Hi Folks, I’ve just found this in some research I did a while back although it is a little out of date I don’t think that the prices would have changed that much I’ve added it here because Some people seem to be confused as to the going rate for, services and livestock etc, for sale. This is further compounded by the fact that, as Brits we seem to be a target for unscrupulous vendors trying to cash in on the (rich) Brits. If we as newcomers continue to pay the prices being asked then we have only ourselves to blame when it spirals out of control. I have put together a list of fair prices that I think is fair. If others can add to these from within their own locations then a fairly accurate table could be available, bearing in mind that these prices refer to a Village location, and local contacts rather than agents or go betweens, as this will inevitably raise the price.

MANUAL LABOURER: 30 Lv a day.

NON CERTIFICATED SKILLED WORKER: 40 – 50 Lv a day

FULLY CERTIFICATED SKILLED WORKER: 60 Lv a day.

I have found that if you pay upfront you are inviting absenteeism, also best to agree a sum for the completion rather than a daily rate, calculated on what you think the time scale for the job should be. I have found the best way is to hire someone for a day and if satisfactory, continue employment, if not all you have lost is a day’s wages.
Large projects are another ball game and should be undertaken after good sound advice.

TO PLOUGH A FIELD: 50 Lv for 1,000 square metres, including fuel.
TO HARROW A FIELD: 30 Lv for 1,000 square metres:
BALE OF HAY: 1-50 – 2 Lv in summer, up to 3 Lv in winter.
BALE OF STRAW: 1 – 2 Lv all year round.
GRAIN: 25 St a Kilo 250 Lv a Ton, at the moment, will rise in November.
OATS: 28 St a Kilo 280 Lv a Ton at the moment, will rise in November.
SALTLICK BLOCK: 3 Lv a Kilo.
BALE OF LUCERNA: 3 – 5 Lv depending on season, cheaper in summer.
FIRE WOOD: Ordered through you local Mayor, 2009 prices are 42 Lv a cubic metre.
Delivery of this wood can be high, (12 Lv a cubic metre) as it is done by a local contractor, so if you can get the documentation off your Mayor and arrange your own pickup it will be cheaper. Delivery by a third party should also include off loading. If you have access to a 4x4 and trailer or Tractor and trailer, there is no reason you cannot collect it from the agent in the forest yourself. The documentation from the Mayor should have the location of the forest your wood is located.
CUTTING FIREWOOD: at the moment is 5 Lv a cubic metre, if you need it STACKING at the same time an extra 1 Lv a cubic metre. To SPLIT THE WOOD will have to be negotiated if required. The petrol and oil for the chainsaw is part of the price, not an extra.
DISTILLING RAKIA: 1 Lv a litre, maximum tax free 30 litres. You need to provide your own firewood. Any less than 30 litres share with a neighbour.
WELDING JOBS: small 5 Lv, plus replace rods used. big jobs haggle, and again replace rods used.

ANIMALS:

