middle prices surveyed from NAAC members but the actual price may vary considerably between regions, soil types, distance travelled, size of contract undertaken, size and type of equipment used, amount of product applied etc. These prices are only a guide.



















































































































































































































































































OPERATION


COST
£/acre
(unless otherwise stated)


Ploughing – light land


18.80


Ploughing – heavy land


20.50


Add for furrow press


2.60


Deep ploughing (over 30cm)


22.85


Rotavating (ploughed land/ grass)


23.75


Sub-soiling – conventional


20.00


Sub-soiling – flatlift


18.00


Mole-ploughing – single leg


27.50


Mole-ploughing – twin leg


30.25


Stubble cultivating


12.25


Heavy disc cultivating


16.15


Disc harrowing


12.85


Power harrowing


15.60


Spring-tined cultivating


8.30


Seedbed harrowing


8.20


Pressing


9.40


Rolling – flat (grassland)


8.60


Rolling – ring (seedbeds)


5.50


Fertiliser spreading – spinner


4.15


Fertiliser spreading – liquid


5.15


Cereal drilling – conventional


13.70


Cereal drilling – combi-drilling


20.00


Cereal drilling – direct drilling


17.20


One-pass tillage train


21.20


Rape drilling with flatlift/subsoiler


24.75


Grass seed (broadcast)


7.40


Sugar beet/fodder beet drilling


17.40


Maize precision drilling (including fertiliser)


17.85


De-stoning potato land


77.50


Potato ridging


20.50


Spraying


4.40


Extra if less than 50 acres


95p


ATV spraying


8.00


Slug pelleting


2.80


Combining cereals


31.40


Extra for straw chopper on combine


2.40


Extra for seeding (Autocast)


6.00


Grain carting to store (per hour)


29.00


Straw chopping (separate operation)


13.75


Oilseed rape harvesting – windrowing


18.00


Oilseed rape harvesting – combining out of windrow


32.40


Oilseed rape harvesting – direct combining


33.10


Combining peas


32.50


Combining beans


32.60


Combining grain maize


40.00


Baling (per bale) – small


44p


Baling (per bale) – 80cm x 70cm


3.00


Baling (per bale) – 120cm x 70cm


3.95


Baling (per bale) – 120cm x 130cm


5.30


Baling (per bale) – large round


2.30


Bale-wrapping (per bale) – silage


4.80


Bale-wrapping (per bale) – haylage


5.10


Potato harvesting – 2-row unmanned excluding carting


235.00


Potato harvesting – 2-row manned including carting


395.00


Sugar beet harvesting


90.00


Extra for carting


14.00


Chain harrowing


6.55


Grass mowing


10.35


Grass topping


10.00


Set-aside mowing


10.75


Swath turning/tedding


5.60


Forage harvesting – harvesting only – first cut


24.00


Forage harvesting – harvesting only – other cuts


22.00


Forage harvesting – harvesting, carting and ensiling – first cut


45.30


Forage harvesting – harvesting, carting and ensiling – other cuts


43.40


Forage wagon


19.00


Maize harvesting inc carting and ensiling


59.25


FYM spreading – tractor and spreader (£/hour)


36.00


FYM spreading – tractor and loader (£/hour)


30.20


Slurry spreading – tanker (£/hour)


35.75


Slurry spreading – umbilical (£/hour)


58.40


Slurry injection (£/hour)


51.75


Hedge cutting (£/hour) – flail


28.60


Hedge cutting (£/hour) – saw-blade


40.90


Hedge laying (£/metre run)


11.50


Fence erection – post and wire inc wire (£/metre run)


4.20


Fence erection – post and netting inc wire (£/metre run)


5.00


Fence erection – post and rail inc wood (£/metre run)


12.00


Lime spreading £/t)


3.95


Ditching 360deg digger (£/hour)


32.90


Tractor and trailer plus operator (£/hour)


30.00


Tractor plus operator (£/hour)


27.00


Sheep dipping (£/head) – with chemicals


0.85


Sheep jetting/ showering (£/head) – with chemicals


0.75


Sheep shearing (£/head) – ewes


1.35


Sheep shearing (£/head) – rams


2.80


Sheep crutching (£/head)


0.60


Foot trimming – sheep (£/head)


0.65


Livestock husbandry – sheep (£/hour)


12.00

Need a contractor?

Find one now