Does anyone detail Farm Equipment?

[roberthathaway7]

Anyone out there detailing farm equipment? I am thinking about worming my way into that as a supplemental winter income for my lawn/landscape business. There are a lot of small farms going out of business/into retirement selling out, and usually in Jan/Feb/march for tax purposes. I could spend all winter detailing their equipment out for the sale if they were so interested. I am doing my uncle's tractors for his retirement sale right now, which is where I got the idea. Thing about farmers is- they all show up. And they all look at your work. And they all talk. So I'm hoping to get a phone call or too. I was wondering if there's anyone here I can get connected with for a little advice on a business model and technique?

[roberthathaway7]

That was the abbreviated version, might as well copy and paste my first attempt at this topic in a different part of the site..

Hello! First post! This looks like an amazing forum. I've been on a few other types of forums for other topics, and this is what the internet is for, sharing info and helping each other! Can't beat a good, friendly forum. Now on to my question...

I own a lawn/landscape business, and am always scheming for some off-season work ideas. Right now I cut firewood: good hard work, lots of fun, not much money. One day I hope to be able to streamline that activity, run it as lean and productively as possible and notch it back just enough so I can relieve some stress running the chainsaw, and sell enough premium wood so that I can afford to give the soft wood away through food banks and such around here. I hate waste, and I see soft maples chopped down and ditchline wood dozed down/piled and burnt too much with too many people in need of heat that can't afford it.

If you want to cut to the chase, start reading here:

Sorry, I'm bad about getting off on bunny trails, I need my own little emoticon for that. What I am looking at now is detailing farm equipment. I used to detail vehicles here and there, and did a pretty respectible job for a guy with a waterhose, a shop-vac, and a bucket of goodies. That was a few years back, but my uncle called me the other day to "clean" the tractors because he's about to have an auction in Feb to liquidate the farm equipment since he's retiring. So I said yes.

He had a guy with a hot water high pressure system who cleans heavy equipment for a living come in and clean the outside. That's a whole other thing that I wouldn't have a chance at without a huge investment. BUT- I started on these tractors, and couldn't stop. He walked up the the first one I did and was sort of blown away. I don't mess around. I'm sure that there are people out there that do a lot better job than I did, but he was expecting me to just kick out the mud and clean the windows apparently. "I guess this is gonna cost me huh?" "It might" "Well, that's fine, do the rest just like it".

Then I got to thinking... I wonder if I could do this a little in the winter? Does anyone out there detail farm equipment? I would have a lot of questions about the best way to go about it, from business model, to how to's. I would fore-go the powerwashing and contract it out to a buddy of mine who contracts large-equipment cleaning, but do the outside final wash/wax and detail out the inside. It's a beast with all the dust and mud, but I'm not afraid of it.

I know the markets are going to be different everywhere. We still have a lot of little farms around here who wouldn't hire this sort of thing out every year, but there are some big farms that like to look good who would, and my biggest expectation is to work on equipment that is about to be sold. Most farmers probably trust their farm hands to knock the dust off and kick the mud out, but when it comes to selling a $20,000-$200,000 item, sometimes they would probably be willing to pony up the cash. And farmers talk, boy do they talk. Do one good job this year, get two next year, get 4 the next.

Any thoughts on any of this? Sorry about the long read!

[Kevin Cullen]

Could be done. I know that Richie Bros. auctions do a good business doing this for there sales. They blast and paint as well though. One issue that may come into play is the size of heated shop you would need if the owner does not have one, say of you were going to do a tandem grain truck. Other than that you don't know if the idea will work until the word gets out. I would go to farm auctions and equipment spring and fall sales and have a look at the equipment to see what kind of shape it is being presented in.

[roberthathaway7]

Thanks kevin!

[PERFECTIONPLUS]

I do my fair share of farm equipment as well, there pretty tough to do but pay well. I offer them several different packages from a simple knock the dirt off and steam clean all the way up to full repaints.

The thing about farmers is they understand there equipment is taking a beating all the time , so they dont expect perfection they just want a the best bang you can give them for there buck. alot of times i just pressure there rigs scrub it down , then do a quick rattle can touch up on there motor area and other noticeable areas and there more than satisfied. If they have newer rigs that they want you to maintain (applying wax, doing windows etc) thats where your hourly rate comes in to play.

If you need some advice on anything else let me know. hope this helps.

[SuperiorAutoLLC]

I do my fair share of farm equipment as well, there pretty tough to do but pay well. I offer them several different packages from a simple knock the dirt off and steam clean all the way up to full repaints.

The thing about farmers is they understand there equipment is taking a beating all the time , so they dont expect perfection they just want a the best bang you can give them for there buck. alot of times i just pressure there rigs scrub it down , then do a quick rattle can touch up on there motor area and other noticeable areas and there more than satisfied. If they have newer rigs that they want you to maintain (applying wax, doing windows etc) thats where your hourly rate comes in to play.

If you need some advice on anything else let me know. hope this helps.

Well said!

[roberthathaway7]

I do my fair share of farm equipment as well, there pretty tough to do but pay well. I offer them several different packages from a simple knock the dirt off and steam clean all the way up to full repaints.

The thing about farmers is they understand there equipment is taking a beating all the time , so they dont expect perfection they just want a the best bang you can give them for there buck. alot of times i just pressure there rigs scrub it down , then do a quick rattle can touch up on there motor area and other noticeable areas and there more than satisfied. If they have newer rigs that they want you to maintain (applying wax, doing windows etc) thats where your hourly rate comes in to play.

If you need some advice on anything else let me know. hope this helps.

Thank you very much!! I have a lot going on right now, but next fall/winter I will definitely be getting in touch with you if I decide to go through with it.

Side note: I did find another good side/off-season job possibility: Home inspector. I talked with a real estate agent, because she's on the board of this association giving out small business grants, and she let me know that there are hardly any home inspectors around, and the ones she uses (she has a huge real estate company) all come from an hour away or so. She says people come in looking to get into real estate, and she has no "jobs" for them but tells them to look into the inspection gig, and nobody wants to crawl under houses or walk on the roofs. WELL...let me tell you, I don't mind at all! She says it prob pays an average of $350 per home, each taking probably half day. I just have to take an approved course and get licensed, and I'm a nit-picker anyways, so that's looking good for next year!

[Paul@F.T.D]