BULL/BULLOCK: up to 1,500 Lv depending on weight.
COW: 1,000 – 1,500 Lv, older the cheaper.
CALF: depending on weight and sex: up to 1,000 Lv at the top end.
HORSE: Gelding 450 – 550 Lv. Mare of breeding age: 500 – 600 Lv
MULE: Only seen one true mule, and was not for sale. I would think one would cost somewhere between a Horse and Donkey.
DONKEY: 200 – 250 Lv. unless you know what you are doing, it would be unwise to buy a foal or a full stallion of any kind.
PIGLET: 80 – 90 Lv
FULL GROWN PIG;
3 Lv a Kilo.
GOAT: 70 - 90 Lv for a Nanny.
KID: 4 Lv a Kilo.
LAMB: 120 – 140 Lv.
SHEEP: 100 – 120 Lv.
DOG: Free, speak to your local vet, or up to 40 Lv.
DOCUMENTATION FOR ANIMALS: 5 – 15 Lv.
Dogs claimed to be pedigree and registered can be checked using the Eurocom database at this site. [url=http:
//www.
eurobreeder.
com/breeds/dog_breeds_b.
html:1929fphz][You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
ANIMAL INJECTIONS: 5 – 7 Lv a shot. Local Vet.
HOOF TRIMMING: Local vet: 15 – 20 Lv all four corners.
SHOEING: 30 Lv plus cost of shoes.
RABBIT: 10 – 30 Lv. Not on Breed but on expected weight, even if it is pretty.
RATS AND MICE: usually free.
TURKEY: Poult 7.50 – 10 Lv grown 25 Lv.
GOOSE: Gosling 10 Lv, grown 25 Lv
DUCK: Duckling 4 – 5 Lv grew 15 – 20 Lv.
CHICKEN: Chick 1.50 Lv grown 10 Lv.
PHEASANT: grown. 15 -20 Lv.
GUINEA FOWL. grown 15 Lv.
PEAFOWL: grown 50 – 60 Lv.
SLAUGHTERING AND BUTCHERING: depends on animal and how far prepared, from Goose/Turkey to Bullock. 5 Lv – 60 Lv Head, Hide and Offal is usually given to Butcher.
SHEEP SHEARING: 5 Lv an animal.

CARTWHEEL: 15 – 20 Lv Depending on size.
WOODEN BARREL: 15 – 20 Lv Depending on size and condition. Brand New, start at 90 Lv
GRAPE PULPER: new. 90 – 120 Lv.
CORN MILLER: new 300 Lv. Never seen a second-hand one for sale.
WINE PRESS: new.100 – 120 Lv.
KARUTZA: four wheel cart normal size: 250 -350 Lv.
KARUTZA: four wheel cart mini size: 200 – 300 Lv
HORSE DRAWN PLOUGH: small 70 – 80 Lv.
VAKULKA: two wheel cart 250 – 350 Lv.
RACING VAKULKA: up to 800 Lv.
CART REGISTRATION;
10 Lv. See your local Mayor.
HORSE TACK: replacement or repair, by negotiation tack maker at all street markets, will call and measure your animal if required.
TRACTOR: fair condition 3,000 Lv.
TRACTOR WITH FRONT BUCKET: fair condition. 4,000 Lv.
HAY BALER: 6,000 – 20,000 Lv.
Any second-hand equipment should be haggled over, it’s expected. Just like buying a used car in the UK. You can save 50 Lv by pointing out bald tyres, and badly repaired horse tack.

Thank you netsniper this could be very useful, although I don't think the farming equipment is for me but I am sure others will find it very useful [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

sarah

Good list and gives a good idea of prices, although some prices re labour etc will vary a great deal from area to area, wood has increased by quite a lot in our area even purchased through the mayor. But this does give you a guide to what should be paid

Hi All,

With prices for things here, It is normal, in my area for a Brit to be charged double. I get it all the time, and I'm known. I walk away when they do that.

In this area, it is 10 lev a day for labour, to Bg's and 20 for us.

But everything is negociable. I don't go near anyone trying to inflate prices.
Derva for the petchka, in this village is at the moment 43 lev a mtr. 41 in Strazhitsa. But goes up each month as we get into winter.

A pair of white hospital shoes for indoors, normal price to a BG is 3 lev, to me they ask 6, again I walk away. As a Brit it is up to me to decided what I pay and once I know the price I'm off if they asl more, it normally comes down before I have got far.

The best guide I can give anyone, is. If the price is on the item, you know you are going to be charged a fair price, if you can't see how much, then your going to be charged what they think they can get. It is normal life here and has not changed since I came here.

General pricing does vary from area to area and village to village, even here in this part of BG. I'll try and get some sort of upto date price guide for you, but it will be in this area. You can get some idea of your area rate by comparing from several different sources.

