Utility company drives through new seeding

[millstreaminn]

A contractor for the utility company stopped at my farm the other day and asked about getting access to a tower that carries high voltage lines across my farm. It is impossible for them to access the tower and stay on their right of way, so I told them they could drive my farm roads to get to the tower. They said they would pay all surface damages, which I expected.

I can home yesterday to find that they drove right across a field that was newly seeded... They never even used my farm roads, just drove right down the center of my seeding. Anyhow, they tracked up a piece about 10' wide and 300' long. Now I'm pizzed. They have a restoration company that comes around after the work and "fixes" the fields, but I know they are not going to fix it or seed it to my satisfaction. I want to fix it myself and just bill them.

Question is this: What's a fair price to charge per hour for my time and equipment? Obviously, I'm not looking to "just break even" either. All of my tillage and seeding equipment is already cleaned and put away. I'm thinking it would take me 6 hours to get the stuff back out, fix the field, clean the stuff back up and then put it away. I was going to request $95.00 per hour for my time, seed and equipment. Am I out of line?

Scott

 

[Deepsouth]

I deal with this kind of thing a lot but from the other side. I am over timber harvesting operations for a timber company. We have to get right of ways across people a lot. You are not out of line at all. Have you talked to them yet? My advice would be to contact them and discuss it in a professional manner. They would probably prefer for you to do the work and pay you more than your purposing. It's a lot more headache for them to get someone else out there to do. Also they know if you do the work you'll be satisfied with it.

 

[Brute 23]

I've been on both sides of it. Currently working with land owners for oil and gas.

For some thing like that. I wouldn't expect a bill for less than $1,000 and would pay it in a heart beat.

 

[chippie]

Have you contacted them about the damage yet?
I would make an itemized spreedsheet to determine how much to charge. I would be sure to include everything your time, the cost of the seed, including the time, fuel and mileage to go get the new seed. Then I would decide how much you want to charge to repair the damage. If the total cost is less than you want to be reimbursed, increase the amount to your satisfaction. You might find out that you are owed more than charging $95 an hour. Very often, companies want a total cost, not a bill after you have fixed things up.
The little things can add up.
I found this online.

http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics...s/Machinery_Custom_Rates/CustomRates 2014.pdf

 

[millstreaminn]

Thanks for the replies. No, I haven't contacted them yet. I wanted to get my ducks in a row and ask for some help on here before I start a conversation with them.

 

[TexasBred]

Thanks for the replies. No, I haven't contacted them yet. I wanted to get my ducks in a row and ask for some help on here before I start a conversation with them.

They're not impossible to deal with. Like said, they will pay you rather than have to do it themselves or hire it done. Just be reasonable with your figures. You may want them to do you a favor one day and my experience has been that they will gladly do it as long as you keep that good working relationship.

 

[millstreaminn]

Thanks TB.

This is the same power company that charged me $12,000 to set a pole and run 40' feet of 3 phase wire for me 10 years ago. Not that I thought that was way too much... :shock: :roll:

 

[bird dog]

It helps to have an estimate from someone else even if you plan on fixing it yourself. Get one of your neighbors to type you up a written bid to present to them. They like stuff on paper. If its reasonable, they will pay it.

One question. Why can't they access from their right a way? I thought that is what they were there for.

 

[TexasBred]

Thanks TB.

This is the same power company that charged me $12,000 to set a pole and run 40' feet of 3 phase wire for me 10 years ago. Not that I thought that was way too much... :shock: :roll:

:lol: :lol: I hear you. But knowing just how to do that wire and hook it up would have disqualified me. I'd have paid whatever they asked. :nod:

 

[hillbilly beef man]

High voltage is like skydiving. It is not hard to understand, but the learning curve is pretty steep.

 

[millstreaminn]

One question. Why can't they access from their right a way? I thought that is what they were there for.

Their ROW is only accessible with dozers-crawlers. There is an 11' bank they would have to crawl up and over and it's pretty much a cliff. The 4wd bucket trucks they were using would never make it.

I talked to the landman this morning about the damages. I told him I wanted to fix it myself and $500.00 would cover their damages and my time. He wrote me a check. I'm happy, they are happy.

 

[TexasBred]

One question. Why can't they access from their right a way? I thought that is what they were there for.

Their ROW is only accessible with dozers-crawlers. There is an 11' bank they would have to crawl up and over and it's pretty much a cliff. The 4wd bucket trucks they were using would never make it.

I talked to the landman this morning about the damages. I told him I wanted to fix it myself and $500.00 would cover their damages and my time. He wrote me a check. I'm happy, they are happy.

Good deal. :!:

 

[Lawson Farms]

We had the power company come one time to "bush hog the right of ways" that happened to be right thru our hay field.