In Bg, there is no such thing as a qualified certificated worker. Only Doctors and lawyers and that sort. But for manual workers. It is not something the BG's and Russians do. They find it is not needed and is a cost they don't like to pay for. Most cetificates you will see are made at home or by the local forger for want of a better word. It is all in BG so you would need to get it translated and the stamp on it, if there is one checked out too as that just might be for something else.

The BG's use computers to forge documents all the time, yes, there is always someone here with the skillls to do that for a price. I have been asked to do some of them as well. Stamps are copied for a legal document and then printed on the made up one. It is so easy to do. Bulgaria does not have the manual worker training and qualifications like we do in the UK, but they are finding out they need to get them now.

Get your lawyer to check out a certificate, if you see one, But I doubt if you will be given the chance to do that. I scan them when I see them and then show then to someone I trust to get them checked. If it is important, then I use a lawyer. If the document looks like it was made at home, then you can bet it was.

Here in BG, if you have done the job once or twice, your a master or Maestro. As far as the locals are concerend I am a super maestro. I would say check everything you have done and only pay once you are satisfied, though it is normal for a 10% deposit to be paid. It is also a leagle thing here to withhold 10% of total price till you are happy the work has been done right.

Something you just might be interested in, A so called electrician showed me his daughters birth certificate from VT and tolld me it was his qualifications. Luckily I had seen a birth cert before, I lauged at him so much, he just walked off. As most us can't read Kyrilic, the BG's know they can con us with any document.

Check the internet for any important info, it is all on here, if you want to find it. Everything about qualifications and legal documents is on there, you only have to spend time looking. The villagers have none of this, so will try anyway to con us if they can. Sorry, this is not doom and gloom. It is fact of life, living in BG. it is part of their way of life. But there are many honest and straight BG's So don't think it is all of them as it is not.

I have many wonderful BG friends, but sadly for me, few in my village. Maybe 6 or 7. I'm not complaining just stating a fact of life. They have no money and see us as a way to make some easy money. We have brought it on our selves mostly, by letting them get away with it. They still think most of us are stupid and our Goverment gives us big money to live here.

Those prices you quoted netsniper, are way above the prices in this area. But as in everything BG, it all varies from area to area. Nothing is the same anywhere in BG.

In our village a sheep is sold for 85 lev's and 5 levs for killing and skining. but the average around this area for us is avout 100 to 120 leva.

Milk in this village is 60 stotinkies, but to us 65. Aneta has just told me it has gone up to 80, by 1 person yesterday.

eggs are normally 20 stots,

I'll do my best with Aneta to get some other prices, in this area.

So please don't think I'm trying to make things look bad, I'm not, just telling it as it is.

Best wishes to all

Netsniper's list is a good guide but should by no means be taken as gospel. As Animal said, costs vary quite a lot according to area and village. As regards costs for normal things like 'village' shoes etc, I buy from the bazaar in town or from the car that parks in our square from time to time. Have never had dual pricing buying from them. Our village shop prices are much the same as the supermarket I use in town so I can imagine who is making the most profit. As for builders, we had a contract fully itemised and diagram for the renovation and apart from a few extras that we have asked for, the price has remained the same. We do not have to worry about the costs of labour etc it is all in the complete price and is paid in 3 stages. Everything is left up to the 'boss' and he has never 'scammed' us. I can say that without reservation because we have limited funds and would not have had him back a second time if we had had a problem. Again, I think we have been very lucky indeed.

Prices do vary from area to area.

In our village;


Fresh Milk is 1 lev
Bread 80ct to 1.10lev
Beer 1 - 1.30 lev
Eggs 20cts each.

Labour starts at 25 levs that's unskilled.

Electric, Coperative price 0.21 ct per KW

Wood, 55 levs a Cubic Metre, 5 lev per cubic to be split.

Lorka

Thanks all,

Just what we need to give us all an idea fo cost around BG. It would be very interesting to see the cost all around BG. So come everyone, lets here what it cost you in your part of BG.

Best wishes to all of you,